This is the last Blue & White Roundtable for a while folks, it's time for the BWR to go on winter break. Don't worry, it'll be back when something relating to football pops up but during the long cold days of winter it's hard to keep things fresh. Being the trooper he is, Mike from BSD has graciously compiled the questions and we and the rest of the posse have the answers. Also look for a bonus questions from William Yurasko.
BWR
Black Shoe Diaries
Run Up The Score
There Is No Name On My Jersey
William Yurasko
Alex Grier's Nittany Notebook
Let's start off with a positive note. When you look back on the 2007 season five or ten years from now, what will be your fondest memory? It doesn't necessarily have to be Penn State related.
Galen: Without a doubt it would have to be the play of Rodney Kinlaw. At the beginning of the season Kinlaw was nothing more than a 5th-year senior who was destined to back up Austin Scott and maybe get some garbage time. But then came the… unpleasantness… and all of a sudden Rodney was thrust into the starting role as the only experienced back on the team and he (literally and figuratively) took the ball and ran with it. Kinlaw finished with over 1,000 yards rushing and establishing himself as a viable threat in all aspects of the game. Rodney exceed all expectations and it's great to see someone bide his time, work hard, and seize an opportunity and take it for its fullest.
Nick: Beating Notre Dame, growing up eastern Pennsylvania, where everyone was essentially a Penn State or Notre Dame fan it was extremely satisfying. Sitting at the game in the “White House” next to 3 Notre Dame fans that drove up from South Carolina who started out cocky and over the course of three quarters deteriorated into depression was a nice cherry on top.
What should the Big Ten conference consider as its highest priority this off season?
Galen: Hmm… let me think about this for a microsecond, how about kicking some referee ASS! (side note: is the plural of ass asses or ass, that one has me confused… anyhoo). When your conference looks like a three ring circus when it comes to referees it's time to clean house. Maybe they could start by doing something simple like background checks – yeah, that would be nice.
Nick: Making a schedule that matches every team in the conference against one another a la the Pac 10. Obviously, this wouldn’t go into effect for like 3 years, but it’s time it got done now so the clock can start counting down.
Clark or Devlin? Whose camp are you in and why?
Galen: I'm fully a Devlin man because it's hard to argue with a kid that holds so many Pennsylvania passing records. We haven't seen how good of a passer Clark or Devlin can be so, at this point, I have to default to their high school careers and Devlin is the man. Sure Clark is a tad more athletic but his accuracy, or lack thereof troubles me and Devlin isn't Anthony Morelli, his feet aren't a liability he can run.
Nick: Devlin behind the center, but with Clark somewhere on the field. This could open up the offense to a lot of possibilities, misdirection, trick plays and such.
Which position not including quarterback is your biggest concern looking ahead to 2008?
Galen: Corner worries me especially if King goes pro. Really the only two positions of worry at all are safety and defensive back but I think whoever fills in for Tony Davis will do just as good or better of a job then he did. Rubin will be back and there are a lot of underclassmen waiting to show what they can do. The secondary got burned a lot in the second half of the season and I hope the coaches can work things out because I can't take another season of that garbage.
Nick: The secondary concerns me greatly next year, but here’s one you won’t hear too often: Receivers. We pretty much empty all the players out after 2008, so it’s important to work in guys like Moye so that we’re not left breaking in all new receivers again like in 2005. Fortunately, Michael Robinson had the experience at the position to help them learn the proper technique on running the routes to offset the issue that year.
Lightning Round
Who is the early favorite to win the Big Ten in 2008?
Galen: Isn't this always Ohio State by default?
Nick: Ohio State and Michigan are always both be ranked highly in the preseason polls, so there are your favorites. Illinois will be right there, same with Wisconsin and Penn State will be lurking under the radar.
How many Fulmer Cup points for Penn State this summer?
Galen: Oh I think the team is pissed they didn't win last year - look for a busload of players to drive through a crowded Denny's some Sunday morning, they'll win this thing in style.
Nick: I’m going out on a limb and saying less than 10 this year, 2007 was an aberration.
Bonus: Now that the offseason has begun, what will you keep your mind occupied with until fall practice?
Galen: That's pretty easy when you have a small mind: College Wrestling (go State), Hockey (go Pens), and loose woman (damnit, I have to stop typing what I'm thinking).
Nick: I’m planning on taking HiberNol and I’ll catch you suckers in the summer.
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