Oct. 18, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Mike (Allentown): Is it me or does the entire Big Ten seem to be better from top to bottom this year?
A: Hi Mike. It is not just you, I completely agree. The Big Ten schedule is full of tough games this season. Look down Penn State's remaining schedule. There are seven games to play and all seven will be challenging. Illinois played Ohio State tough over the weekend. Minnesota nearly beat Northwestern on Saturday. Michigan is playing good offensive football. Northwestern is undefeated. Ohio State is ranked No. 2 in the country. Indiana has an elite passing offense. That leaves Michigan State, who is playing superb football. It is going to be a competitive season in the Big Ten.
Lisa (Harrisburg): The women's volleyball team looked great on Saturday night. Do you think they can still win the Big Ten?
A: Lisa, I certainly think the volleyball team can win the Big Ten this season. Illinois appears to be Penn State's biggest threat, given the loss at Champaign. Nonetheless, the Lions continue to get better and better with each passing week. I was particularly impressed with how the Lions blocked against Michigan. It is going to be an interesting season to follow. Keep watching in Rec Hall.
Dan Picca (Facebook): Why can't PSU compete against the elite teams anymore?
A: Dan, I think you need to take a moment and look through the recent record books. The Nittany Lions are 54-15 since the 2005 season. Penn State has won four bowl games during that span and two Big Ten titles. The Lions have beaten Florida State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU in bowl games during that span, as well. Granted the Lions suffered setbacks to Alabama and Iowa this season, but Penn State's success in the past five-plus seasons speaks for itself.
Don Petree (Facebook): When will the Penn State defense migrate from a base 4-3 / read & react style to more of a blitzing, aggressive and disruptive formula?
A: Hi Don. We appreciate your question. I think Penn State's defense has been solid in 2010. It is still a relatively young group, and we need to keep that in mind. I understand your point, but overall, the Lion defense has been very good. And it is fundamentally-solid because of the scheme. The first team defense has allowed just one touchdown in the second half this season (Alabama). Youngstown State scored an offensive touchdown in the final minute of the against the second team. With that in mind, the Lions just need to get off to better starts defensively. But it is hard to complain about a defense that is allowing just 15 points per game. The scheme implemented by Tom Bradley and the defensive staff has been very effective for a number of seasons. The Lions have been a top 15 defense year in and year out. And the numbers speak for themselves.
Mitchell Burke (Beaver Falls): How many Homecoming games have there been?
A: Mitchell, this will be Penn State's 91st Homecoming game on Saturday against Illinois. Penn State is 65-20-5 in Homecoming games (39-5 under Coach Paterno).
Larry Marks (Akron, Ohio): How would you evaluate Rob Bolden so far this season?
A: Thanks for the question, Larry. I think Rob has played very well thus far. He is a rookie quarterback, so turnovers are expected. . On Saturday, he was in a hostile environment against one of the top defenses in college football. At this time last year, he was playing high school football. Keep that in mind. All-in-all, he has been very good, in my opinion. He has completed nearly 60 percent of his passes. The receiving corps needs to help out in hauling in some balls that aren't quite on target. The turnover numbers will come down with experience, but the most impressive thing to me is how poised he has been this fall. With time, he is going to be a very good player.
Gail-Sharpsville: What does the grounds crew do to keep the field at Beaver Stadium in such excellent condition?
A: That is a terrific question, Gail. Beaver Stadium's sod looks fantastic and feels like a carpet. I have stood on many fields over the past few years, and Beaver Stadium is at the top of the list (with the Rose Bowl) as the best. Bob Hudzik, Herb Combs and the rest of the grounds crew do a superb job on the field throughout the fall. On gameday, the field staff starts its maintenance within the hour after the game concludes. I plan on doing a feature story on the stadium sod this fall. Stay tuned for that.