Feeling BLUE?

Blue dismantled White 37-0 before an announced crowd of 72,000 fans, who joined James Franklin in a WE ARE . . . PENN STATE cheer during the break between the first and second quarters.

In no particular order, are some random thoughts . . .

The weather was beautiful. It just can't get any better than that. It might have been too hot, but after the winter we've had, I am NOT complaining! Pass the lemonade!

Nice 409 memorial to Joe where his statue SHOULD be.

It looked better in person than with my crappy cell phone and pasting!

The numbers were created with blue pinwheels stuck in the ground. A sign offered fans to take one after the game--but not before, since they ARE NOT allowed in Beaver Stadium. Really? Seriously? Afraid of a drive-by pinwheeling? Since when do terrorists use pinwheels? This would appear to be some serious pinwheel profiling here, folks!

You don't realize how much you miss the video screen until it isn't there.

Can't we recruit better scoreboards????

Offense looked a little shaky. 3-0 after the first quarter. Only 17-0 at the half. Second half quarters were only 10 minutes with the clock kept running. Defense added a pick six and set up some short fields--four of the five turnovers were notched by blue jerseys. Is our defense that good or offense that shaky? Too early to tell.

Great trickeration with Geno Lewis throwing off a reverse to a wide open Zanellato for a score. Maybe the D ain't that good after all!

Hackenberg only played a couple of series early on. No other quarterback looked especially good in my humble opinion.

I like me some Cole Chiappialle! He looks like a midget, but even with a shaky line, seemed to pop open some good runs.

Awards--

Jim O'Hora Award: Defensive tackle Anthony Zettel
Red Worrell Award: Guard Brian Gaia
Frank Patrick Total Commitment Award: End Deion Barnes
Coaches Special Teams Award: Kicker Sam Ficken

Congratulations!

Only noticeable injury was Wendy Laurent (center). It just had to be a lineman, didn't it?

This may not be their year, but with Penn State riding the #1 recruiting class right now, the future looks bright.

And with a few schools still left to play spring games (notably Alabama and Michigan State), here are the rankings of attendance:

Team Day Attendance (Cost)

Penn State Saturday, 72,000 (free, plus free autograph session)

Tennessee Saturday 66,548 (free)

Nebraska Saturday 61,772 ($10)

Ohio State Saturday 61,058 ($5, price originally $20 and $12)

Florida State Saturday 36,500 (free)

Florida Saturday 35,834 ($5)

LSU April 5 18,565 (free)

Michigan April 5 15,000 (free)

Indiana Saturday 9,231 (free)

Maryland Friday 8,319 (free)

Wisconsin Saturday 8,204 ($5)

Purdue Saturday 7,175 (free)

Illinois Saturday 5,105 (free)

Minnesota Saturday 5,000 (free)

Northwestern Saturday N/A (free, no game, just open practice)

Nothing to be BLUE about!

Getting Ready For Some Football

Ch-ch-ch-changes

The O'Brien Era is going to bring changes.  Many fans have been looking forward to some changes since 1999.  Change can be good.  If your diaper is dirty, you need a change.  But could too much change be good? 

Well, we won't know until September.

But what we do know is that there are changes happening as we speak type.  You might need to sharpen your pencils and get an extra eraser before all this is over.

In brief, and I will refer you to Philip Cmor's article on A Change of Pace for further reading on the subject, here are some things going on in Spring practice.  The very fact that we know so much that is going on in practice is a change in itself.

Try and dodge these bullets, Mr. Bond . . .

• Bill Belton has moved from wide receiver to runningback.  Perhaps because . . .
• Curtis Dukes is out of spring practice for academic issues.
• Curtis Drake is moving from wide receiver to corner.
• DE Dakota Royer is moving to tight end.
• Keep up with me here.
• Devon Smith got tripped up on grass again.  Investigation and punishment (if necessary) is pending.
• Cornerback Derrick Thomas will participate this spring.  Joe's Dog House has been sold.
• DE Shawn Oakman will not return (unspecified reason)
• Danny O'Brien, a potential QB transfer from Maryland, was at the opening day of practice.
• Curtis Cothran, DE from Council Rock North verballed to PSU
• Ryan Switzer, wide receiver and West Virginia's Gatorade Player of the Year--will be visiting PSU this weekend
• O'Brien (coach, not the transfer) feels the change in conditioning program has already produced visible body changes.
• Phil Simms will switch from QB to linebacker.

I don't know about you, but my head is spinning.  And this is only the first day!