New Jersey cleans up in NFL draft--where was Penn State???

Eugene Monroe of Plainfield, New Jersey...but not Penn State
Back in the day Penn State used to dominate football recruiting in New Jersey and other schools had to settle for our leftovers. During the first round of the NFL Draft on Saturday there were seven picks from the Garden State--none of them PSU alumni. Is this a scathing indictment of Dick Anderson as a recruiter?

First-round picks from New Jersey in 2009 NFL Draft

• #8 Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
• #9 B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
• #12 Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
• #14 Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
• #15 Brian Cushing, LB, Southern Cal
• #27 Donald Brown, RB, UConn
• #30 Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

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Football recruiting: Star-studded field to attend Penn State Nike camp

We are really hoping for verbals from stud linebacker Khairi Fortt and running back Silas Redd this weekend. Bill Kurelic of ESPN bring us this news...

On Saturday in Happy Valley a Nike Football Training Camp session will be held on the campus of Penn State University. A very impressive group of prospects will take part in the camp including not only many super juniors, but some outstanding sophomores as well.

Three Under Armour All-American's will be on hand, running back Corey Brown (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara), defensive end/linebacker Dakota Royer (Manheim, Pa./Central) and offensive lineman Miles Dieffenbach (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel).

Other Keystone State standouts scheduled to be in State College on Saturday include wide receiver Alex Kenney (State College, Pa./State College), wide receiver Brandon Ifill (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), defensive back Cullen Christian (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills), offensive lineman Tom Ricketts (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and wide receiver Andrew Carswell and quarterback P.J. Jones (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox).

There will also be some great prospects on hand from outside the state of Pennsylvania including linebacker Khairi Fortt (Stamford, Conn./Stamford), wide receiver Adrian Coxson (Baltimore, Md./City College), running back Silas Redd (Stamford, Conn./King), tight end Kevin Haplea (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon), offensive lineman Arie Kouandjio (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha) and linebacker/running back Zach Zwinak and offensive lineman Robby Havenstein (Frederick, Md./Linganore).

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Scheduled to take part in the camp from the nearby state of Ohio are linebacker and West Virginia commitment Davion Rogers (Warren, Ohio/Harding), wide receiver Deron Brown (Akron, Ohio/North), running back Le'Veon Bell (Groveport, Ohio/Madison), linebacker Jewone Snow (Canton, Ohio/McKinley) and offensive lineman Eric Franklin, quarterback Alex Zordich and defensive back Ray Vinopal (Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney).

A number of outstanding sophomores will also take part in the camp on Saturday including tight end Ben Koyack (Oil City, Pa./Oil City), defensive end Steve Miller (Canton, Ohio/McKinley), wide receiver A.J. Jordan (Trotwood, Ohio/Madison) and defensive back Doran Grant (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary). It all adds up to a big day Saturday in Happy Valley.

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Penn State great Curt Warner elected to College Football Hall of Fame

Awesome news out of Happy Valley...

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USC apologist: Fans who attend spring games need a life

95,722 fans attended Ohio State's spring game
Yesterday we reported on attendance at spring football games. Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times felt the need to defend the tepid attendance at the spring games of USC (22,565) and UCLA (12,000)...

"Spring football in Los Angeles has always meant one thing: Lakers basketball.

"It's not that people didn't care about USC and UCLA playing final scrimmages at the Coliseum and Rose Bowl on Saturday--most people probably didn't even know. Hey, that's just...us.

"Spring football is different here, and not necessarily worse. In the South they say there are two sports: football and spring football. In Los Angeles, we say there's football and a thing called a life."

USC's first-string quarterback Aaron Corp was asked about the 95K+ who attended the spring game in Columbus...

"Ohio State doesn't have a beach! I don't blame our fans. It gets loud in here in the fall."

We wonder how Dufresne and Corp would explain away just one sellout for the Trojans in the past two years? If a Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, or ACC team won seven consecutive conference titles and a couple of national championships this decade, would they have anything less than an uninterrupted string of sellouts and tens of thousands of fans on their season ticket waiting list?

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Football recruiting: 4-star Adrian Coxson to Penn State!

Adrian Coxson (6-1, 194, 4.5), a 4-star wideout of Baltimore City College High, announced for Penn State this morning. According to Coxson...

“I’m quick and fast and have great hands. I’m pretty big and aggressive but am really humble. I just love to compete.

“Nobody is perfect. I’m always working on getting my routes better and being faster out of my blocks.”

Coxson will look even better when it's P.J. Jones throwing him the ball...

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Budget crisis be damned, F$U pays to save Bowden victories

Attendance is down at F$U football games
Excerpts from story by Andrew Carter...

Amid a budget crisis perhaps more severe than any it has faced in its history, Florida State University has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on consulting and attorney fees relating to the university's on-going academic fraud case, according to documents released to the Orlando Sentinel through public records requests.

The university this week is expected to submit its formal appeal of the NCAA Committee on Infractions' ruling that FSU must vacate the victories in 10 sports in which 61 ineligible athletes competed during 2006 and 2007. [Editor's note: As many as 14 of Bobby Bowden's victories are at risk.] FSU officials hope the appeals process helps bring to an end an academic fraud case that has been costly to both the university's reputation and budget.

According to documents FSU released earlier this month, the university has paid more than $200,000 to The Compliance Group, the consulting firm Florida State enlisted in September 2007 to help the university through its investigation.

Florida State also has a contract with the Tallahassee-based Gray Robinson law firm, which is handling FSU's appeal to the NCAA. According to the agreement, the university has agreed to pay Gray Robinson lawyer Bill Williams $300 an hour for his work on the appeal. Andy Bardos, another of the firm's lawyers, is receiving $250 an hour for his work.

