PSU Nittany Lions

 
In a stunning bit of spring news, Penn State announced Wednesday that sophomore quarterback Steven Bench is transferring.

It's a shocking development since Bench was competing for the starting job and entered spring practice with the upper hand on the position as the Nittany Lions' only returning scholarship quarterback. No reason was given for Bench's decision.

Soon after the announcement, Bench tweeted: "I've decided to leave Penn State and go to a school that will give me the opportunity to compete for the QB spot and reach my full potential."

"I have been meeting with all the players this week with my evaluation of where they are at related to football and academics and to discuss what they need to work on this summer," Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said in a statement released by the school. "After meeting with Steven, he informed me he wants to play elsewhere. We want what is best for Steven. I want to thank him for his contributions to the program. We wish Steven the best in the future and will assist him anyway we can."

O'Brien had said that Bench and junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson were even in the quarterback competition after spring practice concluded last week. Both players had similar stats in Penn State's spring game.

"I think both guys did some really good things," O'Brien said after the game. "I've said that all spring. I'd say, no, I'm not any closer as I sit here right now. Eventually, I'll have to make a decision.”

So what changed for Bench, who appeared in two games last year as Matt McGloin's backup? Was it clear to him that he'd fallen behind in the quarterback race? Or was he nudged out the door for some reason? (For what it's worth, Bench tweeted, "What did I do to deserve this?" earlier on Wednesday, though we've seen with college athletes and Twitter that it's often dangerous to read too much -- or anything -- into a single tweet.) A team spokesman said the move was not related to academics and was Bench's decision.

We'll wait for answers as to why Bench is leaving State College. For now, we know that Ferguson is the starting quarterback, and that the possibility of redshirting incoming freshman Christian Hackenberg has grown much slimmer. O'Brien might not have choice but to play Hackenberg right away, as the only other quarterbacks on the depth chart are walk-ons D.J. Crook and Austin Whipple. But it's going to be tough for any young quarterback to master O'Brien's system in such a short period of time.

Ferguson will be given every chance now to prove he can handle the job. Bench, meanwhile, will join Rob Bolden and Paul Jones as once-promising quarterbacks who have left Penn State in the past year.

UPDATE: It appears Bench decided to transfer after learning that Ferguson had won the job. While he told NittanyNation's Josh Moer that the decision wasn't totally based on falling to No. 2 on the depth chart, he also said the following about his meeting with O'Brien:

"It's out of my control, but I wasn't happy with it," he said. "I'm a competitor, so I'm not going to agree with that decision. But, at the same time, it's his decision and it's out of my control. I feel that it kind of left me no choice. I don't want to back anyone up. I want to play. I came here to play football."

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Offensive guard John Urschel rubbed his chin and just smiled at the questions Saturday afternoon.

How could Penn State lose 10 offensive starters in one offseason and somehow average 10 points more every game? How could Penn State set several offensive records Saturday with so many new starters?

Urschel, a man who often responds to news conference questions with, "Let me ponder that for a moment," didn't hesitate. He just smiled and said two words after the Nittany Lions toppled Indiana 45-22.

"Bill O'Brien."

He didn't need to say anymore. He didn't elaborate, didn't shrug. There was no more to add. O'Brien's been the coach this Penn State team has needed -- not just to bring the team together after the Jerry Sandusky scandal or past the sanctions. But to update an inefficient offense that seemed about as cutting-edge as a disco ball.

Penn State's just always been an old, throwback run-first team. Since the very beginning of its 126-year history.

Seven years before the topic of a forward pass was even broached -- before Penn State was known as the Nittany Lions -- Penn State ran. They ran when football first appeared live on fuzzy televisions. And they even ran the last time they had a first-round NFL quarterback in Kerry Collins.

They ran and ran until now. Until the Bill O'Brien era and the era of weekly changes.

O'Brien's taken Allen Robinson, an offensive afterthought who finished with three catches last season, into the record books with the most catches by a PSU player in a single season. He's taken last year's third-string fullback, Zach Zwinak, and helped him become a player who could finish the season with more rushing yards than USC transfer Silas Redd.

And he's coached up Matt McGloin, who spent more time fuming on the sideline last season than behind center. McGloin also sent the record books back to the printing press by passing for more yards in a season (3,066) and the most career touchdowns (45) than any other Penn State quarterback.

"[O’Brien] and Coach [Charlie] Fisher have done a great job of teaching me how to play quarterback the correct way," McGloin said. "They've been doing such a good job of it. They have so much experience that it can't help but rub off on you."

