Paterno asks for patience with offense

[GarySJ]

From http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/ncaa/08/13/pennstate.mediaday.ap/index.html

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Joe Paterno is asking for patience with the offense.

The Penn State offense was, well, offensive at times last year, often struggling to score points. Fortunately, for the Nittany Lions, the defense emerged as a force.

So Paterno says he hopes to juice up the offense by playing more wide-open sets, though it might take some time to jell because the receiving corps is young and there are question marks on the offensive line.

"We're going to work and try to get the right combination and maybe one of these days, we'll walk off the field and say 'I think we are a good football team,"' Paterno said during his annual preseason news conference.

"We're certainly in position to be a good defensive football team," said Paterno, entering his 40th season as head coach. "Offensively, we have to be better. We have to make big plays."

...

Paterno said Michael Robinson, an athletic senior and a team captain, is ahead of strong-armed sophomore Anthony Morelli at quarterback, though Morelli could still see some time during the season.

Robinson had been Penn State's jack-of-all-trades, seeing significant time at running back and wide receiver as well as quarterback over the last several years.

"But anytime we moved him around, he's always had his eye on the quarterback situation," Paterno said.

Whoever plays quarterback will be throwing at young receivers, where sophomores Mark Rubin (16 catches in 2004) and Terrell Golden (three catches) are among the top returnees.

But the buzz in the offseason has been about freshman wideout Derrick Williams, who has dazzled teammates so far with his speed and work ethic.

Fellow first-year speedster Justin King is listed as a cornerback, though Paterno said King could see more time on offense than defense. Not surprising given that King rushed for 1,795 yards and scored 30 touchdowns as a senior last year at Gateway High School in Pittsburgh.

Paterno says he doesn't know how often he'll use three- and-four-wide receiver looks on offense -- sets that he showed off with success during spring practice. That depends on how the wideout picture shakes out in the next several weeks.

...

There are question marks on offensive line. Last year's starting center, E.Z. Smith, isn't allowed back on campus until the fall semester starts in a couple of weeks due to an on-campus incident earlier this year. Two other starting linemen from last year, Tyler Reed and Andrew Richardson, were also still in Paterno's doghouse due to the same incident.

[bulls96go]

we could steal one...i hope

[Guest AstroBull]

we got a chance.  hopefully the d can give us a td

[Mission9]

Paterno going to a more wide open offense, wow.  Next thing you will see will be a logo on the helmet and a  modern uni (instead of ones that look like they are from 1959).

[Mission9]

It is amazing to me all the heat he is taking after a couple of bad seasons.

[Guest]

Paterno going to a more wide open offense, wow.  Next thing you will see will be a logo on the helmet and a  modern uni (instead of ones that look like they are from 1959).

When you spread out the defense, you reduce some of the pressure on the OL... and give greater chances to the running game... theoretically, defenses can't stack the box with 8 or 9 defenders against a spread offense... Safeties have to play more pass defense... the defense may have to put an extra DB on the field to cover a 3rd reciever (one more DB = 1 less LB)...

It makes some sense given the problems he has had on offense and the questions surrounding their OL...

[BULLfreak]

It all comes down to our O vs. their D ............................... Now I have that sick feeling in my stomach again :-/

[ChiTownBull]

how are their special teams?

a lot can boil down to field possesion...we don't want to be pinned deep in our territory against their D....but if we are on the 30 or 40 consistently it will give us a much better chance.....

[mutt]

He's making up excuses already cause he knows that were gonna destroy them.  

[FlaNitLion]

how are their special teams?.....

Very solid in the punting game.  Jeremy Kapinos can boom his punts high and long and usually with very precise placement.  Our place kicking is an area of concern.  We are relying on a walk on Freshman and a schollie freshman kicker.

Our return game has been pretty dismal the last 2 years, but it looks as though we will get a big improvement in that area this year.  

In reading the scouting reports, I think your offense will need to have a stellar day to pull out the upset.  I don't think you can rely on your defense to save the day, even with our recent offensive woes.  Our offense will definitely surprise some folks this year.

Go Lions!