Meanwhile, Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell--who didn't return a phone call to his office seeking comment for this story--is attempting to lead FSU through an unparalleled budget crisis. FSU is expecting to lose tens of millions of dollars in funding from the state, and could lose as much as $50 million--or more--depending on the budget that passes through the state Legislature. Such drastic cuts are likely to force FSU to eliminate academic programs and reduce its work force.

Though the FSU athletic department isn't entirely funded by state money, the department is still struggling financially. Ticket sales were down during football season when thousands of seats sat empty during games at Doak Campbell Stadium.

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Indiana star Kellen Lewis dismissed

Kellen Lewis and Maurice Evans, 2007
Indiana coach Bill Lynch has dismissed senior wide receiver Kellen Lewis from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules...

“We are disappointed to have to make this decision. When you have expectations of those on your team that are not met, you need to do what is ultimately in the overall best interest of your program.”

Lewis was a three-year starter at quarterback before switching to wide receiver, amassing 6,395 yards passing and tossing 48 touchdowns.

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Women's lacrosse tournament at Penn State this weekend

Penn State press release...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.--Penn State University and the Nittany Lion women's lacrosse program will proudly serve as hosts of the 2009 American Lacrosse Conference Championship from April 30-May 2. All games of the third annual conference postseason tournament will be played at Jeffrey Field in University Park, Pa.

Action will kick off on Thurs., April 30 when the No. 4 seed Vanderbilt (9-5, 2-2 ALC) takes on fifth-seeded Johns Hopkins (5-11, 0-4 ALC) at 3 p.m. The Commodores won the teams' regular season meeting, topping the Blue Jays, 18-8, in Nashville, Tenn.

Top seed and two-time defending ALC champion Northwestern (17-0, 4-0 ALC) awaits the winner of the Vanderbilt-Johns Hopkins contest for a 3 p.m. semifinal match-up on Fri., May 1. The reigning four-time national champion Wildcats defeated Vanderbilt on Feb. 27, 22-10, and bested Johns Hopkins on 16-7 on April 17. Northwestern has yet to lose an ALC Championship game through the tournament's first two years of existence.

Second-seeded Penn State (8-7, 2-2 ALC) will face No. 3 seed Ohio State (11-5, 2-2 ALC) in Friday's second semifinal at 5:30 p.m. The meeting between the teams' will be the second in two weeks, as the Nittany Lions knocked off the Buckeyes, 13-9, on April 19 at Jeffrey Field. Penn State and Ohio State have clashed in each of the first two ALC Championships with PSU winning both.

The 2009 American Lacrosse Conference Championship title game is scheduled for Sat., May 2 at 2 p.m.

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Spring football attendance: Penn State #2 in Big Ten, #4 in country

Sunshine and football made for big crowds at Ohio State
Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette compiled the attendance figures for the nation's spring football games. Penn State was second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State, which set an all-time national record with 95,722. Alabama (84,050) and Nebraska (77,670) were the only other schools to best Penn State's record Blue-White Game attendance of 76,500.

Penn State was fourth nationally for the second consecutive year. Last year's top three was Nebraska (80,149), Alabama (78,200), and Ohio State (76,346).

Speaking of attendance, Ohio State's men's lacrosse team drew 30,192 fans for Saturday's game against Notre Dame. Maybe it was because the Irish were undefeated. Or maybe it was because the game was at the Horseshoe right before the Scarlet & Gray Game.

Notre Dame pounded Ohio State 14-8 to run their record to 13-0. They are now ranked second in the country behind Syracuse. Penn State is tied for 21st and plays at 16th-ranked Georgetown on Saturday.

Big Ten Spring Football Attendance

• Ohio State 95,722
• Penn State 76,500
• Michigan 50,000
• Michigan State 26,000
• Wisconsin 23,500
• Illinois 10,000
• Minnesota 7,700
• Purdue 5,000
• Indiana 3,500
• Northwestern 3,250
• Iowa (Final spring practice not open to fans because of new turf being installed at Kinnick Stadium)

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Football recruiting: Violations at Wisconsin

Nice airbrushed illegal number (00) on that Tennessee player

MADISON, Wis. (AP)--Three Wisconsin assistant football coaches have been admonished for violating NCAA rules by visiting prospects during an off-limits recruiting period, according to records released Friday.

The coaches--defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, recruiting coordinator Randall McCray and wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander--made the Jan. 4 trips during a "quiet period" in which no recruiting visits to players can be made.

A university official caught the violations in February while reviewing a recruiting log filled out by one of the coaches. The university reported the trips to the NCAA on March 27 as an inadvertent rules violation.

Senior associate athletic director Vince Sweeney said the visits came on a Sunday when recruiting had been allowed in previous years. A change in the NCAA recruiting calendar this year made it the final day of a winter quiet period, he said.

NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said infractions for recruiting calendar violations are fairly common. The NCAA limits recruiting contacts to prevent students from being inundated with requests from coaches while they are finishing high school, she said.

Osburn said minor violations such as Wisconsin's are defined as giving only a minimal recruiting advantage. She would not say what action, if any, the NCAA has taken in response to Wisconsin's report.

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Michigan to open renovated Big House against I-AA UMass?

We are dismayed by the trend towards I-AA opponents and away from premier non-conference games. Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald reports...

The University of Massachusetts athletic department is in negotiations for its football team to open the 2010 season against national powerhouse Michigan.

“It’s looking pretty good,” said athletic director John McCutcheon at an alumni function last week at the University of Massachusetts Club in downtown Boston.

According to a source, it was Michigan that approached UMass about the game, which would be played at Michigan Stadium, which holds 106,201 for football.

