PSU Nittany Lions

On Sunday, Big Ten and consensus national player of the year Trey Burke made official his entrance into the NBA draft. There was basically nothing surprising about this decision, save maybe one thing -- the conference Burke left behind.

Now that the POY is gone, and taking other top scorers Deshaun Thomas, Cody Zeller and Brandon Paul to the NBA draft with him, the top two returning points-per-game scorers in the Big Ten will both play for the same team. Ah, but which team? Burke's own Michigan Wolverines, which shot their way to the national title game? Similarly efficient Indiana? League powers Michigan State or Ohio State? Emerging Iowa? No, no, no, no and no.

At the start of the 2013-14 season, the Big Ten's top two returning scorers will be D.J. Newbill and Jermaine Marshall, both of whom play for ... Penn State. Penn State? Penn State! It's a true story, and one that probably says more about Pat Chambers' team than the Big Ten, when you really think about it.

First of all, as anyone even remotely into efficiency statistics would recognize, points per game is not the greatest statistic in the world. It's pretty simple stuff: Taking a larger number of shots to score a certain number of points doesn't always mean you're helping your team. Both Newbill and Marshall, despite finishing fifth and sixth in Big Ten scoring last season, failed to post an offensive rating higher than 100.0 last season. Penn State simply wasn't very good, and definitely wasn't deep, because star guard Tim Frazier -- who was a preseason conference POY sleeper pick who finished the 2011-12 year second in the conference in scoring with 18.8 points, 6.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game -- was lost to a season-ending an Achilles rupture in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in November. Newbill and Marshall were asked to do a lot more than they probably bargained for, and while it didn't always result in efficiency, it did result in points.

In other words, it's not like saying Newbill and Marshall are the best returning players in the Big Ten. Obviously not. Michigan State will have Keith Appling and some combination of Gary Harris, Adreian Payne, Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine; Indiana has point guard Yogi Ferrell; Michigan could have Mitch McGary or Glenn Robinson III; Ohio State has Aaron Craft and a March-emergent LaQuinton Ross; Wisconsin has Sam Dekker; Iowa has a score of interesting players, particularly center Adam Woodbury; Purdue has A.J. Hammons, who could be a beast; new Minnesota coach Richard Pitino has a really good returning backcourt (Andre Hollins, Austin Hollins; Joe Coleman), provided it can figure out how to stop turning the ball over.

You get the point: There are still going to be a lot of good players in the Big Ten. Rest assured, the Nittany Lions will not come off a 10-21 season with a monopoly on college hoops talent.

Even so, Penn State will be intriguing. The Nittany Lions have been the victims of some really awful luck in the past two seasons, the first of it minor (when Big Ten teams hit the lottery from beyond the arc against them, a bit of production not entirely related to defense) the latter of it Frazier's injury, which came just six weeks ahead of the start of one of the more brutal Big Ten conference seasons in memory.

But Frazier will be back next season. Newbill and Marshall will still be around. Penn State will have more depth, more skill, more issues being guarded on the perimeter. Don't expect the Nittany Lions to compete for a conference title, because that would be even crazier than saying Penn State has the top two returning scorers from the best Big Ten season in recent memory. But they will be very intriguing.

NittanyNation takes a look at this week’s Penn State football news and what you might have missed:

• What kind of quarterback is Tyler Ferguson? Half of the opposing coaches he faced last season were asked that very question.

• Three-star LB Jonathan Walton explained why he decommitted and said PSU hadn't been in contact with him all that much since his official visit.

• Several commits were highlighted along with their scouting reports, rankings and projected impact. Those players included Andrew Nelson, Tanner Hartman, Adam Breneman, Anthony Smith and Christian Hackenberg.

• Former PSU wideout Shawney Kersey, who left PSU after Week 2, transferred to Marshall.

• In the bi-weekly mailbag, we answered questions about O'Brien's biggest challenge, 2014 recruits and John Butler.

• 2014 RB Robert Martin (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) took part in NittanyNation's weekly "5 Questions" and said he liked PSU in large part because O'Brien can get players to the next level.

