The first game takes us to Nashville, TN as the NC State Wolfpack do battle against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.  From there we travel to El Paso, Texas as those Southern California Trojans try to end their season on a bright note as they face off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.  While that game is going on, we will quickly jetset back to Memphis, TN as AutoZone Liberty Bowl features the Iowa State Cyclones out of the Big 12 against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, winners of Conference USA.  Finally, the last game of the evening may be the most intriguing from a match-up perspective.  The LSU Tigers will go up against the Clemson Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, GA.

These games should be an interesting appetizer to the New Year’s Day bowl games that feature six games, five of which include Big Ten teams.  A New Year’s Day Bowl Preview featuring Big Ten teams will be coming your way prior to the first New Year’s Day game so keep your eye out for that one.  We will ave commentary and previews from many of our football writers, lead editor Matt de Bear, staff writer Eric Scion, staff writer Chuck Reynolds, and myself.

Without further ado, let’s take a sneak peek at the New Year’s Eve Bowl Games starting with the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.  Enjoy your New Year’s Eve celebrations, be safe, and get ready for what hopefully will be a blessed 2013 including another great season for Penn State football…WE ARE…PENN STATE!!

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

TEAMS:  Vanderbilt (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) vs. North Carolina State (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference

TIME:  December 31st, 12:00 p.m. EST

TV:  ESPN

LAS VEGAS LINES:  Vanderbilt -7.5; Over/Under 51.5 points

In this preview we look at the Music City Bowl featuring North Carolina State out of the ACC conference taking on the Vanderbilt Commodores from the SEC.  This game is a veritable home game for Vanderbilt as their campus is in Nashville, TN and the Music City Bowl is in Memphis, TN, about a 3.5 drive.  Look for Vanderbilt to have a bevy of its fans at the game to create a home-game atmosphere!

Oct 01, 2011; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack cheerleaders on the sidelines in their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

The NC State Wolfpack enter the Music City Bowl as a bit of an enigma, they had some big wins including handing Florida State their only ACC loss, but the Wolfpack couldn’t sustain any momentum.  As big as the Florida State win was, the Virginia loss was just as bad.  On the whole, the Wolfpack started the season with some publications even including them in their preseason top-25.  However, an opening game loss to Tennessee quickly undid the high hopes that the Raleigh-faithful had.  The Wolfpack would rebound and win their next 3 games before dropping their ACC opener to Miami.  NC State didn’t stay down for long as they beat Florida State the following week and followed it up with a win over Maryland before dropping their next two in a row.  They ended the season by winning two of their last three games including a season-ending triumph over Boston College.

The question that everyone would like to know is what NC State team is going to show up an play Vanderbilt?  Will it be the team that held things together to beat Florida State, the ACC’s best team, or will it be the team that laid an egg against one of the ACC’s worst teams, Virginia?

Predominantly the NC State offense runs through their passing game.  The Wolfpack finished the regular season throwing for an average of 304.0 yards per game which was good for not only second in the ACC behind Clemson, but also 20th nationally.  While those numbers were impressive, their rushing statistics were just as putrid.  The Wolfpack rushed for nearly 117 yards per game which was good for 9th in the ACC but 108th nationally.  Teams were able to key on quarterback Mike Glennon and the Wolfpack receivers and place very little emphasis on the running attack.  If NC State hopes to win this contest, they will have to be on their game offensively because Vanderbilt maintains one of the best defenses in the SEC, a conference with defensive stalwarts like Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, and Florida.  In fact, Vanderbilt gave up the fewest yards of any team in the SEC (2110 yards).  It should be an interesting chess match to see how the NC State passing game will matriculate down the field against the Vanderbilt defense that doesn’t allow many passing yards.

NC State will be playing the game with a new coach.  Northern Illinois’s Dave Doeren was hired at the beginning of the month to replace Tom O’Brien.  Even though the Wolfpack finished the regular season with a winning record, university officials felt as though the program had grown state and a new voice was needed to restore the program to its once lofty status among ACC elites.  Coach Doeren will not be coaching the team in the bowl game.  That task will fall to offensive coordinator Dana Bible.