One of the issues being debated, the source said, is buyout language should Michigan decide not to play the game after it has been announced. UMass has been down this road before: Two years ago, the school reached an agreement for its basketball team to host Kentucky at TD Banknorth Garden, a game that would have generated lots of money and, just as importantly, boatloads of publicity in the Boston market.

But when Kentucky backed out of the game, UMass received a payout of just $25,000.

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Marijuana: A new source of global warming?

At Saturday's press conference before the Blue-White Game, Joe Paterno talked about Navorro Bowman...

"You hope the kids don't get involved in some of these environmental problems...We had tested him for drugs. We test the squad randomly all the time. He said he was having a problem with marijuana and the two times he admitted it were the two times we tested him and it turned out positive, so we were aware of that."

Dope smoking is now an "environmental problem"? Curse you, global warming!

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Penn State women's volleyball: The rich get richer

Penn State Women's Volleyball coach Russ Rose continues to dominate on the recruiting trail...

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PSU just received a verbal from Erica Denney, a 6-4 Middle Blocker from Grandview, Colorado.

Denney joins fellow Class of 2010 Top 50 prospects Maddie Martin, a 6-1 Outside Hitter from Tampa, Deja McClendon, a 6-0 Outside Hitter from Louisville, Mikinzie Moydell, a 6-1 Setter from Parker, Colorado, and Kathleen Slay, a 6-6 Middle Blocker from Wakefield, North Carolina.




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Recruiting and the NFL Draft: About those stars...

Stanford 24 USC 23: Biggest upset ever
Remember Stanford's epic upset at 41-point favorite USC a couple seasons ago? Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News tells us it was even more shocking than we realized at the time...

A 2007 USC team that had 21 players get drafted by NFL teams the past two years lost to a Stanford team that had 0 players drafted in the same period.

And what about those recruiting rankings and fans fretting over five stars versus four stars, etc.? This year's NFL Draft brought us a mixed bag. Top pick Matthew Stafford was a five-star according to Rivals.com, as were five other first-rounders. On the other hand, six were three-star players, seven were two-star prospects, and one was unranked (USC LB Clay Matthews, who was a walk-on and earned a scholarship two years after enrolling).

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Sand Volleyball: Another sport for Penn State to dominate?

Kerri Walsh

The NCAA approved "sand" volleyball as an emerging sport for women on Monday and cleared the way for varsity competition in the 2010-11 academic year. The organization will spend the next year developing rules that will govern intercollegiate play, including regulations on financial aid, playing dates, and recruiting.

Adding sand volleyball to the emerging sports for women list is an intermediate step that means the sport has been sanctioned but is not played widespread enough to qualify for its own NCAA championship. Bowling, rowing, ice hockey, and water polo began on the emerging sports list but have since spread to the 40 schools necessary to stage a championship.

According to two-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh...

"The opportunity to play sand volleyball in the spring will spur growth in the sport. I wish I had that opportunity when I was at Stanford! This development will give more women an opportunity for a professional volleyball career in the United States."

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Video: Terrelle Pryor shines in Ohio State's spring game

We're still not crazy about Terrelle Pryor's throwing motion and continue to believe he'll be a wide receiver in the NFL, but he looked pretty darned good in Ohio State's spring scrimmage. In windy conditions Pryor was 13 of 18 for 191 yards and two scores. Apparently Mr. Pryor reads Penn State Clips...

"I just hear the media and all of Ohio saying I couldn't throw the ball as good. But you saw it today, and the world saw it today. I can throw the ball."

Head coach Jim Tressel was impressed...

"That was tough conditions. Terrelle threw it extremely well, especially on a couple of the longer ones. To have a day throwing crisp into that wind, I thought was very positive."

It appears that Ohio State has secondary concerns that rival those of Penn State...

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Lloyd Carr and Gerry DiNardo hired as headhunters

Former Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr and former LSU coach Gerry DiNardo have been hired as recruiters (i.e., headhunters) for DHR International. (Apparently DHR only hires people with double consonants in their first name. Perhaps they can hire Bobby Bowden.)

According to David Hoffmann, DHR's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer...

“Universities are placing increased importance on their hiring decisions of coaches and other leadership positions. The continued growth of coaching salaries and the benefits of a winning program make this choice potentially worth tens of millions of dollars to an institution. We have designed our collegiate search process to mirror the methodologies applied to Fortune 500 clients so that universities are able to attract and hire the best possible candidates. Lloyd and Gerry have collectively coached in half of the conferences that comprise the Bowl Championship Series and will employ this unique knowledge base to better serve our collegiate clients. As the only major firm with several premier coaches and athletic directors, their addition cements DHR’s positioning as the leader in sports recruiting.”

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Update: Michigan State beefs up football schedule

Yesterday we noted the terrific upgrade to Michigan State's future football schedule. In addition to the series with Alabama, the Spartans have also inked a home-and-home with West Virginia for 2014-15 and extended their series with Notre Dame through 2025, with two-year breaks in 2014-15 and 2020-21.

Meanwhile, Penn State gets stuck with Rutgers. Come on, Tim Curley, give us some better games!

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Video: Erin Andrews, Bill Cosby, and Quan Cosby

We never miss a chance to feature ESPN's Erin Andrews, but this one is especially delicious and bizarre...

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NFL Draft: No respect for the Big Ten

Penn State's Rimington Trophy winner A.Q. Shipley lasted deep into the seventh round of the NFL Draft and there were three other centers selected ahead of him.

But at least Shipley got drafted. Four other First Team All-Big Ten players weren't so lucky...

