August 2009
OSR ARCHIVES
TODAY'S REPORTS |
| OSR 8/11/2009 | | BATTLES YET TO BE WON - PART II | | UNIVERSITY PARK Pa. – When training camp opens for the Penn State football team, there will be a number of positions whe... |
| | | | OSR 8/10/2009 | | Battles Yet to Be Won | | UNIVERSITY PARK Pa. – When training camp opens for the Penn State football team, there will be a number of positions where lit... |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
- Volleyball (W), 8/28, Miami (OH), 6pm
- Soccer (M), 9/1, St. Francis, 7pm
- Tennis (W), 9/5, Alumni Event
- FOOTBALL, 9/5, Akron, 12pm
- Soccer (M), 9/11, Hofstra, 7:30pm
- Football, 9/12, Syracuse, 12pm
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| OSR TV |
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| Band pulls one on Sleeping Tailgater |
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| Band Tribute to VA Tech |
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| NITTANY LIONS ON THE WIRE |
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| Senior cornerback A.J. Wallace will be vying for a spot as the primary kickoff returner for the Nittany Lions this fall. |
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Official Sports Report: August 11, 2009
BATTLES YET TO BE WON - PART II |
Commentary Exclusive To Penn State OSR
by OSR Staff
UNIVERSITY PARK Pa. – When training camp opens for the Penn State football team, there will be a number of positions where little doubt will exist who the starter is. Daryll Clark will be behind center as the Nittany Lion quarterback. Evan Royster will be the primary ball carrier as the first team running back. Sean Lee will be patrolling the defense from one of the linebacker spots. Jared Odrick will be entrenched on the defensive line.
However, there remain several other key positions over which battles will be waged throughout preseason practices for the coveted starting role. With the fortunes of Penn State in 2009 potentially riding on the outcome of these head-to-head match-ups, the eyes of the Nittany Lion nation will fall upon these players and their development throughout the preseason.
Kick returner:
Chaz Powell vs. A.J. Wallace
Operating under the assumption that A.J. Wallace gets his academic situation straightened out and is a part of the team in 2009, the training camp battle for the top kick returning job prompts some intriguing questions. Chaz Powell has the blazing speed and elusiveness needed to return kicks and he did average 28.8 yards per return in 2008, but can he earn the full trust of the coaching staff and get the bulk of the workload? Wallace is a proven commodity in the kick return game after setting the school record for return yards in 2007, but can Penn State afford to risk injury to its top cornerback, an already paper thin position, by playing him on special teams? This battle may play itself out over the first few weeks of the season but my best guess says that Powell will emerge as the No.1 kick returner. He has the ability and he can easily handle contributing both on special teams and at wide receiver, much like Derek Williams did.
Linebacker:
Josh Hull vs. Michael Mauti vs. Jerome Hayes
It’s no overstatement to assert that this may be the most important battle of the 2009 training camp, at least on the defensive side of the ball. Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman are entrenched at two of the linebacker spots leaving the other wide open for at least a three-way contest to claim it. Josh Hull is a tackling machine and the incumbent starter but he has his limitations.
Michael Mauti is young but is a budding superstar who seemingly makes a big play every time he is in the game. Jerome Hayes is a question mark solely because of his injury history but he is experienced and hungry to make the most of his final collegiate season. Hull has the edge because he played so well last year in place of the injured Sean Lee but how much longer can Mauti and his dynamic playmaking skills be kept on the bench? Hayes will contribute as well, likely in the pass rushing role in which he excelled before he was hurt.
Hero (strong safety):
Cedric Jeffries vs. Andrew Dailey
To most Penn State fans, Jeffries and Dailey are a mystery and rightfully so because the two have combined for a grand total of zero career starts. However, that is more of a reflection of Anthony Scirrotto’s talent that a commentary on theirs. Jeffries has played in all 26 games the last two seasons and, at 6-2, 203, has ideal size for the safety position. Dailey is built more like a linebacker at 6-2, 221 and has bounced around from position to position trying to find the right spot where he can best contribute. Jeffries earned the advantage with his play in the spring and sits atop the depth chart heading into training camp, but Dailey will definitely have his shot to unseat him with standout performances in practice.
Cornerback:
Knowledge Timmons vs. D’Anton Lynn
Knowledge Timmons was recently asked in an interview which Penn State players he thought could surprise this year. He boldly and without hesitation first cited himself. For a secondary that is laden with uncertainty, every Nittany Lion fan hopes that that is the case. One of the team’s speediest players, the senior clearly feels a sense of urgency to capitalize on his final season in the blue and white. Little more than a special teams contributor in years prior, the opportunity for him to earn a starting spot in there for the taking.
Pushing him is sophomore D’Anton Lynn, a player with prototypical size (6-1, 198) for the cornerback position. An excellent athlete with NFL bloodlines, he represents the future at cornerback for Penn State. Timmons will likely begin the year as the starter but, if he falters, Lynn should be well prepared to step in. Against a pass-happy team like Akron, both Timmons and Lynn will get plenty of reps. Also, whichever player loses out on the starting job will likely see extensive action in nickel and dime packages.
Guard:
Johnnie Troutman vs. Matt Stankiewitch
Outside of the secondary, the offensive line is the area which causes the most amount of hand-wringing among the Nittany Lion faithful when considering the team’s fortunes in 2009. Not including veteran holdovers Stefen Wisniewski and Dennis Landolt, the o-line is young and unproven, including the left guard spot. The leading candidate for the starting assignment is redshirt sophomore Johnnie Troutman. At 6-4, 322 lbs., he is one of the largest and physically imposing linemen on the roster, which should be music to the ears of Evan Royster. Troutman saw action in six games in 2008.
Stankiewitch is significantly lighter, weighing in at 290, than his main competition and, outside of the spring game, he has no game experience. Both boast solid skills and sizeable potential. If a legitimate starter does not emerge leading up to the opener versus Akron, with Penn State’s light early season schedule, the coaches have time to get the situation permanently sorted out. |
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