Is Sharrif Floyd too dumb to play for Penn State?

Stud defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd picked Florida over Penn State. That's recruiting and we'd never criticize a kid for making the best choice for his situation.

That being said, we got a kick out of Floyd's analysis of the football program in State College...

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"Penn State to me was a linebacker school. I learned that doing my homework. It wasn't hard to get them out of the loop."

Great homework, Sharrif. Since 2003 Larry Johnson has coached five high NFL Draft picks, including three first-rounders.

And there's more where that came from, as Jared Odrick had a stellar Senior Bowl and is a likely Round One pick...

• "Penn State DT Jared Odrick is showing quickness and power in the team period and disrupting the offense."
• "He looked quick during bag work and is showing a quick first step and getting penetration in 1-on-1 drills."
• "He was stout against the run today, and his quickness allowed him to get into the backfield all day, and he never quit moving."
• "Odrick looked like a man possessed on Wednesday and was impossible to stop. He was both quick and powerful, defeating blocks off the snap with a great first step or powerfully moving opponents off the line with great leg drive. After showing flashes the first two days, Odrick really put it together today."

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See the world through the eyes (or at least the glasses) of Penn State coach Joe Paternno

WPSU's 18th Annual Connoisseur's Dinner and Auction takes place on February 20th.

Online bidding for auction items starts Monday. Auction items include a football autographed by John Cappelletti and a pair of State College's most famous eyeglasses...

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Joe and Sue Paterno donated a pair of the coach's iconic thick glasses. As an added bonus, JoePa autographed the glasses with a Sharpie...

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No Sunshine State recruiting for Penn State football

Penn State Clips reporter Bob DeMarco (who also publishes the Alzheimer's Reading Room) is dying for Penn State to recruit in his adopted home state of Florida.

Sorry, Bob, it's not happening anytime soon...

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Penn State's Regional Athletic Director of the Year Tim Curley spoke at an alumni event at the Shadow Wood Country Club in Bonita Springs, Florida last night. Curley was asked why there was only one Floridian on the 2009 Penn State football roster...

"We don't recruit the state of Florida real hard in football, but a number of our sports do come down here. One of our incoming volleyball players is Maddie Martin from Tampa. She's one of the best in the country and we're looking forward to having her join the Penn State family.

"I think right now our focus has been that there's enough good players in the Northeast that as long as we can recruit well there we're going to be able to keep the right people in the Northeast and that it should work for us. So far it's been working."

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Penn State TE Andrew Quarless wins East-West Shrine Game!

Northwestern's Mike Kafka threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Penn State's Andrew Quarless with 6 seconds remaining, lifting the East to a 13-10 win over the West on Saturday's East-West Shrine Game...

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It was sweet for Quarless, who helped Penn State rally over LSU in the Capital One Bowl in the same stadium on Jan. 1, to have consecutive comeback wins. He slipped behind the defense and allowed Kafka to loft a pass over the middle so he could make the leaping catch...

"In the huddle I told Kafka, 'Just throw it up and I'll make a play.' He threw a perfect pass. It just feels good to go out with a bang."

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60 Minutes video - Football Island: Should Penn State start recruiting in Samoa?

Scott Pelley of 60 Minutes traveled to America Samoa to find out how a territory with a population of 65,000 can send more than 30 players to the NFL and over 200 to Division I-A teams. It is estimated that a boy born to Samoan parents is 56 times more likely to get into the NFL than other kid in America.

Most teams have busted and antiquated equipment, no locker rooms, and fields littered with lava rock. It's the Dominican Republic of football...

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[Hats off to The Wiz of Odds for alerting us to this video!]
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Marcus Lattimore dumps Penn State

It's a sad day for Penn State football recruting...

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The Spartanburg Herald-Journal delivers the bad news...

"Marcus Lattimore has cut his list to USC and Auburn and will not visit Oregon next weekend his mother said Sunday night. Lattimore has notified Penn State and Oregon of their elimination."