Vanderbilt, playing just a short drive from their campus will be looking for the program’s 9th victory for the first time since 1915!  Their 8 regular season wins are the most for a Commodore’s squad since 1982.  Many had written this team off once it started 2-4 with losses to South Carolina, Northwestern, Georgia, and Florida.  However, Vanderbilt went on to win their remaining six games to enter their bowl as one of the hottest team in the country.  This team possesses a lot of firepower and are led by a dynamic running back Zac Stacy.  Most would consider Vanderbilt a mediocre offense ranking in the middle of the pack nationally in terms of both rushing and passing the football.  What isn’t suspect is the Commodores defense.  Vanderbilt ranks 18th nationally in total defense allowing just over 326 yards per game.  Their defense is also only allowing a 14th best nationally 18.3 points per game.  If the game remains close, Vanderbilt also sports the most accurate kicker in the SEC, junior Carey Spear having made 19 of 22 FGs this season.

Dec 31, 2011; Memphis, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores cheerleaders during the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

The Commodore’s head coach, James Franklin, once thought to be a candidate for the Penn State head coaching job before Bill O’Brien was hired, has a two-year record of 14-11 as they head into the bowl game.  While that may not seem like an overly impressive mark, consider, the 14 wins by a Vanderbilt coach over his first two years at the school is the best since Steve Sloan won 12 games in 1973-74.  Coach Franklin has this Commodore program headed in the right direction.  A few more impact recruits, and this team could be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC East.  The five conference wins tied the most wins Vanderbilt ever had in the SEC with the 1935 squad (only their fourth year in the SEC!).

Both teams enter this game with much to play for.  For NC State, they want to finish the season on a high note and head into the 2013 campaign with new head coach Dave Doeren riding a positive note.  For Vanderbilt, a 9th win would mean so much for a program that has been synonymous with mediocrity for so long.  Look for both teams to come out with a lot of emotion in this one!

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vanderbilt revolves their offense around senior Zac Stacy.  On the year, Stacy ran for 1034 yards, accounting for over 50% of the Vanderbilt rushing yards.  Along with his 1000 yards rushing season, Stacy also posted a team-high 9 TDs as well as catching nine passes for 193 yards.  He is certainly the player to watch for Vanderbilt.  To be certain, Earl Wolff and Brandan Bishop, NC State’s leading tacklers, will have to keep one eye on Stacy.

When Vanderbilt isn’t running the ball, senior Jordan Rodgers, the younger brother of Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers, is slinging the ball.  On the year Rodgers threw for 2431 yards and 13 TDs while only throwing 5 INTs.  He has the knack for protecting the ball.  Rodgers has thrown for at least 200 yards in all but three games this season (one of which he was inactive).  Don’t be surprised to see Vanderbilt throw the ball in the neighborhood of 20-25 times.  The ability of the Commodores to vary their offensive play-calling is one reason they have been successful this year.  Both Rodgers and Stacy have the prowess and maturity to be vocal leaders for this Vanderbilt offensive squad.

On defense, Vanderbilt is led by Javon Marshall and Kenny Ladler, both of who are in the defensive secondary.  Normally it doesn’t bode well when your leading tacklers are from the defensive backfield, but these two are different from the average players.  Both are extremely active all around the field.  In fact, both are in the top-10 in solo tackles.

Vanderbilt’s leading sack man is junior linebacker Chase Garnham who had 5.5 sacks.  The Vanderbilt linebackers are extremely athletic.  They can rush the passer, something Garnham likes to do, or they can drop into coverage.  While Vanderbilt has only registered 28 sacks on the season (7th in the SEC), they are able to place enough pressure on the quarterback to force them into bad decisions.  The Commodores rank first in the SEC with 93 tackles for loss (tackles behind the line of scrimmage including sacks).  This just shows how fast and versatile the defensive lineman like senior Rob Lohr and junior Walker May have been this year.  Look for Vanderbilt to continually hound Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon all evening.

Speaking of Mike Glennon, the NC State Wolfpack quarterback, he led the ACC is passing yards per game with 304.  Not only did he lead the ACC in passing yards per game, but he also led the ACC in passing yards with 3648.  He ranked second in the conference to Clemson’s Tajh Boyd in TD passes with 30.  Suffice it to say the Wolfpack passing attack is what drives the offense.  Glennon has thrown for over 400 yards three times this season, remarkably, all in defeats.  Also, he has thrown four or more TDs in a game three times and those were defeats as well.  And, in all but one game he has managed to throw for at least 200 yards.  How Vanderbilt tries to counteract his throwing ability will be one of the game’s interesting little twists.