• Bill O'Brien earned his third national coaching honor by receiving the Bear Bryant Award.

• Preferred walk-on Evan Galimberti said in a Q&A that PSU wants to try him out at all center, guard and tackle to see where he fits best.

• The high school coach of preferred walk-on Von Walker explained what makes the senior stick out and what his strengths are.

• 2014 WR Saeed Blacknall earned a visit from O'Brien -- but he wasn't the only one. OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty also saw PSU's head coach, and class of 2015 ATH Kai Locksley has been garnering some early interest from PSU.

• Heading into this weekend, Neiko Robinson couldn't wait to see Happy Valley and wanted to see the stadium the most.

• 2014 LB Kyle Berger received a Penn State offer. Then, in a Q&A, he addressed fans' concerns that he'll end up being an OSU commit.

• Looking ahead to the 2014 class and breaking down each position.

• 2014 OT Mike Grimm dominated at a recent combine and talked about his interest in PSU. 2014 LB Troy Reeder is also getting some serious interest from PSU and was invited to the campus in the near future.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Heading into next season, NittanyNation takes a closer look at holes left by departing Penn State players and the candidates who might fill them.

QUARTERBACK

Who: Matt McGloin came into Penn State as a no-name walk-on and leaves after posting one of the best seasons in PSU history. He was the most valuable player on this offense -- arguably on this team -- and he was a confident leader who limited his mistakes and directed comebacks. No departing player might be missed as much as McGloin next season.

By the numbers: Penn State boasted the No. 35 passing offense in the nation. McGloin finished with 3,266 yards and a 60.5 percent completion rate -- but his most impressive stat was his touchdown-to-interception ratio, which stood at 24-to-5.

(Read full post)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Heading into next season, NittanyNation takes a closer look at holes left by departing Penn State players and the candidates who might fill them.

CENTER

• Who: Matt Stankiewitch was a finalist for the Rimington Award, given to the nation's top center, and he's a road-grader who anchored the offensive line. He was a two-year starter who saw action for four seasons, and he played at guard as an underclassman. He was a leader who made few mistakes.

• By the numbers: Penn State had the No. 82 rushing offense in the country. That number might not be all that impressive, but Stankiewitch still helped Zach Zwinak reach 1,000 yards and average 4.7 yards a carry. Zwinak's strength was running up the middle -- and the middle was this line's strength, too, thanks to Stankiewitch.

• Job description: Stankiewitch was able to neutralize some of the Big Ten's best defensive tackles, such as Purdue's dominating pair of Kawann Short and Bruce Gaston, two players who didn't grab a single tackle in the backfield. His replacement will have to be a run-blocking specialist, a strong player who can read the blitz well. Taking over for Stankiewitch won't be an easy task.

• Top candidates: Rising redshirt senior Ty Howle and rising redshirt sophomore Angelo Mangiro. Howle overcame a torn pectoral muscle and returned by Week 4, where he rotated between guard and center and provided a much-needed rest to the starters. He saw a lot of time, but so did Mangiro, who was almost like the Mike Hull of the offensive line. Offensive guard Miles Dieffenbach is also a candidate to slide over to center, but Howle and Mangiro will then compete for his spot.

• One to watch: Howle. When OG John Urschel was asked late in the season who impressed him the most, Howle was the first name that came to mind. Howle stands at just 6-foot, but the offensive line didn't really skip a beat when he came on the field in relief. He's a bigger lineman than Mangiro (298 pounds to 291) and has more experience at center. Mangiro might be the better guard, but Howle appears to have the edge at center.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Heading into next season, NittanyNation takes a closer look at holes left by departing Penn State players and the candidates who might fill them.

CORNERBACK

• Who: Stephon Morris was -- by far -- the most experienced player in the secondary in 2012, and his leadership will be missed. He played in 49 career games and evolved into an above-average cornerback who was an honorable-mention selection on the All-Big Ten team. He wasn't the tallest corner on the field at 5-foot-8, but he was quick and picked up a reputation as a hard worker. He earned the Jim O'Hora Award, given to the most improved defensive player, after spring practice.

