It is my turn to write the questions this week. Go see how The Nittany Line, Black Shoe Diaries, There Is No Name On My Jersey, Run Up The Score! and The Nittany Blog answered them.
1.) Thus far the defense has given up three points (on a short field) in two games. Have they proved that they are an elite unit or are they still untested?
They are definitely good, but we won’t know if they are elite until we get into October. Neither of the teams they have faced so far have much offense to speak of, so the results are a little skewed. Seriously though, I am really impressed with the young defensive line so far, I think they have exceeded expectations. I’m eager to see the how they perform against a complete team.
2.) Anthony Morelli made a great throw to Chris Bell for 51 yards but also fumbled and was picked off twice. How concerned are you about him as the starting quarterback?
I’m trying to rationalize to myself that Michael Robinson was driving all of us nuts until the Minnesota game in 2005, so maybe that is the case with Morelli too. However, Morelli is not Robinson, who was an very special athlete and one of the best leaders to ever play for Penn State.
Like Wally Richardson, Morelli is probably held to a higher standard than most because of the standard set by his immediate predecessor. I’m still concerned though because of the way he played at the end of the first half.
3.) Don’t look now, but this week’s opponent Buffalo dropped 42 on Temple this past Saturday. Granted Temple is awful, but should we be concerned at all?
I don’t think we should be too concerned, because I think Michigan’s loss to Appalachian State is still fresh in the minds of all college football teams. My biggest concerns are injuries and whether the offense can get any rhythm and not just rely on superior athleticism.
LIGHTING ROUND
Where you at the game? If so, does the atmosphere stand up to other big games like Nebraska in 2002, Ohio State in 2005, etc.?
I wasn’t at the game, so I can’t say for sure what the atmosphere was like. It would be pretty hard to top either of the games I mentioned and I don’t think it did based on what I saw on TV. My favorite Beaver Stadium experience is still the 4th quarter of the 1997 Ohio State game.
Do you think Jimmy Clausen will be a good QB?
Yes, he didn’t get rattled by a tough crowd and a swarming defense. I can’t decide if genius Charlie Weis was being pragmatic or defeatist with his gameplan that didn’t give Clausen a chance to succeed or fail. I’m thinking the latter.
Do you work with any Notre Dame fans? If so, what kind of mood where they in on Monday morning?
REDACTED! I don’t work with any Notre Dame fans, but on Sunday morning, while I was at the Harris Teeter deli counter, a young woman saw my Penn State jersey and made a face that indicated she was appalled. She then moved away. The next time I passed her in the store, she mad the same face. Given how uncomfortable she looked, I choose to believe she was a Notre Dame fan.