Read between the lines there. McGloin never ever said the same of Jay Paterno, whose legacy of PSU quarterbacks seems to be that a majority regressed (See: Bolden, Robert and Morelli, Anthony). Jay Paterno knew McGloin for four seasons before he was dismissed from his coaching post -- but he never saw enough of the signal-caller to name him the indisputable starter.

O'Brien needed one spring.

The dimple-chinned coach smiled Saturday when he recalled the first time he knew McGloin was something special. He asked McGloin to draw up a play -- the read, the coverage, the protections. Everything.

McGloin strolled up to the white board and, O'Brien said, completed everything in about three seconds.

"It was Gun Trips Right 64 Special H-Sneak, I'll never forget that," O'Brien said. "And it was bang -- and I just knew at that point we had a kid who was working out, who wanted to be the starting quarterback."

The outspoken McGloin thought Robinson didn't get a fair shake last season. And it's clear -- by the benching of Bill Belton -- that O'Brien doesn't mind re-evaluating talent on a weekly basis. He's taken last year's scraps and turned them into star performers, coveted by every Big Ten team.

McGloin passed for 395 yards against Indiana, and Robinson caught 10 passes for 197 yards. With the old staff, those two could still be riding the bench right now. At best, those stats might be spread over two or three games. But O'Brien has taken a group of unwanteds -- a group with a strong bond fighting to rebuild the university's reputation -- and turned them into something drawing praise and respect from every corner of the country.

Urschel wasn't asked what Penn State's recipe to future success might be. But his past answer would fit just fine right here.

"Bill O'Brien."

Allen Robinson stood on the sideline Jan. 2, during an unusually cool Texas afternoon, and watched Rob Bolden toss 26 balls -- not one of which traveled toward his direction.

Robinson was a backup wideout, an offensive afterthought, during the TicketCity Bowl. If he tried to envision his future with Penn State, broken records and national honors likely weren't on his mind.

But that dynamic quickly changed with Bill O'Brien's pass-first offense. Robinson said Wednesday he wasn't surprised -- even though he was one season removed from three receptions -- that he needed just one more catch to break Penn State's single-season receptions record.

"With the offense that Coach O'Brien has us running and stuff, I knew once the season was starting, I was going to be in position to make big plays," Robinson said. "This was really one of my goals, to be able to have as many catches as I do now. So it's not too surprising."

The sophomore wideout has already tied Penn State's single-season receptions record (63) with two PSU greats, Bobby Engram and O.J. McDuffie. One more catch Saturday, and Robinson will send those record books back to the printing press.

Robinson didn't flip to Page 75 of the glossy football guide to view those records, nor did he set out to figure whether he was close. As chatter intensified on Twitter and fans picked up on the potential record, Robinson couldn't ignore it. He realized relatively early he could set this record -- even if his teammates weren't quite as aware.

"Nah, I wasn't aware of that," linebacker Glenn Carson said earlier this week. "I just know that Allen's been playing great ball and really helping the team on offense this year. But, no, I wasn't aware of that -- and that's great news. Good for him."

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Quarterback Paul Jones, who left the Penn State football team for personal reasons in September, announced on Twitter he planned to transfer to FCS school Robert Morris.

Colonials spokesman Spencer Kowitz acknowledged the university was recruiting Jones but said his transfer was not yet official. Jones could not immediately be reached for comment.

Jones expressed reservations early in the season when Bill O'Brien demoted him to the third string and moved his primary position to tight end. Jones told the media he moved past the switch but ultimately left the team a few weeks later.

Robert Morris, which is about 12 miles from Jones' Sto-Rox High School, is 4-6 this season. Its starting quarterback, Jeff Sinclair, will graduate -- so Jones would be expected to compete for the starting job.

Jones, a redshirt sophomore, leaves Penn State without attempting a single pass. Academic issues kept him on the sideline his first two seasons, and he leaves with one career catch for seven yards and one run for minus-7 yards.

He enrolled in Penn State as a high-end three-star quarterback whom ESPN ranked No. 33 at this position. He's the fourth Penn State quarterback to transfer in four years, following Pat Devlin, Kevin Newsome and Rob Bolden.

Matt McGloin chuckled when asked whether this offense was an improvement over last year.

He didn't point out his conference-leading nine touchdown passes or argue how the Nittany Lions are spending more time in opponent territory than in the locker room. No, he just stifled a laugh.

"What kind of question is that, man? You can't compare the two," he said in a light-hearted prodding Wednesday. "It's different philosophies. All I'm saying is that I'm happy to be in the offense this year."