• By the numbers: He finished fifth on the team with 60 tackles (41 solo stops), five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five pass breakups. He was part of a pass defense that was ranked No. 50 nationally and allowed 225 yards per game.

• Job description: Morris may have preferred man coverage, but Penn State was forced to stick with zone coverage for most of 2012 because of some early secondary struggles. Whoever fills in for Morris will likely be counted on for more man coverage, though, and his replacement will be asked to force more turnovers. Morris was a good corner, but he didn't come away with a single interception, fumble recovery or forced fumble.

• Top candidates: Rising sophomore Da'Quan Davis is the favorite to fill in because he was the only other cornerback to really see time at the position in 2012. Incoming freshman Jordan Smith, who will enroll in less than a week, is a definite darkhorse here, but PSU could always turn to its other two 2012 DBs. Jordan Lucas and Jake Kiley might be better suited at safety, but both could be moved around in case of injury or to add some competition.

• One to watch: Davis. He was our No. 1 2012 player to watch next season, and that's because a lot will be resting on his young shoulders. He's not the biggest corner at 161 pounds, but another offseason should help him bulk up. He's being groomed to take over for Morris -- and Morris, Bill O'Brien and two high school coaches all commented on Davis' work ethic. It's his job to lose at this point.

Officially or unofficially, Temple has lost every game against Penn State since a 1950 tie. The Owls haven't beaten the Nittany Lions since 1941. Just don't tell Steve Addazio.

"We approach this game like every other game," the Owls' second-year coach said.

And you, Bill O'Brien?

"No. No," the first-year Lions coach said. "At no point in time do I ever address winning streaks. That has nothing to do with this game. Every year is different. I don't know what they were like in 1940, but in 2012 this is an excellent Temple team with a bunch of good players."

It is a Temple team that might finally be ready to knock off its in-state rival, which lost 13 players in wake of NCAA sanctions and started 0-2 before routing Navy on Saturday. The Owls dropped a tight 14-10 contest to the Lions last season in Philadelphia that, along with every other Penn State victory from 1998-2011, was vacated in light of the school's child-abuse scandal. Temple battled Penn State to the end of a 22-13 loss one year earlier in Beaver Stadium, where the Owls have never won.

But Penn State's Big Ten pedigree and Temple's recent rise from the brink of no football to a first-year Big East member still leaves Addazio playing the underdog card when entering State College.

"What happens is obviously our roster is filled with a majority of Pennsylvania players, and Penn State was Penn State," Addazio said. "And so every guy on our roster didn't get recruited by anybody by Penn State, so they come in here and it's a measuring stick, and that fosters a great deal of rivalry into a game. It's just natural that that would happen, you know what I mean?"

A season-opening rout of Villanova gave way to a Sept. 8 letdown against Maryland. Addazio turned up the intensity during Temple's bye last week, implementing a more physically demanding set of practices.

He blamed himself for easing up a bit with a banged-up roster but does not want to make that mistake again, aiming for progress over preservation.

"Right now I think what's most important is that we develop," Addazio said. "I knew we'd be young, I knew this would be where we would be, so I like our practice. I think our players feel good about what we've gotten done right now. We're playing at a high-speed level as opposed to a low-speed level, and that's how you improve. You can't improve the other way, you just can't. You can get away with it with a veteran team but not a young team."

Addazio and O'Brien used to cross paths as college assistants and have developed a mutual respect for one another as rare Northeast-born coaches. But in the early stages of their first head-coaching jobs, neither sees the history between their programs as relevant to Saturday's contest.

"We're going to go in there and we're going to play as hard as we can play, and that's our mindset, not what the stats are, not how many years," Addazio said. "It just doesn't mean anything to me because when we go in the stadium, each guy's going to have to buckle his chin strap.

"It's going to be one guy against one guy and 11 against 11, that's what it is."