If Glennon is wracking up all of those passing yards, that means someone has to be be catching the passes.  For NC State, the primary receivers for Glennon are Quintin Payton who led the team in receptions (48) and yards (761 yards), Tobais Palmer who was second on the team in receptions (46), yards (670), and TD receptions (6), and Bryan Underwood who led the team in TD catches with 10.  TE Mario Carter has also been a favorite receiver of Glennon’s.  On the year, he made 31 catches for 333 yards and 2 scores.  Look for him to be more involved in the passing game as the Vanderbilt DBs will be trying to blanket the Wolfpack receivers.

As was mentioned earlier, the Wolfpack were led in tackles by two defensive backs, Earl Wolff and Brandan Bishop.  Both registered 99 or more tackles and were two of the top-3 tackling defensive backs in the ACC.

On the defensive line look for Darryl Cato-Bishop and Art Norman to impose their will on the Commodore offensive linemen.  Both men combined for 12 sacks on the year to lead the team.  T.Y. McGill also added 4 sacks.  The pressure that the DL are able to bring allowed the defensive backs to play more aggressively on the wide receivers.  As a result, NC State led the ACC in interceptions (16).  In fact, David Amerson was tied for the conference lead in INTs with 5.  Bishop and Justin Burris both had 3 INTs each.  Look for the secondary of the Wolfpack to very active and aggressive with the Commodore receivers.  In turn, that could lead to a couple of picks of Jordan Rodgers.

PREDICTION

Vanderbilt – 23

NC State – 17

This week I want to tackle (no pun intended!) a more difficult topic and look at individual players across the country that have underperformed or overperformed based on what pre-season hype had indicated.  Certainly this is very subjective and many players will be left off the list in both categories, but I thought it might be fun to see who may or may not have met expectations.

Underachievers:

Nov 8, 2012; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas (3) looks to pass in the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

Logan Thomas – QB Virginia Tech:

The Hokies were supposed to contend for the ACC title and possibly even a national title.  Those hopes went out the window early this season, and the once formidable Hokies are playing for their post-season lives.  Part of the reason they have struggled to win games this year is the lack-luster play of their junior signal caller Logan Thomas.

Thomas was expected to be one the ACC’s leading passers, and while he 7th in the league in passing yards per game, he has been too inconsistent, especially in the bigger games.  Even more shocking is his inability to lead his team back when they are trailing.

On the season Thomas has thrown for 2,407 yards but his completion percentage is a mere 53.6% (171/319).  He has thrown 14 TDs, but he has also thrown for 14 INTs.  A 1:1 TD-to-INT ratio is not going to get it done for a team that should have at least won the ACC’s Coastal Division.

While much of the season has passed, Thomas can still prove that 2012 is not a harbinger of things to come.  His team needs to win its final two games to make it to a bowl.  The games are winnable (Boston College and Virginia), but to do so, Thomas will have to be the leader that head coach Frank Beamer and the rest of the Hokies know that they have in their midst.

Oct 13, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Southern California Trojans tailback Silas Redd (25) carries the ball against the Washington Huskies at CenturyLink Field. USC defeated Washington 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Silas Redd – RB USC:

Many that read this article will assume that I’m placing Redd on this list simply out of spite, seeing he spurned the Nittany Lions after their sanctions to go to the seemingly lavish lifestyle of the USC Trojans and a shot at the national title.  Well, I can tell you that is not the case!

If we compare stats from this year to his stats from last year at Penn State, you will find in most statistical categories his numbers have receded from where they were at one year ago.  In 2011 for Penn State, Redd rushed 244 times for 1,241 yards.  He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and scored 7 TDs.  This year for USC, Redd has carries the ball only 135 times for 732 yards.  His average per carry is slightly better at 5.4 ypc, and his number of rushing TDs are modestly up (9).  At neither Penn State nor USC has Redd been used as a pass-catching back.

