Just Show Both Sides of the Story.

[The Ancient Enemy]

This year's NCAA 07 football game has PSU ranked 11th, I believe, which is higher than any preseason rankings I've seen anywhere else. Most people rank them around 15th-20th, some think they are even mid 30's, like Athlon Sports. It's no secret PSU lost a considerable amount of talent and starters from last season's BCS winning team. Many of the haters are routinely saying that last season was a fluke and that the players are overachievers.

This is really starting to irk me. First off, any fan who keeps up with his program will pick up a preseason magazine, read about his team, and find things that simply are misconstrued, straight-up wrong, or ill informed. All preseason magazines are printed to sell copies. No one can be an expert on 119 teams, especially between late April and early June, when the magazines are released after spring ball concludes. There are printed to sell copies. Preseaon rankings are inherently flawed and are very seldom correct with their predictions, mainly because the games are played on the field and not on a chalkboard in an Athlon Sports office.

I understand that Robinson is graduated and Penn State is breaking in a new quarterback. But is there a better set-up for breaking in a new QB than at Penn State in 2006? All the skill players are back on offense. All those skill players took ahold of a completely new offense and went to a BCS game in that same season. Some of them were freshmen, meaning they just stepped on the field and started playing well. It happened THAT quickly.

There has never been a bad recruiting season at PSU, even when the program was in a little lull. It was never about the players not reaching their potential, it was about them being held back in a very poor play-calling system. The problems during those down years were nothing more than play-calling. The second the team switched offenses, and started capitalizing on team strengths instead of pounding a predictable offense into the kids minds, the team started to succeed.

Naysayers say that Morelli is a new QB, and that PSU's offense is about to suffer because of Robinson's departure. Okay. What happened to how poor Robinson was prior to 05? If he made that leadership jump that quickly, why cant anyone else? Michael Robinson is not anywhere near the best technical QB Penn State ever had. But even with him leaving, can't the same be said of Williams coming back? He missed half the season.

On defense, we break in new players. Once again, Bradley has to do this. When has Penn State's defense ever been a problem? Even in those horrible seasons, the defense was playing it's @$$ off. What makes you think that Tom Bradley is going to have a down year, when he's dealt with this before? I really think his worth is greatly underestimated.

People are knocking Paul Pozlusny's potential at the next level, saying he is overhyped. I cannot tell you the name of one player besides Ray Lewis that I ever seen cover the field and be in on as many tackles as Paul Pozlusny. This kid has been making plays all over the place since the day he showed up in State College. The whole NFL / NCAA analysis is ridiculous to me. Just because a kid might now make it as the best player in the NFL, doesnt mean he doesnt dominate in college. If someone from Missouri's defense is saying "well, Sproles is okay but he'll never make it in the NFL", what the hell does that matter? He is going to rush for 100 yards against your defense and win the game. What happens when he graduates has no affect on his collegiate performance. Another kid getting nixed is Tony Hunt. This kid is fast, and strong as an ox. I'm surprised he's not among Heisman consideration, to be perfectly honest with you. HB Blades might not even get drafted. Does that mean he's not the best linebacker in the Big East? Absolutely not, because he is.

In reality, Paterno has made himself a lot of enemies over the years. People do hate Penn State. I dont think its as prevalent as the hate for Nebraska or FSU, but it is certainly there. All I want from sportswriters is to be to objective. You have a defensive coordinator who might be the best one in the nation, you have a team who swallowed a new offense and in the same season a BCS game with it. Anyone with a brain can see the numbers! Penn State's recruiting was never down! Just because the players finally start to get to show what they have, doesn't constitute "overachieving". Dont hate on Georgia's potential just because you live in Knoxville. Why can't people be sportswriters who's favorite team happens to be Virginia Tech, rather than a Virginia Tech fan who happens to be a sportswriter? There is a huge difference!