We're disappointed, but also amused by the sudden transformation of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, as noted by Lattimore's mother, Yolanda Smith...

"Coach Spurrier has really loosened up. I made the comment in the past where I felt he was unapproachable. He's made a 360.

"I had this coach doing the cha-cha slide with no music. He was just great. He had his arms open wide every time he saw me. He speaks to me personally.

"He's been so personable with us lately. He's really changed as far as myself. He came over to the hotel and sat around with use and we had a really good time."

Apparently Mrs. Smith doesn't have much experience with salesmen. Though she may have unwittingly struck the truth when she said, "He's made a 360." LOL!
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Penn State target Marcus Lattimore to South Carolina? Not so fast, my friend!

A source for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal claims the star prospect said he's sign with South Carolina. But it's not quite that simple...

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When asked about this report, Lattimore denied it via text messge...

"I didn't say that."

Lattimore made his official visit with the Gamecocks over the weekend. According to another source, Lattimore did not commit on his visit. He also reportedly canceled a scheduled official visit to Oregon.

Joe Paterno is scheduled to make an in-home visit with Lattimore on January 28th.

Lattimore will announce his decisions at his church three days later.
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Penn State quarterback Paul Jones not lacking in confidence

Apparently Penn State freshman quarterback Paul Jones believes in the theory that if you're going to dream, dream big...

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Mike White of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette interviewed Jones for Blue White Illustrated. Here are some juicy quotes...

"First, I want to get good grades in school."

So far, so good, Joe Paterno will like that.

"I want to play for four national championships and I want to win two Heisman trophies."

"I don't plan on losing any college games."

Yikes! We like the kid's moxie, but now you know why Joe doesn't let freshmen talk to the press!

"I plan on competing for the starting job. I think that's very realistic.

There we go, those are the white bread answers Joe likes!
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Penn State Jay Paterno on The State of College Football

Penn State assistant Jay Paterno is less-than-thrilled about the game of musical chairs we've seen in coaching circles this week...

"I am unhappy about the current state of my profession."

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In his column, Broken Promises, Useless Contracts: The Current State of Coaching, Jay sounds a lot like his father in longing for simpler times. The whole thing is worth reading, but we especially liked this part...

"We must remember what has made ours a noble profession. It is the mission of our profession: the use of sport to help young men transition from high school and prepare them for the world that awaits them after college."

Spot-on, Jay. Here's hoping the Penn State administration keeps "The Grand Experiment" in mind when it's time to hire a replacement for JoePa.
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One-third of Penn State recruiting Class of 2010 enrolls early

"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today."

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Seven Penn State football recruits graduated early from high school and enrolled at the University yesterday to begin their college careers.

We believe the most critical early enrollee is quarterback P.J. Jones. Joe Paterno has been less-than-enthusiastic in discussing 2009 back-up Kevin Newsome and it appears the 2010 QB battle is wide open. Being able to participate in Spring practice will afford Jones a fair shot at winning the starting job.

Tom Bradley isn't crazy about the practice of enrolling early, but understands it...

"We don't encourage the kids to do it, but you're kind of trapped if they want to enroll early. What are you going to say, 'No?' Personally, I would like to see them make the natural progression from high school to college, where they finish it out and then come here.

"I'm not sure we're doing the right thing for some of these players academically when they come in at mid-year. But I do think, for most of them, there is some benefit from a football standpoint."

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Mark McGwire Admits Using Steroids

Mark McGwire finally came clean Monday, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball's home run record in 1998.

McGwire said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade.

"I wish I had never touched steroids," McGwire said in a statement. "It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

To continue reading go here.

I'm glad to see he finally admitted steroid use. It probably took too long for some, but not for me.

Now the writers can decide his Hall of Fame fate with all the facts in place.

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Good TV ratings for Penn State vs. LSU in Cap One Bowl

The Capital One Bowl had good television ratings (6.9 vs. 6.4 last year) and its second-highest viewership in the past nine years...