Big Ten players on Rivals.com 2009 All-Undrafted Team

• Running back P.J. Hill, Wisconsin: Hill ran for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, and decided to turn pro a season early. He finished his college career with 3,942 yards and 42 TDs--averages of 1,314 yards and 14 TDs per season.
• Offensive tackle Alex Boone, Ohio State: Boone was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a four-year starter for the Buckeyes.
• Defensive end Maurice Evans, Penn State: Evans had a monster sophomore season in 2007, with 12.5 sacks and first-team All-Big Ten notice. He had off-field issues as a junior and finished with just three sacks. He decided to turn pro early anyway.
• Defensive tackle Mitch King, Iowa: King was a first-team All-Big Ten pick last season, when he had 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. For his career, he had 52.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and six forced fumbles.
• Cornerback Allen Langford, Wisconsin: Landford was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season, when he had two interceptions, 47 tackles and 13 pass breakups.
• Safety Otis Wiley, Michigan State: Wiley, a first-team all-league selection, was second in the Big Ten in interceptions (four) and eighth in pass breakups (11). He also doubled as a standout punt returner.

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College football in the Bible?

College football is often called a religion, especially in SEC country, but we always thought that was hyperbole. Thus we were intrigued by this headline from Rivals.com...

Turns out they're talking about North Carolina State offensive coordinator and Dana Bible and not the Bible.

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Penn State football: Pete Massaro transfers to ACL-U

We are aware of only one serious injury from the Blue-White Game via this Penn State press release...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.--Penn State defensive end Pete Massaro (Newtown Square) will miss the 2009 season after suffering a serious knee injury in Saturday's Blue-White Game.

A freshman, Massaro tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, according to Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine. Massaro will have surgery within the next 2-3 weeks and rehabilitation will take approximately nine months, according to Sebastianelli.

The 6-4, 247-pound Massaro took a redshirt season as true freshman last fall.

Massaro was among the top candidates to earn significant playing time at defensive end, a position which saw the top three players depart after the 2008 season, including All-American Aaron Maybin, the No. 11 overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Massaro was a three-year starter on both sides of the ball for Coach Ray Gionta at Marple Newtown High School in suburban Philadelphia. As a senior, he earned Class AAA second team all-state honors from the Associated Press and PA Football News and first team All-Southeastern Pa. accolades by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Massaro made 47 tackles, including six sacks, with six quarterback hurries and two fumbles caused as a senior and played in the 2008 Big 33 All-Star Classic.

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Michigan State gets Alabama; why does Penn State settle for Rutgers?

We were less-than-thrilled when Penn State signed a home-and-home with Rutgers for the 2014-15 seasons. PSU is one of the heavyweights of college football. If we're going to sign a Rutgers or a Pitt it should be two-for-one or three-for-two. Home-and-homes should be reserved for other heavyweights.

Michigan State has the right idea, signing a home-and-home with Alabama for 2016-17. (Yes, we know Penn State will play Alabama in 2010 and 2011, but there should be a marquee non-con game every year.)

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Football recruiting: P.J. Jones to Penn State! (again)

Paul Jones

Class of 2010 stud quarterback P.J. Jones (Sto-Rox) talked to Sean Fitz of Blue-White Illustrated at the Blue-White Game...

"I'm sticking with my commitment (to Penn State). Just being up here for the spring game and stuff like that, it's just crazy. It felt like one big family up here."

Apparently young Mr. Jones was less-than-impressed by the announced crowd of 6,160 at Ketchup Field for Pitt's Blue-Gold Game, which was little more than rounding error for Penn State's estimate of 76,500 at the Blue-White Game.

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Penn State baseball in trouble after Illinois sweep

Illinois torched Paul Cianciolo for eight runs on Sunday
The Penn State baseball team fell to eighth place in the Big Ten as Illinois roared into Happy Valley and left with a 7-3, 11-5, 9-2 sweep. The top six teams make the Big Ten Championships, but all is not lost. The Nittany Lions (5-10) are a game behind sixth-place Michigan (6-9) and half a game behind Purdue (5-9). They own the tie-breaker against Michigan, but not Purdue.

The next two series at Michigan State (8-7) and at last-place Iowa (3-11) are critical. Penn State must win at least four of the six games or head to the season finale needing a home sweep against Minnesota (10-4).

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Big weekend for Penn State lacrosse

PSU will play tOSU in the ALC Championships on Thursday

The 15th-ranked Penn State women's lacrosse team edged Johns Hopkins on Saturday for a key road victory on Saturday in Baltimore.

Junior Erica Mihm (Annapolis, Md.) scored a game-high four goals to lead the PSU attack against the Blue Jays. For the second consecutive game, senior Marisa Lozano (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tallied three assists and reigning American Lacrosse Conference Rookie of the Week, freshman Theresa Zichelli (Severna Park, Md.), netted three goals.

The win secured a #2 seed for the Nittany Lions (8-7) in this week's ALC Championships at Penn State's Jeffrey Field. PSU will host third-seeded The Ohio State in Thursday's semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the Penn State men's lacrosse team crushed St. Joseph's 17-6 on Senior Day at Jeffrey Field following the Blue-White Game.

Mike Toner (Geneva, N.Y.) and sophomore Chris Hogan (Wyckoff, N.J.) led the way for Penn State, combining for 12 points as Penn State won its fifth straight game. Toner had two goals and four assists while Hogan had five goals and one assist to spark a sizzling Lion offense. Senior Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) was superb in goal, collecting 11 saves and giving up only six goals in 53 minutes of play.

PSU improved to 8-5 with their fifth straight victory and will travel to Georgetown on Saturday for the regular season finale.

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Video: Blue-White Game highlights

Blue-White Game highlights courtesy of the Big Ten Network...


It really stinks those of us who couldn't make it to Happy Valley were denied a chance to watch the game. According to a tweet from Jay Paterno, the "TV situation will hopefully be rectified by next year."

