There’s actually some good news coming out of Happy Valley this week. First and foremost, Penn State didn’t lose (it also didn’t play, but that’s beside the point). Secondly, the 3-3 Nittany Lions will get the cure-all this week when they visit Minnesota.
In today’s edition of Morelli OnLion, we’ll grade the Lions through the first six weeks of the season. We’ll hand out grades for offense, defense and special teams. We’ll also preview the matchup with the Golden Gophers.
Let’s start with the grades.
Mid-Term Grades
Through six games, the Penn State Nittany Lions have a record of 3-3, good for a .500 winning percentage. The wins have come against sub-par opponents including Youngstown State, Kent State and Temple. The losses have come to Alabama, Iowa and Illinois. At this point in the season, I figured the Lions would be 4-2. I never expected them to lose to Illinois, especially in a 20-point blowout.
With the wins and losses in the rearview mirror, it’s time to grade the Lions.
Let’s start with the most important position on the field.
Quarterback: C-
While most of Nittany Nation is sold on true freshman Rob Bolden, count me among the detractors. I’m just not there yet. Yes, he’s working behind a makeshift offensive line. Yes, his receivers have dropped an awful lot of balls. But that doesn’t excuse the mistakes. Through the first six games, he has seven picks including a downright horrible throw against the Illini that went for six the other way. That interception swung momentum and took the life right out of the crowd. If he doesn’t show improvement during the first half against Minnesota, then let’s give Kevin Newsome a shot and see what he can do.
Running Back: C
Evan Royster has struggled for sure, but he’s also been running into brick walls every single game. Nonetheless, the big guy is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Still, we haven’t seen that vision, that breakaway drive that has put him into position to become Penn State’s all-time leading rusher. Silas Redd and Stephfon Green have gotten chances but have been unable to unseat Royster as the starter.
Offensive Line: C-
While Stefen Wisniewski has performed admirably at right guard, those around him haven’t stepped up. As a result, the O-line is under fire this season. Quinn Barham, Johnnie Troutman, Doug Klopacz and Chima Okoli are not on Wiz’s level just yet. That means the O-line is a work in progress. As Penn State prepares for the heart of the Big Ten schedule, that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: C
The wide receiving corps started the season like gangbusters, but have quickly cooled. The most consistent receiver has been co-captain Brett Brackett. He came out of nowhere early on and quickly developed chemistry with Bolden. However, veteran players like Derek Moye, Graham Zug and Chaz Powell have yet to improve over last season. A serious case of the drops have hurt the Lions in recent weeks and those will have to disappear if the young QB is going to improve.
Defensive Line: C-
The loss of Jared Odrick to the NFL has left the Lions with a hole they’ve been unable to fill. Through the first six games, defensive linemen have combined to sack the quarterback just five times. Those are horrible numbers, especially when you consider the opposition. Jack Crawford has been the biggest disappointment thus far. Someone has to step up, that much is certain.
Linebackers: C
It’s never easy to replace players like Sean Lee or Navorro Bowman, but this group of linebackers has tried. While they won’t make anyone forget about Paul Posluszny or Dan Connor, they’ve been serviceable. Michael Mauti and Bani Gbadyu are nicked up, but Chris Colasanti has done an admirable job at LB. All of the linebackers have to do a better job wrapping up or it’s going to be a long season at Linebacker U.
Secondary: B-
Our first B is handed out to the secondary. The corners (D’Anton Lynn and Stephon Morris) have been solid but not spectacular. Nick Sukay was improving, but a torn pectoral muscle ended his season prematurely. Drew Astorino struggled early, but has come on as of late. Like most of the Lions, the secondary is a work in progress and it’s getting better with experience.
Special Teams: B
The special teams have been the highlight in 2010. Collin Wagner has been solid on field goals (13-of-15). The much-hyped Anthony Fera is getting better and should be very good by the end of the season. Penn State is doing a good job covering kicks and punts, which is very good news.
Coaching: D
The season can be summed up in the final seconds of the first half at Iowa. There was mass confusion on the sidelines, which led to mismanagement of the clock. Eventually, the Lions kicked a field goal but were unable to recover in the second half in the 24-3 loss to the Hawkeyes. With their iconic coach not wearing a headset, it’s hard to blame Paterno. But the train wreck that is getting the play from the box to the field needs to be fixed, especially with a young QB running the show. The conservative play calling against Illinois earns the Lion coaching staff below average marks here.
Overall: C
At 3-3, the Lions are an average team. The season could go either way. It won’t come down to the coaching staff. It will come down to how badly the players want to salvage the season and get to a bowl game.
Looking Ahead: Minnesota
The Golden Gophers are in disarray after firing coach Tim Brewster. The Gophers enter Saturday’s game at 1-6, easily the worst in the Big Ten. They have problems on offense, defense and special teams, which led to Brewster’s desmise. This is a battle for the Big Ten basement, but it’s a battle the Lions should win.
Gantdaily.com prediction: Penn State 20, Minnesota 10.
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. Also, be sure to check out Morelli OnLion on Facebook!