With the season right around the corner, by far the biggest question on anyone's mind who cheers for the blue and white is who will start at QB. After several productive years with Darryl Clark at the helm, the Nittany Lions need to break in a new signal caller and out of the four possible selections the person leading Penn State in 2010 will be a freshman. Now, that could either a redshirt freshman or true freshman.
Based on reports from spring practice and early fall practice, there appears to be no real leader. Even the true freshman, who has only been on campus for a few weeks in Robert Bolden, appears to have a chance. While everyone would expect the leader at this point to be the redshirt freshman, and very highly touted, Kevin Newsome who backed up Darryl Clark all of last year, it appears he has made no effort to separate himself from the competition.
That competition includes a redshirt, former walk-on, freshman name Matt McGloin. The ‘sexy’ pick right now tends to be another true freshman, Paul Jones, who appeared on campus last spring and was by far the biggest highlight of the Blue-White game. From all reports, he is by far making the biggest push, showing the greatest potential and most rapid trajectory of improvement from one practice session to the next. So what does this all mean?
Well, I know one thing no team is ever been successful with a rotating QB, so ole’ Joe needs to pick a horse and stick with it. And let’s be honest, this year is a bit of a rebuilding year, I think we all agree our chances at a Big Ten title with games at Ohio St. and Iowa is unlikely. So this is a critically important year to make that ‘rebuilding’ effort worth it. I am willing to take a few extra lumps this year to set us up for a successful QB for several years to follow the 2010 campaign.
This also shows the huge mistake this coaching staff made in not landing a QB with a bit more experience between Mr. Clark and then the true redshirt freshman in Newsome and McGloin. To have no choices but a freshman is not ideal and is not what any coaching staff wants.
Lastly, this will be a great opportunity for the younger Joe Pa (Jay) to show what type of QB coaching abilities he truly has. He has never had a QB on his clock make it to the pro’s as a QB or even sniffed being drafted at QB (only Michael Robinson is in the pro’s, but not play QB). Three of the four options he has to pick from were huge and big time recruits, offered by all the big-time programs in the nation. At least one, if not two, of the three should have the skills to be a star and actually be made into a true top tier, pro-ready QB. Personally, I don’t have a lot of confidence that Jay has the abilities to grow and teach a QB to play at that level, but only time will tell.
At the end of the day, the pick this staff makes when it coming to a starting QB in 2010 will not only impact the team this year, but for many years to come. Make the right pick, and while there will be growing pains this year, the next 2 or 3 years should be ones where the most important position on the field is experienced and ready to make some magic happen for the Blue and White. Make the wrong pick or take too long to the make the right pick, will result in a dreadful 2010 and likely a tough transition into 2011.
It will also not allow this coaching staff to establish a true foundation at QB for years to come, years which might include a transition at the real person who is at the ‘helm’, the head ball coach. I think we can say it highly likely that Joe Pa will not see these freshmen graduate from Happy Valley, so it is likely the QB in 2010 will end his career taking plays from another coach.
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Let’s hope they make the right selection from the beginning, and stick it out.
We are Penn State.
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