Despite four new starters on the offensive line, starting four different tailbacks in four weeks and watching three wideouts leave since the spring, this offense has transformed from a run-up-the-middle slumber party to one where adjectives such as "exciting" and "high-powered" are no longer used ironically.

Former quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno struggled building offensive foundations with four- and-five star talent (Kevin Newsome, Paul Jones, Rob Bolden). But Bill O'Brien and Charlie Fisher have molded an above-average Big Ten quarterback out of a former walk-on.

Penn State's leading receiver, Allen Robinson, was a third-string afterthought last season. Zach Zwinak was the third-string fullback. Against Temple, the two led the team in rushing and receiving.

O'Brien has taken a patchwork offense and stitched it into something that's attracted the top high school offensive talent in the country.

"I'm looking forward to working with that system," said ESPN's No. 1-rated passer, Christian Hackenberg (Fork Union, Va./Fork Union).

McGloin boasts one more yard passing right now than USC's Matt Barkley. No one is saying McGloin's the better signal-caller, but no one thought he'd be ahead of Barkley at this point either. Penn State's offense still has a long way to go before it can call itself one of the best in the Big Ten, but the fact it somehow seems improved is a feat in itself.

The Lions averaged less than 20 points a game last season with stars like Silas Redd, Justin Brown and Derek Moye. Through four games -- against three teams that played in bowls last season -- Penn State's put up an average of 22 points on the scoreboard and left a lot more points on the field.

Against Temple, Penn State's first eight drives entered opponent territory. Against Virginia, the Lions drove close enough to attempt five field goals.

They've been close to scoring, breaking out of mediocrity, and they're getting closer every game.

So, near the end of McGloin's teleconference call Wednesday afternoon, the quarterback wasn't in the mood to discuss whether this offense was better. He admitted the passing game struggled in the past and labeled it "successful" this season ... but he wasn't answering that question.

"Come on, dude, asking stuff like that," he said with a laugh. "All right, we're done here."

Matt McGloin didn't hesitate Wednesday when he was asked whether his No. 1 target, sophomore Allen Robinson, should have received more playing time last season.

"He definitely should've played a lot more last year," McGloin said. "He's a great athlete, a great player, a great person. I think the coaches last year didn't give him the opportunity he deserved.

"He didn't get discouraged. He kept working his tail off ... and hopefully he's going to be one of the best wideouts this place has seen."

The 6-foot-3 sophomore has already garnered national attention by amassing 24 catches for 322 yards and four touchdowns. He was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Tuesday, and he's currently on pace to shatter just about every PSU single-season receiving record.

Robinson, a soft-spoken player, deflected any talk Wednesday about whether he should have played last year. He said all the right things about his three-reception rookie season: He needed to remain patient, there was more depth back then, he probably would have played this year even with the old staff, etc.

But it's clear he made an instant impact on the new staff. He was listed as a third-string replacement last November but, three months after arriving on campus, receivers coach Stan Hixon noticed his work ethic.

He called Robinson the most improved receiver shortly after April's Blue-White Game. "He's really shown what he can do early," Hixon said at the time.

Robinson acknowledged he's uncertain whether his gaudy numbers would persist -- but he didn't seem to mind if those stats do drop off.

"I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing," he said. "I'm not really concerned because, if I'm not getting the ball as much as I have been, then a lot of the other guys will be stepping up and becoming open."

Matt McGloin smiled Saturday and knocked three times when his season stats were mentioned: Eight touchdowns, one interception.

To repel any jinx, he knocked again -- a few minutes later -- when that number was repeated.

"I just haven't been trying to do too much this year, I guess you could say," McGloin said Wednesday.

The fifth-year senior has already tossed as many touchdowns as he did all of last year, when he split time with Rob Bolden. He leads the conference in passing touchdowns, and all those scores came on just 104 attempts.

Last year, he needed more than twice that (231) to find the end zone eight times. And, five times, his passes were completed to the wrong team.

"I haven't been trying to press myself or force myself to make big plays," McGloin said. "I'm the starter and I don't feel like I need to go out there and make big plays to stay in the football game. That's really where it's come from."

McGloin didn't smile much last year. He paced the sideline with doubts about his ability. He lined up under center and believed he needed a big play to line up again in the next quarter.

That changed when Penn State announced the hiring of Bill O'Brien and McGloin was named the spring starter. The red-headed senior sat down with the former New England coordinator, talked about how the old staff worked, and O'Brien told him how this team would be different.

