Rob Bolden: Whats The Beef?

Dealing with a quarterback controversy is never an easy task.  Picking out the right one is almost always a difficult task that will never completely satisfy the masses. Penn State is dealing with such a problem week in and week out. In one corner Penn State has Matt McGloin. A walk on quarterback who has stepped out of the hills of Scranton giving Penn Staters Gun-Slinging fever. His trendy “moxie” and hint of arrogance has rubbed off on a hard working blue collared Happy Valley. There is no doubt Matt McGloin is something of a local hero, his performances against Michigan and Northwestern have earned him his place in history.

In the other corner however there is Rob Bolden. A young Michigan born, soft spoken leader, who came to campus late only to snatch the starting spot from Kevin Newsome, suddenly giving the Penn State masses hope for a bright future. His poise and talent is undeniable, and his youth gives plenty of reason for a long successful Penn State career. Between McGloin and Bolden there lays a stark divide in the fanbase. Moxie or Poise? Win now, or invest in the future? It’s a difficult argument, one that has been dealt with for 3 weeks now. The question in this debate ultimately becomes “What’s the beef with Rob Bolden?” Why does a fanbase, suddenly seem to be so hesitant to return to a quarterback who has shown so much promise?

McGloin’s long-drive heroics aren’t unique to just one Penn State game this season.

When Bolden was chosen to start for Penn State the excitement around the program seemed to heighten greatly. Suddenly there was hope that a rebuilding year might not be in the cards anymore. Penn State might surprise some people and find  themselves in a New Years day Bowl. All was not lost. In Rob Bolden’s debut he affirmed these hopes passing for 239 yards and 2 TDs.

Over the next 4 games Rob Bolden proceeded to pass for 823 yards, 3 Touchdowns and 5 Interceptions. While his 5 interceptions were bothersome, 2 of them came from playing Alabama on the road where Penn State was forced to make tough plays. Another interception was the product of a receiver falling down on the play after the ball was in the air. For the most part this stats was seen as a combination of a tough opponent and bad luck. Bolden was still a bright spot in the offense for most Penn State fans, having passed for 1000 yards faster than Clark, and Morelli had in their first years as a starters.

Headed into Big Ten play Bolden was forced to pass against one of the best defenses in the nation and managed to do so better than Daryll Clark had the previous two years combined putting up over 200 yards against a stingy Iowa defense. Again, Bolden was seen as a bright spot in the Nittany Lion offense. There were more cries for Bolden to be allowed to pass the ball more, rather than for his benching. A pretty strong indication of the fanbases feelings towards their young quarterback.

The Illinois game on all sides was a rather large anomaly in Penn State football. The defense suffered injuries, the coaching staff had horrible play calling, and the running game was non existent. Ultimately there was no real reason to call for Bolden to be benched. He struggled, but was certainly not the reason for Penn State’s flat performance. In Bolden’s final game as a starter, he was well on his way towards his best passing day every at Penn State going 11/13 for 130 yards and 1 TD in under a half of work. Before being sidelined due a concussion, Rob Bolden seemed to be poised and ready to take the next step as a full time starter.

Rankings of Defenses Bolden has faced (as of 11/15/10)

• Alabama 14
• Iowa 16
• Kent State 17
• Temple 18

Now it becomes a question of what has Matt McGloin really done? What has a red-haired kid from Scranton done to take the job from Bolden? Penn State over the past few games has had the great fortune of playing some awful defenses, something that has played into McGloin’s hands quite nicely.

While playing Michigan, Penn State was able to use McGloin’s arm to exploit an awful secondary, complemented by a surging rushing game. This secondary mind you, the same one that would later give up 65 points to a middle of the road Illinois team. Matt McGloin showed skill against Michigan, but being able to score on Michigan wasn’t a surprise, McGloin ultimately didn’t do anything overly special to a horrid Michigan defense that wouldn’t, or hadn’t already been done.

Against Northwestern, Penn State decided to pull Bolden after three series, while he went 3/4 and was hit for a fumble, opting for their “Hot” quarterback. Essentially Penn State was banking on playing their “hot goalie” rather than ease their assumed future quarterback back into his role. The rest of the game became something of folk lore, but again, Northwestern was not an exceptional defensive team. That’s not take away from McGloin’s leadership, but a 14 point second half comeback isn’t a unique feat.

Rankings of Defenses McGloin has faced (as of 11/15/10)

• Ohio State 2
• Northwestern 76
• Minnesota 86
• Michigan 100

Overall, McGloin has played well against the two lesser teams. He has a swagger about him, and the team responds to him well,  but the question is whether his skill really has earned him the starting spot? Statistically there is little evidence that McGloin could succeed against a tougher opponent. That’s not to say his performance in the first half against Ohio State was a fluke, but it could be a attributed to Penn State’s playcalling more than McGloin’s overwhelming talent. Short outside passes in a zone defense does not make Matt McGloin the next Steve Young. He has put in a lot of effort the past few weeks, and has managed to shred apart some suspect defenses. That being said Rob Bolden is the quarterback of the future. He has played better against better teams, and has showed an extreme amount of poise for his age.

Penn State needs to remember the player they had a short 4 weeks ago. A hot fiery quarterback is fun to play with, but long term success will come from the growth and maturation of poise and skill. So I ask you: Whats the beef with Rob Bolden?