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The game drew a 23.8 rating in New Orleans, the best for a bowl game on ESPN/ABC in the Big Easy market since at least 2005.

In Philadelphia the Cap One Bowl dominated the time slot, with a 10.0 rating and 19 share for ABC-6. The Mummers Parade on myPHL17 strutted to second place with a 6 rating/12 share, while the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic game matching the Flyers and Bruins was third with a 6 rating/11 share.

Ratings/viewership for the Capital One Bowl since 1996

Year	Date	Game	Net	Rating	Viewers (000)
2010	Fri., 1/1/10	Penn St./LSU	ABC	6.9	11,691
2009	Thu., 1/1/09	Georgia/Michigan St.	ABC	6.4	10,839
2008	Tue., 1/1/08	Michigan/Florida	ABC	9.1	14,780
2007	Mon., 1/1/07	Wicsonsin/Arkansas	ABC	5.8	9,615
2006	Mon., 1/2/06	Wisconsin/Auburn	ABC	5.2	7,799
2005	Sat., 1/1/05	Iowa/LSU	ABC	5.5	8,730
2004	Thu., 1/1/04	Georgia/Purdue	ABC	7.4	11,595
2003	Wed., 1/1/03	Auburn/Penn St.	ABC	5.9	9,451
2002	Tue., 1/1/02	Tennessee/Michigan	ABC	6.5	10,800
2001	Mon., 1/1/01	Michigan/Auburn	ABC	7.6	--
2000	Sat., 1/1/00	Michigan St./Florida	ABC	9.0	--
1999	Fri., 1/1/99	Michigan/Arkansas	ABC	7.1	--
1998	Thu., 1/1/98	Florida/Penn St.	ABC	9.2
1997	Wed., 1/1/97	Tennessee/Northwestern	ABC	7.5	--
1996	Mon., 1/1/96	Tennessee/Ohio St.	ABC	11.5	--

Source: ABC/ESPN
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Penn State wins record 28th Lambert Meadowlands Trophy

The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the final weekly ECAC® Lambert Meadowlands Football Poll presented by FieldTurf...

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After an impressive 19-17 win over No. 13 LSU in the Capital One Bowl, Penn State claimed the top spot in the FBS poll from Cincinnati (12-1), which dropped a 51-24 decision to Florida in the Sugar Bowl. Pitt finished third.

For Penn State, it is a record 28th time that it has won the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy. The Nittany Lions first captured the trophy in 1947, and are receiving the trophy for the second consecutive year.

From 1961-1998, Penn State won the trophy 24 times in 38 years, including five years in a row from 1971-75. Penn State has also been named the ECAC FBS Team of the Year for a record 13th time.

Penn State has won the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy more times than the next four teams combined.

All-time Lambert Meadowlands Trophy winners...

• Penn State: 28
• Army: 7
• Syracuse: 6
• Pitt: 6
• Boston College: 5

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Which Penn State coach did Joe Paterno fire for harassment?

We found this interesting tidbit in Mark Wogenrich's recap of Joe Paterno's annual sit-down with Penn State beat writers...

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Paterno said he has fired just two assistant coaches in his 44 years as head coach (though he didn’t name them).

“One of them got carried away with a couple of secretaries and sending emails [to them]. I told him, ‘Hey, you have to go,’” Paterno said.

Wow! The candidates are few, as it happened relatively recently (during the email era) and there has been minimal turnover among the Penn State staff.
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Interesting numbers from Penn State-LSU Capital One Bowl

Some interesting numbers from the Capital One Bowl...