Some of the disparity in the numbers is the type of offense that Penn State and USC run and the personnel that each teams possesses, but in the end, Redd has not turned out to be the dynamic running back that Lane Kiffin can give the ball to and ride for an entire game.  This year alone Redd has only had two games where he has carried the ball 20 times or more.  in 2011 at Penn State, he had 5 games where he toted the rock 20 times or more.  In fact he carried the ball 30 times against Illinois.

Redd has begun ceding carries to senior Curtis McNeal.  In the Trojans’ last game against Arizona State, Redd was unable to play due to injury.  McNeal rushed 31 times for 163 yards and 2 scores.  Redd is questionable this week against rival UCLA.  What isn’t questionable is Redd’s lack of game-changing bursts.  To be sure, Redd is a fine running back that nearly every team in the country would love to have on their roster.  However, he is not the difference-maker that USC thought they were getting when he agreed to transfer in August.

November 10, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (28) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats in the third quarter at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 38-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Fitzgerald Toussaint – RB Michigan

Fitzgerald Toussaint was supposed to be the next workhorse back for the Wolverines, taking some of the pressure to run ball from Denard Robinson.  One problem – someone forgot to tell Fitzy that he was supposed to do that.  Toussaint has been virtually invisible in most of Michigan’s games this year.  He has not amassed a 100-yard rushing game in any one of his contests this year, though he was close this past Saturday against Northwestern (95 yards), and he has a little over half of the rushing scores (5) that he had all of last year (9).

Toussaint started off 2012 on suspension from an off-season off the field arrest.  He therefore missed the Alabama game, but he has played in every game since.  His number of rushes should be about the same as they were last year, but his offensive output will be well below what he did last season.  Last year he was a 1,000 yard back, but this year he will likely be lucky to get to 700 yards rushing.  He has done a tad more in the passing game than last year, but the numbers are fairly comparable.

To me it doesn’t look like Toussaint is running downhill as much as he was last year.  Last season he could get to the second level by punishing defensive lineman and linebackers on his way to big gains.  This year, those linemen are able to corral him at or near the line of scrimmage.  His longest run of 2012 was a 50-yard gainer and that was last week.  The explosiveness just doesn’t seem to be there this year, and that has really hurt Michigan.

The Wolverines are still one of the better team in the Big Ten because of Denard Robinson and the much-improved play of their defense, but most teams are not scared of Michigan because they are so one-dimensional.  Michigan will likely step up in class come bowl season and play a team that will be better than they are.  How Michigan can involve Toussaint in the gameplan and his effectiveness will go a long way in determining how Michigan fares.

In no particular order, here are FIVE reasons why Penn State will not fall into obscurity in 2013:

photo by Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE

Silas Redd Was Not That Important.

Silas Redd is a terrific player. However, it’s not like the Nittany Lions are left playing with 10 players in his departure. Last year, Redd had 1,241 rushing yards, which was really good. It was actually the third best total for Penn State…in the last seven years. In fact, Penn State has produced a 1,000 yard rusher in eight consecutive seasons, including 1,200+ yard seasons from Evan Royster, Rodney Kinlaw and Tony Hunt. Bill Belton has a legit shot at approaching that 1,000 yard mark in 2012, and in 2013 he will be a junior, with a year of experience under his belt. Silas Redd may not have been at Penn State in 2013, whether or not he had transferred.

#9
OT Ryan Nowicki (Illinois)

Nowicki did not appear on the post-spring depth chart, making him a third string tackle, at best. With RS Freshman Donovan Smith likely holding down the left tackle spot for the next 3-4 years and the 2013 class currently consisting of Dorian Johnson and Andrew Nelson, the tackle position will go on without Ryan.

#8
QB Rob Bolden (LSU)

Rob was buried on the depth chart and was behind PJ Jones, who has more eligibility than he does. With accurate freshman Steven Bench now on the roster and Christian Hackenberg coming in next year, it’s not likely that Bolden would have seen another meaningful snap at Penn State.

#7
S Tim Buckley (NC State)

Buckley was a walk-on from North Carolina, who came to Penn State partially because his father was a PSU grad. Despite not being offered a scholarship out of high school, Buckley was likely to see some playing time this season in an already-thin defensive backfield.