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Ohio State leads Big Ten's NFL Draft parade with seven picks

Big Ten 2009 NFL Draft picks...

• Ohio State: 7 (2 first round, 2 second round, 2 fourth round, 1 fifth round)
• Penn State: 5 (1 first round, 2 third round, 1 fourth round, 1 seventh round)
• Wisconsin: 4 (4 third round)
• Iowa: 4 (2 third round, 1 fourth round, 1 sixth round)
• Illinois: 3 (1 first round, 1 fifth round, 1 sixth round)
• Purdue: 2 (1 third round, 1 sixth round)
• Michigan: 2 (1 fourth round, 1 sixth round)
• Michigan State: 1 (1 fifth round)
• Indiana, Minnesota, and Northwestern: 0

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Penn State QB Clark shines in Blue-White Game

Daryll Clark

Incumbent quarterback Daryll Clark, playing in just the first two series for the Blue team, completed 10 of 13 passes for 123 yards,

A record crowd of 76,500 attended the game (last year's attendance was 73,000).

Read More...

PSU QB Clark shines in Blue-White game
Happy Valley.com
SHOWING PROMISE

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Penn State's 2009 NFL Draft: Maybin #11, DWill #82, Butler #91, Ohrnberger #123, Shipley #226

Penn State's 2009 NFL Draft picks...

• Aaron Maybin: 11th pick of first round (#11 overall) to Buffalo Bills
• Derrick Wills: 18th pick of third round (#82 overall) to Detroit Lions
• Deon Butler: 27th pick of third round (#91 overall) to Seattle Seahawks
• Rich Ohrnberger: 23rd pick of fourth round (#123 overall) to New England Patriots
• A.Q. Shipley: 17th pick of the seventh round (226th overall) to Pittsburgh Steelers
  

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Will Cael Sanderson bring Wrestling HD to Penn State?

Penn State National Champion Phil Davis fights for LionHeart MMA

Last year Jay Paterno unveiled the Spread HD Offense at Penn State. Will Cael Sanderson do something similar for Penn State? The reason we ask is this excerpt from Don Stewart of the Reading Eagle...

In his short time as a coach, Sanderson has shown an ability to innovate.

Last season, he added jiu-jitsu champion Ricky Lundell to the Cyclones roster. While Lundell was there in an effort to pick up a new discipline, the 2008 world grappling champion's techniques rubbed off on some of Sanderson's wrestlers.

"To me, coaching is just like being an athlete: If you're going to be the best and continue to be the best, you have to continue to make progress," Sanderson said. "The coaches that don't continue to make progress are the ones that aren't going to do as well as they could."

Sanderson, who counts Ultimate Fighting Champion star Randy Couture among his friends, isn't trying to reinvent the sport. But in a sport that's often been antithetical to the rising phenomenon of mixed-martial arts, Sanderson has shown a liberal attitude toward MMA influences.

It's just one more selling point that could make Sanderson and his Penn State program more attractive to young recruits.

"That would actually be pretty cool," said Wyomissing sophomore Nick Hodgkins, a recently crowned state champ who also trains in mixed-martial arts. "There are different locks and things you can work on that help in wrestling."

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Blue-White Game pregame notes

Blue-White Game 2008

Blue-White Game pregame notes from Donnie Collins of The Scranton Times-Tribune:

• They'll switch from side to side pretty much at random throughout the day. But here's where the QBs line up on the rosters: Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin are on the White roster, along with John Kelly. Daryll Clark and Shane McGregor are listed with the Blue squad.
• LB Navorro Bowman, LB Sean Lee and RB Stephfon Green are not listed on either roster.
• The squad breakdown is interesting. The players we all think are the starting linemen are split up between the teams. C Stefen Wisniewski is on the Blue squad, with RT Dennis Landolt and RG Lou Eliades. RT DeOn'tae Pannell and LG Matt Stankiewitch are on the White squad.
• Clark will have Chaz Powell, Graham Zug and Derek Moye to throw to on the Blue team, and the top two available running backs--Evan Royster and Brandon Beachum--to hand off to. Newsome and McGloin have James McDonald and Brett Brackett on the White squad, and Shaine Thompson and Derek Day are the biggest-name backs.
• Nobody is quite sure how much Powell will play, if at all. He has an ankle issue.
• Baba O'Reilly by The Who is blaring over the PA system at Beaver Stadium right now, and I am constantly looking at my phone because of it. That song has been my ring tone for more than two years now.
• Four true freshmen are playing: Newsome (12, White), PK Anthony Fera (30, White), C Ty Howle (53, White), SAF Gerald Hodges (6, Blue).

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Penn State's Daryll Clark: Kevin Newsome will 'light the scoreboard up' in Blue-White Game

Kevin Newsome

Prior to the Blue-White Game, Penn State starting quarterback Daryll Clark was asked about his back-up, true freshman Kevin Newsome...

"Honestly, I think he's going to play very well. I think he's going to light the scoreboard up."

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Oher's journey to draft unique

Michael Oher (Oar) has one of the best stories I have read about an athlete. It was all chronicled by Michael Lewis in the best selling book -- The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game.

Michael Oher might go in the top ten of the NFL draft.

Among 13 siblings from the poorest part of Memphis, he never knew his father, whose murder he learned of months after the fact in high school. His mother, Denise Oher, was addicted to crack cocaine. The kids were scattered about.

Michael attended 11 schools in nine years.If not in a foster home, he lived with friends. He was homeless.

"As I look back on stuff, it's crazy how I got here," he says. "But it didn't seem tough at the time. I just lived day to day, did the best I could."

