So there I sat, cold drink in one hand, bracket in the other.
As I watched the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, I kept waiting and waiting to hear Penn State. As the brackets were announced and the chances dwindled, I could only think that the Nittany Lions were being served another injustice. After all, the Nittany Lions were 20-11, right? Certainly they deserved a spot in the field of 64.
Then, the family reminded me. The Lions were not 20-11, but 11-20.
Nevermind.
The season is in the books (thankfully), so we won’t have to dwell on Penn State hoops anymore. Let’s look ahead to bigger and better things — namely, football.
In today’s edition of Morelli OnLion, we’ll look at the race for the starting quarterback job at Penn State. We’ll also feature another member of the Class of 2010.
Let’s start with the signal callers.
The Race Begins
One of the biggest questions facing the Nittany Lions is, of course, the quarterback position. The graduation of two-year starter Daryll Clark leaves a gaping hole on the offensive side of the ball.
So just who is the heir apparent at quarterback. Of the four likely candidates, only one, sophomore Kevin Newsome, has completed a pass at the collegiate level. So let’s take a closer look at the four serious candidates to be the starting QB when the Nittany Lions begin play against Youngstown State on Sept. 4 at Beaver Stadium. We’ll even assign odds as to who will be the starter when the season kicks off.
Kevin Newsome — Without a doubt, Newsome has the inside track for the starting job. He appeared in several games in mop-up duty and is the only QB with significant statistics. In 10 games, Newsome completed 8 of 11 passes for 66 yards. His passer efficiency rating was 123.1. Most often, the Penn State coaching staff would not let Newsome throw the ball, which meant he used his feet instead. He carried the ball 20 times for 95 yards — an average of nearly five yards per crack.
With all of his talent and all of the skill he apparently possesses, it’s hard to believe that Newsome won’t be the starter when the season begins.
Morelli’s odds to start — 3:1
Matt McGloin — The walk-on from West Scranton never figured to be in the mix at QB, but the transfer of Pat Devlin opened the door and McGloin began getting more and more reps during practice. Last season, McGloin played in two games, but never completed a pass. However, his work ethic has reportedly impressed coach Joe Paterno, so don’t count McGloin out. However, with all the talent stacked at QB, it’s hard to imagine McGloin under center when the season starts. And can you imagine the reaction of Nittany Nation if McGloin was the QB when the Lions head south to take on national champion Alabama on Sept. 11?
Morelli’s odds to start — 25:1
Paul Jones — An elite talent, Jones came to Penn State with an impressive resume. The 6-foot-3, 226 pound QB from Sto Rox High School near Pittsburgh was a four-star recruit, according to rivals.com. He was ranked No. 8 at his position and No. 134 nationally
Jones has a strong arm and a quick release. When he takes the field in the Blue-White Game on April 24, he will undoubtedly remind many of the departed Clark.
Jones has lofty aspirations. He told BWI that he wanted to win four national championships and a couple of Heisman Trophies while he’s at Penn State. He’s certainly the dark horse candidate in the race to the be the starter. Don’t count him out.
Morelli’s odds to start — 100:1
Robert Bolden — Bolden is a dual-threat QB who has great size, speed and a fantastic arm. At 6-4, 205, Bolden appears to have all the tools to be a starting quarterback.
His statistics from his senior season at St. Marys High School in Orchard Lake, Mich., were impressive. He completed 72-of-152 for 1,013 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. He can also run the ball, as evidenced by his 535 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
Does those numbers mean that Bolden would make a good starting QB?
Sure, just not this season.
If Bolden had enrolled early, he might be in the mix. The fact that he’s not here yet means the odds are stacked against him.
Morelli’s odds to start — 1,000:1
Brett Brackett — Brackett’s name first came up at Paterno’s day-after get together at the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 2. Brackett, of course, came to Penn State as a QB before being converted to a wideout. He’s not had great success there, though. He caught just three balls for 13 yards and one score during the 2009 campaign.
Make no mistake about it, Brackett had all the tools to be a solid QB at the collegiate level. However, since he hasn’t taken a snap at QB since he’s been at Penn State, it’s hard to imagine that quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno would put the Spread HD into the hands of someone lacking any practical experience at QB.
Brackett might see a position change to QB, but that would be a waste of his time and talent.
Morelli’s odds to start — 10,000:1
Newsome’s the guy. Write it down.
Class of 2010: Daquan Jones
The defensive tackle from Johnson City High School in Johnson City, N.Y., had to wait until his SAT scores came in to get an official offer from the Nittany Lions. Once the grades rolled in, Jones was in like Flynn.
When he visited State College for the Seniors-Only Camp, he accepted the offer and became the 10th commit for the Nittany Lions’ Class of 2010.
Jones had a stellar senior season, racking up 73 tackles, 16 sacks, 35 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. While he is clearly a defensive tackle, he earned some playing time along the offensive line.
Jones earned plenty of accolades while in high school. He was selected as a first-team Class B all-state, all-section and all-league. He was named lineman of the year by WBNG-Binghamton. He was also selected and played in the Offense-Defense Bowl in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in January.
He figures to be a solid defensive tackle for the Nittany Lions.
Chris Morelli is an award-winning writer/editor who lives in Centre County and covers 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.