#6
TE Kevin Haplea (Florida State)

Kevin saw a lot of action last year, though sometimes it seemed that the attention he gained was for blown plays and penalties. With Garry Gilliam back from injury and freshman Jesse James catching everyone’s attention in the spring, Haplea became expendable, and he knew it. There are few reasons for a tight end to transfer out of a Bill O’Brien offense. One of them would be the absence of playing time.

#5
WR Justin Brown (Oklahoma)

Brown arrived at Penn State with high expectations but never seemed to reach his potential. Inconsistency and dropped balls played a part in this, along with average quarterback play. Penn State threw for 29 touchdowns over the last two seasons but Brown managed to haul in only three during that time. In contrast, QB-turned WR-turned H-back/TE managed to grab 5 touchdowns in his senior campaign of 2010. Brown was expected to be the incumbent number one receiver at Penn State this year, but there a handful of guys on the roster capable of taking that spot. 

Last night following the Silas Redd transfer, I discussed his departure from the team with Chris Chuff, as well as what he means to USC with ReignOfTroy.com’s Michael Castillo.

Also touched on Khairi Fortt and Rise and Rally, which took place Tuesday morning.

Enjoy!
Victory Bell Radio 1

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Some other Penn State players are also considering leaving the Nittany Lions for new opportunities. One of the big names is junior linebacker Khairi Fortt, who is reportedly visiting Cal this weekend. His father says he has about a dozen offers, including Washington and Florida State, among others. Fortt left Spring camp listed as a co-starter at middle linebacker with Glenn Carson.

OT Ryan Nowicki was one of the first names that came up as a potential transfer candidate. Illinois seemed to be the original destination, but reports are that he has visited, or intends to visit Washington and Arizona State, as well. He’s an Arizona native, so moving home could make ASU the favorite here. Regardless, Ryan is one of the players that would be a logical transfer. As a redshirt freshman, he would not play in a single bowl and he third on the Penn State depth chart, at best. An opportunity for snaps is probably enticing.

Rob Bolden was the first guy that popped into most fans heads as a player who would transfer. He tried to transfer as a freshman, but Joe Paterno blocked it. Last summer, there were rumors that he was considering it again, but he stuck around and played plenty, if not too many, snaps as a true sophomore. With the former offensive staff having all been replace, Bolden left spring as the third string QB. Rumor is that LSU is interested. While that may seem shocking on the surface, keep in mind that Rob scored more touchdowns against Alabama last year than the entire LSU team could muster in 2+ games. He may be the secret weapon.

I’ve heard that Bolden is not the only quarterback on the fence. Redshirt sophomore and backup PJ Jones is said to have over twenty offers and is reportedly torn. He would likely be the starter for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, but that is far from guaranteed. If he stays and for some reason does not earn the starting gig, he may regret not leaving for playing time when he had the chance. Penn State has stuck by Jones through a lot so far and many of the fans are in his corner. With Matt McGloin and freshman Steven Bench as the only two quarterbacks who have declared they are staying, PJ becomes important, for depth, if nothing else. 
UPDATE: PAUL HAS ANNOUNCED HE IS STAYING.

Some players have already announced that they’ll be staying at Penn State.

Most recently, 2012 incoming freshman guard Anthony Stanko tweeted ” I’m staying, there’s way too much going for this university for me to leave over the loss of bowl games.”

Prior to that, Eugene Lewis, Stanko’s classmate and one of the top players from 2012, took a similar stand when his father told WNEP 16 News that Eugene was staying. “He loves Penn State,he loves the campus,he loves everything about it.”

Another member of the class, DB Jake Kiley, announced on Sunday that he wouldn’t be going anywhere. He then repeated that statement on Monday a couple of times.

Others remaining committed include Scranton natives Eric Shrive and Matt McGloin, who both admitted being upset, but intend to finish what they’ve started.

Starting LT Donovan Smith made a statement on Twitter that he will not be transferring and to “stop asking me about it.

Senior LB Michael Mauti has also pledged to finish his career at Penn State.

Many PSU players are being courted, however. LB Khairi Fortt has been.contacted by UConn and reportedly 30 other teams, as well.

Last night, news came out that Silas Redd was being recruited by USC and was strongly considering it. Another source, citing someone close to Redd said there’s “no chance.” Losing the offenses best weapon would be a blow to Penn State but Redd deserves to examine his options.

