PSULion

Don't know what comments your reading or what board but 99% of the PSU fanbase is holding off on predictions. IF someone goes on the board talking smack they will get it back in spades however. How many return starters do you have coming back on the OL? WR? DB? RB? Will your DL be improved? As a side note PSU sucked onions last season, but they had one of the better defensive backfields in Div 1, return the cb that had the most defended balls, interceptions and returns. Who replaces the other corner is unknown by the fans right now, there are 3 with experience so it's a race as to who can step it up. We have a redshirt freshmen that I'm waiting to see, if everything I've heard about him for the last year is true he will be our return man, along with possibly another redshirt freshman. He runs in the 4.3 range. Linebacking crew is all rookies, with the only experienced one being a true sophmore who played in 9 games last season. Other then the player I spoke about on returns the one linebacker had the fastest 40 in spring practice. Linebackers have the speed, just not the experience. Hope they jell quickly.

1 - He didn't get "booted" 2 - He came in talking smack, he got it back and couldn't take it. 3 - 2002 PSU ended the season at #15 with 4 losses to #1 OSU by 6 pts #8 Iowa by 7 pts in OT #9 Michigan by 3 pts in OT #14 Auburn by 4 pts. Yes the 2003 season was a disaster. There isn't a PSU fan alive that will not tell you that. There were many predicting it. After all they lost 4 in the first round of the draft, and 2 more early in the 2nd. Including all time big ten rusher and heisman finalist Larry Johnson. I know you have a very good QB, UCF did in 2002 as well. I know Akron has a better record in 2003 then PSU. PSU played 10 bowl teams that went 5-5 in the bowls. I they ended the season with having played #4, #6, #8, #18, #19, #20. The lost to #4 by 1 point which resulted from a bounced pass being counted as a reception which gave them the 1-10 they needed to continue the drive to kick a FG. PSU played 3 bad teams (Can't St., Temple, Indiana). Akron played 7 bad teams which included 1 1-AA team, plus another 1-AA team that had a decent record. PSU's SOS was in the top 10 in the country. Akron's SOS was in the bottom half of Div 1 in SOS. The PSU team that played last year was fairly young especially OL, DL, WR,RB. This year our LB squad is very talented but very young with only one of the projected starters who got any starting time last season. We return both QBs with experience, and all indication is Zack Mills will be the starter, he played part of the 2002 and all of the 2003 season recovering from a shoulder injury and tendinitis in his throwing elbow (left). Our defensive line improved as the season went on, our young players on the O did as well, Our freshman starting TB got mono part way through the season, another freshmen, a sophmore and our mobil QB took over as TB by committee. Our WR's stucked onions last year, balls in hands dropped, running the wrong routes. There was one returning starter on that squad, he couldn't seem to take the pressure of being the go to guy. We have speed in the postion, question is will 3-5 of them step up and catch the ball. Our special teams was worse then our wr's they fumbled to close to our own endzone that I don't even want to think about it anymore. Our very good field goal kicker had a case of wide left, wide right for much of the season. Our punter is solid, we did lose our place kicker to the draft. I hope his replacement can be 75% as good. Our coverage teams couldn't stop anything till midway through the season. What to expect this year? Who knows we have a new OCC a former HC at Florida, asst under Switzer at OU, and Cowboys, as well as experience in NFL EU. Also a new WR coach. Our special teams I'm told is Joe Paterno's special project this year. We have the talent, I just hope they have the attitude and heart to improve over last year. Expect to see a lot of sophmores and freshmen on the squad, we aren't deep in the junior and senior classes. Good luck, and hope everyone that comes to HV has a good experience, but goes home disappointed with a loss.