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From homeless to the NFL: Oher's journey to draft unique

He was two years old, maybe, he figures. They were walking alone, dangerously on the side of a highway. Just Michael Oher and his brothers. He has no idea where they were headed, or their condition when they arrived. Details are fuzzy.

But he swears it happened. Oher still sees the cars speeding by, a snippet in the back of his mind.

It is the earliest memory of his life.

"That's all I can remember," Oher, 22, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, said as he tore into a shrimp po' boy last week. "We were trying to get to where we needed to be."

The vision apparently does not haunt, badger or even slightly irritate Oher, a survivor who now tools along highways in a black Hummer. He seeks no explanation.

"It means absolutely nothing now," he says, cheerfully.

Like so many perilous encounters from his life, it rolls more than it lingers.

Meet Michael Oher (pronounced OAR), a 6-5, 309-pound All-America tackle from the University of Mississippi who is the subject of a best-selling book —The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, which is being turned into a movie — but until a few years ago was legally Michael Williams.

Among 13 siblings from the poorest part of Memphis, he never knew his father, whose murder he learned of months after the fact in high school. His mother, Denise Oher, was addicted to crack cocaine. The kids were scattered about.

Michael attended 11 schools in nine years.If not in a foster home, he lived with friends. He was homeless.

"As I look back on stuff, it's crazy how I got here," he says. "But it didn't seem tough at the time. I just lived day to day, did the best I could."

A turning point came when Tony Henderson, who allowed Michael to crash on his sofa, brought him along when he took his son Steven to enroll at Briarcrest Christian School on the other side of town. Oher ultimately was admitted as a special-needs case.

Another pivotal moment occurred during his first Thanksgiving break, when Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy spotted Oher as they drove past a bus stop near the school. It was snowing. Oher, then 16, was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts.

Sean, then a volunteer assistant basketball coach at the school who had met Oher at the gym, says Leigh Anne grabbed the wheel. Next came a U-turn.

"She cried the second she met him, and it was over," Sean recalls.

The Tuohys took in Oher, allowing him a safety net in their home in upscale East Memphis two blocks from the school. For months he came and went as he pleased, and Leigh Anne worried when he didn't spend the night. They hired a tutor to address severe academic deficiencies, paid his tuition and gave him a wardrobe and other essentials. Sean says the generosity was not the result of any epiphany or even as much as a family meeting.

"We think God sent him to us," Sean says. "Earthly explanations don't make sense."

Book description in dispute

About a year later, Oher moved in permanently with the wealthy white family. Before Oher's senior year in high school, the Tuohys — with daughter Collins at Briarcrest and a younger son, Sean Jr. — became his legal guardians.

"They've got big hearts," Oher says. "To take somebody from my neighborhood into your house? Nobody does that. I don't think I'd even do that. I'd help you out, but with a daughter and with all the violence and drugs where I come from ... they didn't have to do that. I owe a lot to them."

Oher, who quickly blossomed into a highly recruited college prospect, detests his depiction in Michael Lewis' book, which was released in 2006 and reached No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list.

Lewis, who gained access as a longtime classmate of Sean Tuohy's, wrote that, according to Memphis school system files, Oher had a "measured IQ of 80" when he applied to Briarcrest and he portrayed scenes in which Oher was uncommunicative in various settings.

After revealing at the NFL scouting combine that he didn't read the book, Oher did exactly that within the past few weeks.

"The part about me not being smart, that's the only thing that got to me," said Oher, who made the honor roll in 2006 and maintains that he is 15 credits shy of earning a degree in criminal justice. "He's got to sell books. But reading that, I went back and talked to him. I mean, how can anybody like that do the things I've done?"

Asked if his opinion fueled friction with the Tuohys, Oher said, "I can't let something that small cause a problem. Especially with people who helped me."

Sean says the book is "nearly 100% accurate" but suspects Oher doesn't account for changes in his makeup since the book was reported. He said Oher's grade-point average as a high school sophomore was 0.3.

"I guess that's not stuff he wants to remember," Sean says.

'Character and perseverance'

I love you.

Oher surely remembers that statement. It came from Leigh Anne when he was 18, and it was the first time anyone ever uttered those words to him.

When he has kids, Oher says, they will hear it early and often.

This sentimental side he wears like body armor. As much as he aspires to become an NFL star, Oher envisions himself as a family man and supportive dad.

"He has such character and perseverance," says Collins Tuohy, 22, set to graduate from Ole Miss next month. "Obviously, he's changed and matured over the years. But we all do between the ages of 15 and 23."

Collins and Oher have a tight bond. It began when she helped him adjust to Briarcrest. It strengthened as they attended the same college. Oher took Collins to the hospital when she was ill and got the call when there was a flat tire.

"He mentors me; I mentor him," Collins says. "It just depends on the day."

As she prepared to accompany Oher to New York, where he is one of nine prospects invited to draft headquarters, Collins sounded like a typical sister.

"I'm a bit nervous," she said. "I really don't want him trucking off to some faraway place."

Sean Jr., meanwhile, might become the recipient of a big gift: Oher's Hummer.

The youngest Tuohy kept the wheels while Oher visited several NFL teams on a whirlwind tour this month.

"He can't stay out of it," Oher says. "I might give it to him."

There are other brothers and sisters, but Oher hardly expresses strong connections with biological siblings.

He's closest to his oldest brother, Marcus, who works in the cleaning business.

Another brother, Deljuan, died in a car crash. Other siblings, he says, are "here and there."

Oher doesn't speak to his biological mother.

"I can't relate to her at all," he says. "We're in different situations now. But for someone to keep doing the same thing, which got all of her kids taken away, it kind of breaks your heart."

