Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve predicted Penn State to finish second in the Big Ten and in the top 10 nationally. Well, I’ve gotten more than one e-mail about those predictions.
Some of you believe that I’ve underestimated these Nittany Lions — that they’ll easily run the table and find themselves in the BCS Title Game,
while others believe that I’ve overestimated this squad.
So, in today’s edition of Morelli OnLion, we’ll look at some potential problems for the Lions. We’ll also have our No. 6 moment of the year in Penn State athletics and feature another member of the Class of 2009.
Let’s start with some places where the Lions could run into trouble.
Trouble Spots
At first glance, the 2009 version of the Nittany Lions looks pretty good. Good leaders, good QB, solid defense, nice ground game. However, there are some potential problems.
The biggest one is the offensive line. It lost great players like A.Q. Shipley and Rich Ohrnberger, who are now on NFL rosters. Center Stefen Wisniewski takes over for Shipley, so the Lions should be OK there. The big question mark comes from starting left tackle DeOn’tae Pannell, who will have to protect Daryll Clark’s blindside and keep him upright.
If the offensive line can jell in those first three non-conference games, Penn State should be fine in the trenches. If not, it could be a much
rougher season than the prognosticators believe.
The secondary is our second concern. The unit has an entirely new look and players like A.J. Wallace and Drew Astorino will have to step up and make plays. Remember, it was the old unit that was scorched by Mark Sanchez in the Rose Bowl. Here’s hoping that the new group spent plenty of time watching film of that game as they learn to defend against a somewhat pass-happy Big Ten.
Drew Astorino could be a key cog for the Lions in the secondary.
Finally, there’s the new group of wideouts who will be compared to Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood and Derrick Williams, all of whom are playing in the NFL. At first glance, the wideouts look solid. Brett Brackett is a big target and guys like Chaz Powell and Derek Moye provide some speed. But we truly will not know how good these guys are until they get into game situations.
Like the offensive line, they need to use those first three non-conference games to work on their skills and get ready for Big Ten play.
So, will those three areas help or hurt the Lions? Only time — and a few ballgames — will tell.
Moment No. 6: Nittany Lions Capture NIT Title
Our No. 6 moment of the year comes from the hardwood.
After being snubbed by the NCAA on Selection Sunday, the Penn State men’s basketball team was invited to play in the National Invitational Tournament. Once in the tournament, the Nittany Lions would not lose a game. They posted a thrilling overtime victory against George Mason in the first round of the tourney and then went on to defeat Rhode Island, Florida and Notre Dame to earn a berth in the NIT title game against Baylor. Once in the title game, the Nittany Lions would not be denied, posting a 69-63 victory over the Bears in historic Madison Square Garden. The win marked the first-ever national championship of any kind for PSU on the hardwood and the Nittany Lions finished the year at 27-11, setting a record for the most wins in a season.
Class of 2009: Stephen Obeng-Agyapong
Stephen Obeng-Agyapong is a member of the Class of 2009 who has a bright
future.
The pipeline from John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx stayed open long enough this year for the Nittany Lions to pluck the Knights’ top player, safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong.
Though he was relatively unknown at the time, Obeng-Agyapong managed to pick up five offers before becoming the fourth member of the Nittany Lions’ Class of 2009 on May 9, 2008. He came to Happy Valley for the State College Nike Camp, and made his commitment the night before the exhibition. Buffalo, Connecticut, Iowa and Maryland had all extended scholarship offers at that point.
Obeng-Agyapong is the latest player from Kennedy to join the Nittany Lions, as former teammates Stephfon Green and Shaine Thompson are both on Penn State’s roster. Offensive lineman Nerraw McCormack was also a member of Coach Alex Vega’s squad.
Obeng-Agyapong was the Knights’ leading rusher in 2008, carrying 66 times for 719 yards, an average of 10.9 yards per carry, and two touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns. One defense, he racked up 36 tackles and intercepted a pass. He was named first team all-city and all-borough as a defensive back.
He was a second team all-borough selection as a defensive back as a junior. Obeng-Agyapong is ranked as the No. 5 prospect in New York state by Rivals.com, and is rated the No. 65 safety in the country.
Chris Morelli is the award-winning editor of Blue White Illustrated, a weekly publication devoted to Penn State athletics. He is also a regular on
“Sports Central,” which airs on ESPN Radio in Altoona and State College. E-mail him at morellionlion@gmail.com. This column does not necessarily
reflect the views or opinions of BWI’s writers or publisher.