Freshman Robert Bolden isn’t Penn State’s starting quarterback. But then again, maybe he is.
The guessing continues, thanks in part to Penn State’s depth chart, released on Sunday afternoon — 142 hours before the Nittany Lions’ opening-game kickoff at noon Saturday against Youngstown State in Beaver Stadium.
For a complete look, go to this page on GoPSUsports.com.
Officially, for where it matters most, here’s how the most recent Penn State depth chart reads:
Quarterback
11 Matt McGloin (6-1, 209, Jr/So) OR
12 Kevin Newsome (6-2, 225, So/So) OR
1 Robert Bolden (6-3, 221, Fr/Fr)
10 Paul Jones (6-3, 239, Fr/Fr)
Penn State’s first preseason chart, released when the 2010 Penn State Media Guide was distributed in July, had McGloin and Newsome sharing the starting job, followed by Jones and redshirt sophomore Shane McGregor. Jones entered Penn State in January 2010, threw a pair of touchdown passes in the Blue-White Game and now, according to numerous reports, will redshirt. It is clear that he is not in the running to play QB in 2010.
Apparently, Bolden has made that much of an impression in a few short weeks. On paper, he’s in a literal tie with Newsome and McGloin for the starting job. That’s saying something.
Bolden has had five days of classes at Penn State, and around 25 practices in a Nittany Lion uniform.
McGloin is entering his fifth semester at Penn State — 61 weeks of classes — and has been a part of more than 200 practices, albeit a large chunk on the scout team.
Newsome, who matriculated in January 2009, is entering his fourth semester in the classroom and has had 140 practices or so to make his mark.
Clearly, in 12 percent of the time Newsome has had and 15 percent of the time McGloin has had, Bolden has shown that he has at least a 33 percent chance of starting. Call it new — or freshman –- math.
Enough reports have filtered out of summer drills, on campus and from players out and about, that Bolden is the real thing. Whether he gets the starting nod on Saturday is Joe Paterno’s biggest football decision since he picked Daryll Clark ahead of Pat Devlin in 2008.
That decision led to back-to-back 11-2 seasons for the Nittany Lions. But it also caused Devlin to leave the program for Delaware. Had he redshirted while he cooled his heels for Clark, Devlin would be the starter for Penn State in 2010.
Now, in his stead, Paterno may name a freshman as Penn State’s starter. (The Devlin will have made him do it.)
DEPTH CHART NOTES
- The depth lists three starting wideouts, which has often been the case the past two seasons. Derek Moye and Graham Zug aren’t surprises, but 5-foot-7, 157-pound Devon Smith is. Smith, the Maryland state track champion in the 100 and 200 meters, runs a sub 4.3 40. He was in Paterno’s doghouse early last season, then later suffered a mild concussion.
- Smith is listed as the No. 2 kickoff returner, behind Chaz Powell, and the No. 3 punt returner, behind Justin Brown and Drew Astorino.
- Powell, who played quite well at wide receiver in 2009, switched to defense in the offseason and is now listed at No. 1 at right cornerback ahead of Stephon Morris. That may be temporary. Morris, who played nickel back and also had one start last season, suffered a neck injury in summer drills.
- Andrew Szcerba is out at tight end, and not expected to play against Youngstown State, according to a report by Bob Flounders of The Patriot-News. That moves up 6-6, 243-pound Gary Gilliam, a sophomore with freshman eligibility, as the starter, followed by true freshman Kevin Haplea.
- Five true freshmen are on the depth chart: Bolen, Jones, Haplea, defensive end Kyle Baublitz and linebacker Khairi Fortt.
- Anthony Fera should be the Lions’ starting punter, and is listed ahead of Russell Nye, a State College High grad whose father, Greg, is Penn State’s men’s golf coach.
- It’s not on the depth chart, but Paterno has yet to name any captains. That’s not a good sign if your team lost its veteran quarterback and three very savvy and strong linebackers. Just a guess, but leading candidates are guard Stefen Wisniewski, receiver Brett Brackett and hero Drew Astorino.
Maybe, too, Ollie Ogbu or Evan Royster. They are two of Penn State’s seven fifth-year seniors (Brackett is another). Ogbu is amazingly reliable; he’s played in all 39 games since 2007, has had 25 starts and has been on the field for 1,182 snaps. A tough, albeit quiet, hard-working rock.
Then there’s Royster – clearly the star of the offense and the team, bearing down on Curt Warner’s all-time leading rushing record. But from what I have seen he’s not a rah-rah kind of guy. Smart, thoughtful – yes, but that’s not what a young Penn State team needs.
Especially when there’s a chance the starting quarterback of that young team is a true freshman.