I saw a report that 2012 OL commit Brian Gaia intended to transfer but I was unable to confirm with Brian. He would be the lone transfer at this point, if true.

Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Silas Redd

Doak Walker Award: Awarded to the nation’s top running back.

Other nominees include Marcus Lattimore, Montee Ball, LeVeon Bell and Eddie Lacy.

Previous winners include Trent Richardson, Darren McFadden, Reggie Bush and Larry Johnson.

Maxwell Award: Awarded to the top player in the nation by the Maxwell Football Club of Philadelphia.

Other nominees include Denard Robinson, Tavon Austin, Matt Barkley and Landry Jones.

Previous winners include Cam Newton, Tim Tebow, Vince Young and Larry Johnson.

Silas Redd carried the load for the Penn State offense last season, rushing for 1241 yards and 7 touchdowns. With a new playbook and what hopes to be a revamped passing game, Silas should find more lanes to run through. Also, I fully expect the coaching staff to utilize Silas’ talents by getting him the ball in space, all over the field.

5. Fitzgerald Toussaint, Michigan

With 1000 yards and 10 total touchdowns as a junior, Fitz could be be primed for a breakout season. Sharing a backfield with Denard Robinson can’t hurt.

4. Le’veon Bell, Michigan State

Almost 1000 yards and 13 touchdowns last year on just 182 carries. With the departure of Cousins, he’ll be leaned on heavily this year and could have a monster season.

3. Rex Burkhead, Nebraska

Hard-nosed and quick, Burkhead works well in the Nebraska offense. Had a spectacular season last year that was overshadowed by Ball.

2. Silas Redd, Penn State

Rushed for over 1,200 yards last year with barely a glimmer of a passing game to free up space. Any improvement at QB should free up the slippery Redd.

1. Montee Ball, Wisconsin

Guy scored like 50 touchdowns last year. It’s not likely that his production goes up, but he easily deserves this spot. Still can’t believe he didn’t enter the NFL Draft.

While not all that surprising, the running backs of the Big Ten are a bit more advanced than the quarterbacks. With Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins headed to the NFL, look for these five and others to really shine in the conference.

For all of the latest on the Penn State Nittany Lions, follow VBR Lead Editor Tim Tolley on Twitter.

Nov 26, 2011; Madison, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Silas Redd (25) looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers defeated the Nittanty Lions 45-7. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Below are the players who received first team reps on offense through spring practice so far.  This list, while telling, may not be indicative of who will start come Septemeber 1, 2012 because guys are rotating in and out the formations quickly.   I will post another update later this week once the rotation becomes clearer.

Quarterback

Matt McGloin got first reps with the first team.  Paul Jones and Rob Bolen also received reps with the ones.

Wide Receivers

Justin Brown, Shawney Kersey, Brandon Moseby-Felder, and Devon Smith got first team reps with the receivers.  No surprise there, maybe with the exception of Felder.

Offensive Line

Adam Gress, John Urschel, Matt Stankiewitch, Miles Diffenbach, and Mike Farrel got the first team reps on the offensive line.

Tight Ends

I am told that the tight ends were rotated quickly in and out and all of them got reps with the first team.

Running Backs

Predictably, Silas Redd got first team reps at tailback and Mike Zordich got first team reps at fullback.

***Check out VBR later in the week and early next week for more practice updates.

For the latest on the Penn State Nittany Lions, follow VBR Staff Writer, Chris Chuff on Twitter.

RB2
Curtis Dukes (RS Jr.)

RB3
Akeel Lynch (Fr.)*

Others
Derek Day (RS Sr.)
Deron Thompson (RS Fr.)
Jack Haffner (Fr.)*

FB1
Mike Zordich (RS Sr.)

FB2
Zach Zwinak (RS So.)

Silas has proven himself over the past two seasons and is one of the best backs in the conference, if not the country. Last year, carrying the load took a toll on Redd and he missed some time late in the season. If he can stay healthy this season, he should easily have his 2nd straight 1,000 yard season.

Curtis Dukes showed glimpses last year of what he can do with the ball. He certainly looks the part, running strong between the tackles with speed and power. His problem is with everything else. He seems lost at times and is a poor pass protector. If he can figure out the parts of being a running back that don’t involve having the ball, he will solidify himself behind Redd as the backup.