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• 4th-quarter leads blown by LSU this season: 3
• Penn State's edge in First Downs: 21-9
• LSU's average Yards Per Carry: 1.6 (41 yards on 25 carries)
• Penn State's Turnover Margin: +3
• Penn State fumbles: 4
• Penn State lost fumbles: 0
• Penn State's edge in Total Yardage: 340-243
• LSU penalty yardage: 64
• Penn State penalty yardage: 10
• Penn State's edge in Time of Possession: 16 minutes and 42 seconds
• Joe Paterno bowl victories: 24
• Mack Brown bowl victories: 11 (second among active coaches)
• Bowl victories by Ohio State and Michigan: 19 each
  

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Video: Penn State post-game celebration

Here is the final play of the 2010 Capital One Bowl and the on-the-field celebration, courtesy of Mark Brennan of Fight On State...

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Who will play quarterback for Penn State in 2010?

Penn State will have a number of new starters in 2010, but the most intriguing position is quarterback...

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Penn State will have to replace all three starting linebackers if Navorro Bowman declares for the NFL Draft, as expected. However, the Nittany Lions are pretty deep at LB and it will be more reload than rebuild.

We'll also miss Evan Royster if he leaves early, but again, the running back position seems well-stocked.

The presumed contenders for quarterback are Kevin Newsome, who saw exceptionally little action as Daryll Clark's backup; Matt McGloin, who was the most impressive signal-caller in the 2009 Blue-White Game; and incoming freshmen P.J. Jones and Robert Bolden.

However, Joe Paterno added a couple names to the mix during his season-ending sitdown with beat writers. Curtis Drake wasn't a surprise, though we expect him to stay at wide receiver with perhaps a smattering of Wildcat QB plays.

The biggest shocker was JoePa mentioning Brett Brackett as a contender. Brackett actually came to Penn State as a quarterback, but was switched to wide receiver amidst a log-jam of Anthony Morrelli, Daryll Clark, and Pat Devlin.

Trying to get a picture of the Penn State football team is often a matter of reading the tea leaves. The fact that half a dozen candidates have been mentioned indicates that the staff didn't see enough good things from Newsome to anoint him the heir apparent.

If Brackett eventually wins the job he'll be, by far, the biggest player in college football, judging from the graphic that accompanied a 2008 Daily Collegian article. Brackett is apparently three times as tall as former Penn State wideout and current Seattle Seahawk Deon Butler...

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Penn State Video: Post-Cap One Bowl comments from Joe Paterno and Daryll Clark

Joe Patenro and Daryll Clark talk about the Capital One Bowl...

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Daryll Clark Gets His Legacy with Courageous win over LSU

With a good season about to turn into a disappointing season, DarryL Clark decided to be like Mike. No not that Mike. Our Mike. Michael Robinson.

Running like a fullback and threading the needle on a big third down play to keep the drive alive, DarryL showed greatness.

Penn State fans tend to remember bowl games far into the future. Especially games against good teams. Students and young alums will remember this win over LSU.

Fans will remember DarryLs emotion at the end of the game. The look on his face.

Daryll Clark got his legacy today. He turned a good season into a great season. You can't beat that, can you?

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Penn State-LSU facing horrible field conditions for Capital One Bowl

We've worried about sloppy field conditions at the Capital One Bowl and our worst fears are being realized...

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Penn State Basketball & Football SID and Creative Director Brian Siegrist just tweeted the bad news...

Game Day and it is pouring in Orlando. Could be some rough field conditions today.

Siegrist also posted this photo of the field. Ugh, what a disgrace...

Click image to embiggen

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Four reasons for Penn State fans to be scared about the Capital One Bowl

Here are four reasons Penn State Clips is scared about the Capital One Bowl...

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Les Miles' bowl results at LSU...

• 2005 Chik-Fil-A Peach Bowl: LSU 40, #9 Miami 3
• 2007 Sugar Bowl: LSU 41, #11 Notre Dame 14
• 2008 BCS National Championship Game: LSU 38, #1 Ohio State 24
• 2008 Chik-Fil-A Bowl: LSU 38, #14 Georgia Tech 3

That's four blowouts of four quality teams. Here's hoping Penn State can keep it close today on a sloppy field.
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