In demand at left tackle

Oher's dramatic background undoubtedly was discovered because of his athletic skill. In NFL terms, he's a big man with quick feet, which teams covet for the premium left tackle post that protects the quarterback's blind side (thus, the book title). Right tackles usually get blocking help from tight ends; left tackles are often left alone in matchups against explosive pass rushers.

The increasing value of the position was evident in 2008, when a record eight tackles were drafted in the first round and guaranteed a combined $92.76 million.

VIDEO: What makes Oher a premier tackle prospect

With an impressive Senior Bowl, Oher cemented his first-round status. Some rate him a top-10 pick.

At least four tackles are expected to become first-round picks Saturday, a point hammered home by the list of eight teams he visited and a ninth that came for a private workout.

"You never know what's going to happen," he says. "It's wait-and-see."

Mississippi offensive line coach Mike Markuson has taken several calls from NFL teams. He tells them Oher is outstanding on run-action blocks in which he fires off the snap to sell the run, then shifts to pass protection.

One question inevitably comes up: How is he going to react when paid millions of dollars?

"He's going to work," Markuson, Oher's third college position coach, says he tells them. "The game is important to him."

Tuohy, once a record-setting point guard who led Ole Miss to a Southeastern Conference title in 1981 and currently a radio analyst for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, thinks Oher's NFL career ultimately will be shaped by the traits that helped him beat life's adversities.

A competitive fire. A willingness to accept input. An easygoing demeanor.

"He's not mad at anybody," Tuohy says. "He should be. He has a lot of fire but no anger. God has blessed him with way more than physical ability."

Tuohy learned something significant about Oher a few years ago, when they were in the process of getting his driver's license and had trouble finding Social Security records. They discovered Oher's legal surname was Williams — his biological father's name. He never knew, as school records listed him as Oher.

"I hit the ceiling, 'How could that happen?' " Tuohy says. "But it didn't bother him a lick. He just wanted that driver's license."

Says Oher: "I don't dwell on anything. I'm not going to feel sorry for myself because I didn't have a place to stay a lot of time. It is what it is. We've got to go through some things in life. Take it and run with it."

Oher can never forget what he's endured. He says he can't pass a homeless person on the street without digging into his pocket and offering money. "I know how hard it is," he says.

Holidays spark memories, too. They were never special. Oher would go outside on Christmas and watch other kids play with their new toys. Birthdays were not to be celebrated, either.

"I went through a lot of those with nothing," he says. "That's why it's just another date to me."

Oher also has a firm grasp on this exact moment in time.

"I'm fulfilling my dream," he says. "It's unbelievable, too."

Find this article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-04-23-michael-oher-cover_N.htm




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Penn State Clips exclusive: The Last Pregame

The Last Pregame by Jessica Pissini (courtesy of the artist)
[Click on image to see larger view]
Penn State Clips has obtained an exclusive photograph of Jessica Pissini's The Last Pregame from the artist. Pissini told Caitlin Sellers of the Penn State Daily Collegian about her Happy Valley version of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper...

"I was born and raised Catholic. I know how strict it is. It was never meant to be religious. People have told me they worship Joe Paterno like Jesus."

Pissini said she asked JoePa and SuePa for permission before doing the painting...

"His wife asked him 'Do you mind?' He looked at it and said 'Yeah, go ahead, let her.' He was so nice about it."

Pissini paid particular attention to the three figures to Paterno's right, (the viewer's left). The apostles Peter, John, and Judas hold a historical significance in da Vinci's painting that she retains in her own version. She placed the Nittany Lion in St. John's seat to symbolize loyalty, the quarterback in St. Peter's to represent responsibility, and the referee in Judas' to connote betrayal. (Is it just us, or is that referee the spitting image of Dick Honig?)

When asked about the possibility of selling her piece, Pissini told Penn State Clips...

"I am not really sure yet what I want to do with the painting. I wouldn't even know where to start for a price. I have been in contact with a few people that work for the campus about trying to find a permanent home for the painting. If it works out I might just donate it."

The 4-by-8 foot acrylic painting is currently on display in the HUB-Robeson Center's Art Alley.

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Penn State coach "beat the crap out of" student-athlete

Joe Paterno and Woody Hayes

Holy cow, is this the Happy Valley version of Woody Hayes or Frank Kush?

Penn State student-athlete Tim Darling claims an assistant coach "beat the crap out of me." Stephen Hennessey of the Penn State Daily Collegian provided these details...

Freshman Tim Darling said he had the chance to wrestle Casey Cunningham after practice Wednesday and said his new assistant coach "beat the crap out of" him in the match.

"It was a completely different type of beating, too," Darling said. "And I think that's what we all need, that little awakening there. The more you take the more you give."

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Wrestling recruiting: Alton brothers to Penn State

Cael Sanderson's Penn State contract (regardless of the size) is already starting to pay dividends...

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This morning Sanderson received verbal commitments from Central Mountain's Andrew and Dylan Alton, ranked third and sixth nationally for the class of 2010.

LOCK HAVEN--Penn State always ranked high on the list for Central Mountain junior wrestling standouts Andrew and Dylan Alton.

"It was always one of our top choices because it was close," Dylan said. "I wanted my parents to see us wrestle in college, and I knew if we were going to leave the state, it would have been a long trip for them."

The twins, both ranked No. 1 in the country in their respective weight classes by Amateur Wrestling News, gave their verbal commitment this morning to Penn State University and will continue their wrestling days in Happy Valley.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard that Cael Sanderson was going to leave Iowa State and come to coach at Penn State," Andrew said. "It's exciting that we'll have an opportunity to learn from him. He knows what it takes to get to that next level. He knows how to train and what it takes mentally. Hopefully, he can teach it to us and we can reach the level that he has someday."