Akeel Lynch is a multi-talented player who rushed for over 2,000 yards and 25 TDs in his senior season of high school. I fully expect him to see the field early, with no chance of redshirting. If Dukes slips up mentally, Lynch could become a factor by the time Big Ten play begins.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Jack Haffner sneak some short-yardage snaps. He is a bowling ball RB and has strength that the other running backs don’t possess.

Mike Zordich is a mean fullback who loves hitting people. He was featured on several 1 yard dive plays and as a lead blocker. He also plays on kick/punt coverage. It is unknown what his role will be in the new offense. He isn’t extremely dangerous with the ball, so it’s unlikely that he will be used in an H-back situation. It is quite possible that Zordich could become primarily a special teams player.

Zach Zwinak is a wild card. He was one of the top fullbacks in the country coming out of high school but spent a year adding weight, then suffered a knee injury. He got some carries last year while playing in the running back role, but was technically the 3rd string FB. He carried the ball plenty of times in high school and has excellent speed for a fullback. Without any elite TE threats on the field, it’s possible that ZZ could be used in some type of hybrid FB/TE role. He could also end up battling Dukes and Lynch for carries behind Redd. I definitely recommend keeping an eye on Zach. We could learn a little bit as early as the Spring game, as far as how O’Brien plans on using Zach.

Make sure to check out our QB and WR depth charts from last week, and our O-Line/TE depth chart tomorrow!

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Derek Moye could be back in two weeks

Coach Paterno is thinking that wide receiver Derek Moye, who injured his foot last week while running down his apartment stairs, will probably miss the next two games. That’s too bad, because with Penn State playing every game on a tight rope, Moye’s production could easily be the difference between a win and a loss in any given week. Hopefully he’ll be back on the field for the Nebraska game.

Silas Redd is playing a lot

Call him “bell cow” or “work horse,” it doesn’t really matter. The point is that Redd has 29, 28 and 28 carries in the last three games. When asked about the heavy workload, Paterno said he was a little worried. I’d still be surprised if Redd got less than 25 touches per game from here on out, but when you have a guy as talented as Curtis Dukes in the backfield, it shouldn’t be too hard to get Redd some rest.

By the way, Stephfon Green had one carry versus Purdue to go with his one catch versus Iowa. I’m not sure if they’re trying to work him into the lineup or just teasing him. Maybe if State can score some points against Northwestern, they can actually open a window in which to give Green some serious run.

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One would think that when a university sees its all-time leading rusher graduate, there would be a drop off in the rushing offense the next year. While it cannot be understated how awesome Evan Royster was in his Penn State career, we still don’t know if PSU’s ground game will improve or regress in 2011. That’s because Silas Redd is such an incredible talent.

As a highly touted freshman in 2010, Redd didn’t see double digit touches until Penn State hosted Northwestern on November 6. In that game, Redd cut through the Wildcat defense like a hot knife through whatever is softer than butter. 131 yards on just 11 carries is a stat line usually reserved for Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl, but that’s what Redd did on that day to carry PSU to a 35-21 victory.

Redd ended the 2010 season with 437 yards rushing and a 5.7 yards per rush average. His role in 2011 was to lead the Penn State rushing attack with help from senior halfback Stephfon Green. However, it just became known yesterday that Green will likely sit out the 2011 season and so Redd has an even bigger share of the team to carry.
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If you were able to crane you neck over the horizon, the flashing lights of New York City would just be visible from the streets of Stamford Connecticut, a town of 120,000 living in the shadow of the world’s most famous city. For any teenager, the life and allure of New York is almost too hard to pass up. Weekends on the town, a night at the club, or a Sunday afternoon at Giants Stadium are all just a stones throw away. The energy in the city is addictive, and for a high school student growing up just around the corner it can be all too easy to get swept up in the bright lights.

“You could always find me and my friends hanging out at our houses. If it was mine or a friends, we were always together. It was really rare to find us alone”  Said Silas Redd, Penn State’s up and coming sophomore running back. Redd doesn’t deny that he frequently visits NYC. As a huge Giants fan, he’d be doing himself a disservice if he didn’t make a trip to Giants Stadium to see them take on the Cowboys, but growing up, Silas was just as happy to spend time with his friends and family just hanging out. The lights always had their time to shine, but life was better lived with those who you cared for. (more…)

So what is VBR thankful for in the sporting world? I can think of 5 things off the top of my head.