O'Brien continues to work with McGloin every day -- "Except Sunday," O'Brien clarified -- and the fifth-year senior said he feels "like one of the luckiest quarterbacks in the nation."

"Fortunately, I don't have to think about where I would be if this didn't happen," he said. "But I'm glad Coach O'Brien is here. Without him, I wouldn't be half the quarterback I am today."

He's more relaxed. He's more focused. He's a new quarterback.

And, at this pace, his lessons from O'Brien could translate into one of the more memorable seasons in Penn State passing history. No Nittany Lion has ever tossed 25 touchdowns in a season; McGloin is on pace for 32. Only three quarterbacks have passed for more than 5,500 career yards; McGloin is on pace to slide into the No. 2 spot with 5,871.

McGloin started his marathon senior year with a sprint, a pace that could be difficult to maintain. But the fifth-year starter nicknamed "McMoxie" will certainly slide up the record books, especially on a team whose signal-callers have historically handed off instead of dropped back.

"Matt right now is playing unbelievable," defensive tackle DaQuan Jones said.

His arm strength won't wow NFL scouts -- he severely underthrew Allen Robinson on a 45-yard pass last week -- but his teammates lauded intangibles like his leadership. McGloin is directing an offense that returned just one starter and features an all-new cast of receivers.

Despite those obstacles, he's ranked in the middle of the conference in passing yards and passing efficiency. He's not the best signal-caller in the Big Ten. But, if Penn State wins, a lot of that will have to do with McGloin.

And, for the former walk-on, that's a lot to smile about.

Penn State's first victory resulted in a pair of Big Ten player honors this week.

Michael Mauti was named the conference's defensive player of the week, and Deion Barnes earned his first freshman of the week honor.

Mauti finished with a game-high 12 tackles -- two of which came behind the line of scrimmage -- and a fumble recovery. This was his second career player-of-the-week honor and Penn State's first since Gerald Hodges won the award on Oct. 31, 2011.

Barnes remains on pace for a memorable rookie season. He had a career-high five tackles against Navy and added another sack, which caused yet another fumble. He's tied for No. 2 in the Big Ten with sacks this season (3) and is tied atop the conference in forced fumbles (2). He shared the honor with Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld.

The last PSU freshman to win the award was quarterback Rob Bolden on Sept. 6, 2010.

If Penn State fans voted on the team's starting quarterback this spring, Paul Jones would have won in a runaway.

Tired of seeing Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden struggle for a year and change, Nittany Nation overwhelmingly threw its support behind Jones, a physical specimen (6-3, 258 pounds) who hadn't seen the field earlier because of academic issues.

But fans don't pick starting quarterbacks. Coaches do. And new Penn State boss Bill O'Brien tabbed McGloin as the starter June 1. Even though Bolden transferred to LSU this summer, Jones' future at quarterback became murkier when Steven Bench, an incoming freshman, drew even with him on the depth chart and then passed him into the No. 2 role. When McGloin left last Saturday's game with an injury, O'Brien summoned Bench, not Jones, to relieve him.

Although Jones hasn't done enough to impress O'Brien at quarterback, the coach isn't turning his back on the redshirt sophomore. Jones is practicing with the tight ends and should see field time at the "F" position Saturday against Navy.

"Paul has a package of plays there," O'Brien said. "He'll play the F tight-end this week."

The F position is more of a pass-catching tight end than an in-line blocker. O'Brien, who featured the tight end spot in his previous role with the New England Patriots, lists six tight ends on this week's depth chart (page 13), both at the Y and F positions (Jones only appears as the No. 3 quarterback).

Jones gives McGloin another big target to throw to, and he can also line up in the backfield, O'Brien said. Jones began practicing at the F position Monday.

"Paul and I ... have a really good relationship," O'Brien said. "He's a fantastic kid. He's a guy that really has enjoyed being here. He's turned the corner academically. So he just wants to help the team, and he wants to play. After talking with him a few times, this is something he's all for."

Jones continues to sit in the quarterback meetings, where he learns the F position from O'Brien. He still has a package of plays at quarterback that Penn State could use in an emergency.

But with McGloin in place, Bench behind him and heralded recruit Christian Hackenberg arriving next year, Jones' future at Penn State doesn't appear to be as a signal caller.

"Paul Jones is, to me, a big, good athlete that deserves to play and he's not really going to play that much at quarterback," O'Brien said. "So why not find him a place on the field other than quarterback to play? That's what we're trying to do."