Questions for Saturday: Can Lions O excite, D take the heat?
Penn State starts a football season with someone other than Joe Paterno as head coach for the first time since the midpoint of Lyndon Johnson’s full term in the White House.
While most Nittany Lion fans still struggle with the circumstances of this, most are also excited about Bill O’Brien’s offense. The prospect of a more wide open attack is appealing, if the players can execute.
Senior QB Matt McGloin has the chance to show what he can under one of the top quarterback mentors around. And, the tight ends–about six of them according to the depth chart, led by Hershey’s Gary Gilliam, need to play a big role. They do in O’Brien’s schemes, but this year, with top offensive player Silas Redd gone to USC, and an inexperienced receiving corps, Gilliam and company must produce.
The feeling is the defense is solid in the front seven, despite some losses to graduation and transfer. The question is the secondary where a whole new group takes the field. This unit’s depth is a real key this week, too, with temperatures expected in the 80′s, and Frank Solich’s Ohio U Bobcats running a no huddle offense.
Many questions, much excitement.
But it’s good to be talking about football again.