The opportunity to wrestle for Sanderson was always on the Altons' minds. In fact, Iowa State was on their short list of schools, which ranged from PSU, Iowa, Iowa State, and Nebraska.

"That was the deciding factor for me," Dylan said. "When Penn State hired him, that meant a lot. We know him pretty well, and know that he can train us for that next level. He's a pretty cool guy and is really down-to-earth. Now that he's close to us, that just made the decision a lot easier."

Dylan, who wrestled at 145 last season, is a two-time state champion. He was 47-0 this season, defeating Cumberland Valley's Joey Napoli in the state final. Carrying an 89-match winning streak into next season, Dylan is 131-5 in his Central Mountain career with 70 career falls and 10 career technical falls. He's the No.1 ranked wrestler in the country at 145.

Andrew, who wrestled at 140 last season, won his first state title when he pinned Hempfield Area's Jake Bachman less than two minutes into the first period. Andrew has only lost one match in the last two years, finished with a record of 46-0 last season, and has a Central Mountain career record of 133-8 with 90 career falls. He is the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation at the 140-pound weight class.

Both should break the Clinton County record for wins, and the boys are Nos. 1 and 2 in the Clinton County top 15 single-season victories list. Andrew holds the county record for both falls in a career and single season, while Dylan was Central Mountain's first state champion in the sport and was named the PIAA Class AAA Most Outstanding Wrestling at the individual tournament in March.

Announcing the decision to attend Penn State now will let the twins focus on summer wrestling and their final year at Central Mountain without any questions as to their collegiate future.

"All along, we wanted to announce where we would attend before the senior season," Andrew said. "It is like a big weight has been lifted off our shoulders. I'm excited about the decision. I love the campus, and I really liked their business school. Plus, I'm going to receive a quality education. When we told our parents about the decision, they were pretty excited. My mom was happy because she didn't want us to be far away from home. My dad was supportive through the process and said it was our decision."

Now that they have given their verbal to PSU, the boys can focus on the sport they love. The next stop for both is the Junior World Team Trails in Colorado Springs. The event runs from May 18 through May 23. The top person at each weight then gets an opportunity to wrestle at the FILA Junior World Championships during the month of August in Ankara, Turkey.

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Penn State to play against Greg Paulus after all?

Previously we'd reported on the Greg Paulus to Michigan story and the subsequent "thanks, but no thanks" from RichRod.

Now Joe Schad of ESPN brings word that Penn State may play against Paulus after all...

With Michigan out of the picture, former Duke point guard Greg Paulus is now likely to join Syracuse's football program, a person close to the situation said Wednesday.

A person familiar with the situation said it is "95 percent" certain that Paulus will be on a college football roster next season. He is expected to visit with Syracuse coaches and players this weekend and already has met with Michigan's coaching staff.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Paulus, a standout high school quarterback, would fit into new Syracuse coach Doug Marrone's pro-style offense. Redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Nassib has been tabbed as the Orange's starter, but Paulus could be the perfect bridge in a one-season homecoming.

Paulus, a former two-sport high school All-American, was a prolific passer at Christian Brothers Academy, near Syracuse, where he threw for 11,763 yards and 152 touchdowns in high school.

As an aside, after Syracuse travels to Happy Valley on September 12th, the Orangemen don't play another road game until November.

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Penn State's Jared Odrick on Jack Crawford and Brandon Ware

Jared Odrick

We believe the two most intriguing players on Penn State's 2009 team are D-End Jack Crawford and D-Tackle Brandon Ware. First-team All-Big Ten defensive tackle Jared Odrick talked about both during at a recent press conference...

Q: What can you tell us about Jack Crawford?

A: Jack is an athletic guy. He's about 6-5, 260 and is just as fast as the guy who just left, Maybin. He's very athletic and he's got all the tools to be a great defensive end and he's just putting it all together right now.

Q: What does Jack Crawford have to do to become a great defensive end? Were you surprised when you learned that he had just picked up organized football only in recent years?

A: One of the first times Jack Crawford ever came to Penn State as a recruit, he told me that he was real into basketball and that he had hardly played any football since coming to the states. It's not surprising now, no, but initially when I heard it, I was a little surprised. But, I had no idea what kind of talent he had. It's obvious what type of athlete he is and to be a good defensive end or a great defensive end, I think he just needs more and more practice, more and more repetition. He shows flashes of it and it's happening more and more.

Q: Can you assess the depth behind you at the DT spot? Is there much of a drop-off?

A: No, I don't think so at all. Devon Still is a big, strong kid and is just as athletic as anybody and I think it's just the main thing for him is just getting used to playing in games again. He hasn't been able to play in any games other than a few plays in Michigan State, which is unfortunate just because of his injuries. Abe and Ollie are obviously great defensive tackles and have proven that. Then also, Chima is making strides and Brandon Ware is getting better. I know Joe is always talking about his weight but Brandon Ware has been a great factor in spring practice and has been producing.

Q: Do you think Brandon Ware is physically ready to see the field? Is weight an issue for him in your mind? Has he asked you for any advice about how to get better or deal with criticism Joe has sent his way?

A: Brandon, he's been working hard and he's actually lost a lot of weight since he's first got here. He's been working hard in that aspect. I mean, he doesn't really ask me too much because I know he doesn't let it affect him too much where he's really distraught over it. He knows what he has to do and he's been doing it. It's not an easy thing to do for anybody who's at that weight. Brandon takes criticism well and he's not really a guy who is going to get too distraught over Joe yelling at him but at the same time, he knows that he has a job to do and he's been doing it.

Q: Do you think he could play right now or do you think he still needs to lose some more weight?

A: I think he could play right now but at the same time, I think overall getting better is a concern that any young player like himself would have. I think that's the main concern is getting better, no matter his weight.

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