The Bench, the Board, and the NFL Draft

Steven Bench has decided to continue his football career someplace other than Penn State. 

"I mean, it's been a hard decision," Bench said Wednesday. "I was sold on Penn State since the day I got an offer, since the day they called, really. I just wish it would've worked out. I still love this place and I wish it didn't come to this, but I have to make the best choice for me. And I think the best thing for me to be successful is to not play at Penn State and to play elsewhere."

Bench said he left his meeting with O'Brien under the impression he was behind Ferguson on the depth chart.

"It's out of my control, but I wasn't happy with it," Bench said. "I'm a competitor, so I'm not going to agree with that decision. But, at the same time, it's his decision and it's out of my control. I feel that it kind of left me no choice. I don't want to back anyone up. I want to play. I came here to play football."

So instead of working harder to move up the chart, you transfer somewhere else so you don't have to work?   I'm sorry if that sounds like sour grapes, but if it sounds like a duck and looks like a duck . . . You can call it whatever you want.  There is no I in team, but there is a U in suck.  This is where I'm supposed to wish him luck and feel bad because of his tough decision.  Whatever.

On the other hand, it also assuredly means that Hackenberg will not red-shirt this fall.  With the scholarship limits, I'm not sure PSU can afford to red-shirt anybody.  And Bench's departure opens up another scholarship for someone that actually wants to earn a spot on the team.

In the BOT election, a total of 26,861 alumni have voted as of this past Wednesday.  That means a total of 4,931 people voted in the previous 7 days, a considerable drop off from the first two weeks.  And unless something remarkable happens in this last week or so of voting, the total participation will be markedly down from last year's 37,579.

I'm not sure what that means.  Have the alumni lost interest?  Have they given up hope for change?  Are they waiting until the last minute to cast their vote?  Who knows?

And in the NFL draft to date, three Nittany Lions have been picked:

Jordan Hill was the 25th pick in the third round (87 overall) by the Seahawks.
Gerald Hodges was the 25th pick in the fourth round (120 overall) by the Vikings.
The Vikings also took Michael Mauti with the 7th pick in the 7th round (213 overall.)

Congratulations Jordan, Gerald and Mike!

Penn State in the NFL Draft

Not much excitement this year.  Wiz went in the second round to the Raiders and Royster went in the sixth round to the Redskins.  Here's a blurb from PhillyBurbs.com.

Quarless on Paterno

Mike Spofford of Packers.com caught up with former PSU TE Andrew Quarless.  Among his interview answers is a question about Paterno . . .

Who's the most influential coach you've ever played for and why?



I would say Coach (Joe) Paterno. He is a legendary coach and he told me a lot of things about accountability and discipline. He was an old-school guy and a young guy like me came in and didn't really buy into the system. He made me understand his way. He is an old-school guy with his old-school ways. I think that went a long way and it helped me out a lot.

Granted, how many coaches (other sports notwithstanding) would he have played for--one, two?  But in an era where the trend is to not accept responsibility for one's actions and to blame others, his answer is commendable.  Other responses include . . .

Outside of anything in sports, what's your proudest accomplishment in life?



I definitely have to say graduating from college. Coming in as a freshman I did real bad my first semester, real bad. I was able to bounce back and graduate in three-and-a-half years.
 
What has been your greatest accomplishment on the football field?



We played in the Rose Bowl my junior year on the big stage and to be able to get that Big Ten Championship ring was a big accomplishment for my team.

Good Luck, Andrew !

Draft Wrap-Up

The NFL draft has come and gone, and for the most part, PSU players did well.  Granted, perhaps not as well as die hard fans would like to see, and some feel Clark might have been slighted, but hey, we still managed more draftees than OSU!

Players taken (round/overall):

Jared Odrick DT 1/28
Sean Lee LB 2/55
Navarro Bowman LB 3/91
Andrew Quarless TE 5/154
Mickey Shuler TE 7/214
Josh Hull LB 7/254

Darryl Clark was initially rumored to have signed as a free agent with Pittsburgh, but subsequent reports have him headed to the Redskins.

For the Big Ten Conference, here's how the teams did [(x)= first rounders]:

Iowa- 6 (1)
Penn State- 6 (1)
Ohio State 4
Indiana- 3
Illinois- 3
THEM- 3 (1)
Northwestern- 3
Wisconsin- 2
Minnesota- 2
Michigan State- 1
Purdue- 1

And on the BWI Board, GutCheck did some five year research . . .

Over the past five years/drafts, here are the numbers for the Big Ten/Eleven/Twelve/Fourteen:
School - Five Year Total - Five Year Average

Ohio State - 30 - 6
Penn State - 24 - 4.8
Michigan - 21 - 4.2
Notre Dame - 19 - 3.8
Iowa - 18 - 3.6
Wisconsin - 16 - 3.2
Purdue - 13 - 2.6
Michigan State - 11 - 2.2
Minnesota - 8 - 1.6
Illinois - 8 - 1.6
Northwestern - 6 - 1.2
Indiana - 6 - 1.2

So, here are the surprises that I see in those figures:
1. Wow! Illinois is low, for having "super-recruiters" on their staff. Equal to Minnesota.
2. Iowa and Wisconsin always seem to get more out of less, and this supports that general impression.
3. Michigan State is not a player. They have been sending fewer players to the league than Purdue!

Here are the things that are not surprising:
1. Ohio State has had the most talent, as we have seen them put the best team on the field.
2. Penn State is "back", as indicated by leading Michigan, ND and all other conference members except OSU - even if our totals still don't exceed the numbers that we sent to the league in the '90's and '80's.
3. Michigan - lower than expected, and dropping like a rock.

What are your thoughts on the draft?

PSU #8 - AGAIN

On the heels of USA Today's ranking of Penn State at #8 in the preseason, we have a site that has ranked schools by the all-time number of NFL draft picks.

1- Notre Dame (462)
2- USC (461)
3- Ohio State (390)
4- Oklahoma (339)
5- Michigan (332)
6- Nebraska (331)
7- Tennessee (321)
8- Penn State (317)
9- Texas (316)
10- Miami (FL) (294)

Other Big Ten schools . . .

12- Michigan State (286)
18- Purdue (269)
22- Minnesota (254)
24- Wisconsin (245)
27- Illinois (225)
29- Iowa (220)
46- Northwestern (168)
54-Indiana (154)

Interesting, for all the hype the SEC gets, they have only one team in the top 10, with Florida, Alabama and Georgia all barely missing out.