1. Silas Redd breaking ankles

2.Blair Brown..because she’s awesome

3. Forum posters on Fight on State for making me feel smarter

4. A new hockey program

5. Rob Bolden for not transferring after getting benched for no reason.

The game itself was really a tail of two halves. Northwestern set the tone early driving down the field scoring a quick touchdown putting the Penn State defense on it’s heels for the rest of the first half. Dan Persa’s talent and Northwestern’s momentum was enough to put up 21 unanswered leaving a full Beaver Stadium stunned wondering if they’d have to wait another week for Joe Paterno’s 400th win. While the game seemed out of reach, fate had a say and Penn State came out of the gates scoring TDs on 5 straight possessions in the second half.  A feat that you hardly see with the nations top teams, let alone a team using a former walk-on quarterback. The rest of the game became a celebration of a coach passing a milestone, and a team finding life.

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Ultimately this could be the win that allows Joe Paterno to return for the 2011 season. It isn’t that beating Minnesota is a huge victory, but the win goes a long way towards proving the stability of the program many critics think it is losing. Beating Minnesota restores the status quo , and shows that with enough time the coaching staff was able to come up with a successful game plan and win a game with a severely depleted roster in key areas. 

Beating Minnesota gives the “Joe must go” camp a lot less ammo to work with, and realistically the rest of the schedule only has 2 games that Penn State should be expected to win (Indiana, Northwestern). Assuming that Penn State wins those games, and steals one from MSU, Michigan, or Ohio State. Paterno should be set to take one last crack at this thing in the 2011-2012 season. Demanding for his head now really gets nothing done, and message board rumors are proving to be little more than that. Grades after the jump. (more…)

Personally, I said after the Alabama game that Royster needs to be on the bench and we need to start Stephfon Green and or Silas Redd at running back. For whatever reasons, Evan just isn’t getting the job done with a measly 110 yards on 31 attempts so far this season after 3 games. That is a 3.5 yard per carry average. Not the start Nittany Nation was hoping for from it’s 5th year, four year starting running back. Granted Evan isn’t a flashy back with break away speed but he just doesn’t have the aggressive running style he has had in years past. He seems to dance around too much and not make one cut to the hole and lumber down field like he used to. This could be because of the offensive line blocking or because of Evan’s inability and desire to help this team win and to be back for his 5th year. (more…)

• True freshman offensive lineman Thomas Ricketts broke his hand at practice on Saturday. No word on how much time he’ll miss, but he was headed for a redshirt this season regardless.
• True freshman running back Silas Redd also found the end zone from about 25 yards out on a draw play. I’m told Redd has had a fantastic camp thus far.
• The biggest play of the scrimmage came at the end, with the first team defense taking on the first team offense. True freshman quarterback Robert Bolden hit redshirt freshman Shawney Kersey in stride for about a 50-yard score.

Jay Paterno said he wants to move from four to three this weekend, then cut the number to two in another week. The Lions hope to name a starter, as they did two years ago with Clark, a week before the season opener against Youngstown State.

Take that all for what you will. Sleep on it, and check back tomorrow for a much more in depth reaction. Follow @Ben_Jones88  and VBR for more info.

(Image credit-Yardbarker)

The Blue White game is a great way to look at the position battles going on across the board and gauge where each offensive and defensive unit is in their development 15 practices in to the new season. As we touched on earlier the quarterback position battle took center stage, but there was a lot more going on that met the eye at this past weekends scrimmage. Lets take a look at the guys fighting for a spot on the field outside of the quarterbacks.

–Defense–

For the most part the defense looked like it was farther along in it’s development. That was to be expected and considering that the offense has to deal with a rotating offensive line as well as finding a quarterback, it would be a bad sign if the defense wasn’t farther along. Some of the most noteworthy performances on the defensive side of the ball came from Eric Latimore, Nate Stupar, and Derrick Thomas. Latimore had his way with Left Tackle Quinn Barham all day and spent most of the day running around the backfield being a pain picking up 2 sacks. Latimore is supposed to have a lot of upside, and this could be his year to unleash it. (more…)