More QB questions for Paterno at teleconference
Penn State's perpetually unresolved quarterback situation again was a featured topic at Joe Paterno's weekly teleconference.
More QB questions for Paterno at teleconference
Joe Juliano
Joe Paterno’s sixth teleconference of the season with reporters was pretty much like the other five in one regard: the continuing questions about Penn State’s perpetually unresolved quarterback situation.
Forget the fact that Matt McGloin’s numbers over the past two weeks (424 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions) surpass those of Rob Bolden (182 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions). Paterno continues to insist, “I don’t see much of a difference in the way we perform under either kid, I really don’t.”
He also said he isn’t worried about who starts Saturday’s game against Iowa at Beaver Stadium and added, “I don’t even know who’s going to start this week.” When told that Bolden has started all five games, he replied, “I didn’t even know that. McGloin hasn’t started?”
Paterno reminded reporters that he’s always been a one-quarterback coach, indicating he would like to be one again.
“I’ve got reluctance to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to play one just because everybody says to play one,’” Paterno said. “You’re talking to a guy that’s always been a one-quarterback guy. I always have been fortunate that we’ve had one guy that I could feel comfortable was the guy that was the one quarterback. This year we have two.”
In other news from the teleconference:
--Paterno said that even with the Lions’ problems in the red zone, the play-calling has been good. “There’s one or two plays we talked about that ‘We shouldn’t have done that,’” he said. “I think we just have to understand that sometimes that’s the way things go. If we just keep pecking away, we pay attention to details, we don’t stop ourselves, we’ll be fine. Try to approach it that way and hope it will work.”
--He commented on two players who have been disciplined this season.
Kicker Anthony Fera missed all of pre-season camp after an off-campus run-in with police, and Paterno said he wanted to make sure “that both he and the rest of the squad understand there are certain things that we just can’t tolerate, not only for the good of the squad but more importantly for his own good.”
Tailback Stephfon Green is working with the second and third teams, Paterno said, after being charged with purchasing alcoholic beverages for a minor. “I’m trying to get him in a little pattern of lifestyle as far as going to class, being attentive to some of the responsibilities he has,” the coach said. “He’s responded most of the time, once in a while he slips a little bit. But he’s back with us.”
--He said cornerback D’Anton Lynn, who suffered a concussion in the Sept. 24 win over Eastern Michigan and sat out last week, is doubtful for Saturday’s game. Paterno said Lynn was tested by doctors on Monday and will be tested again on Wednesday. “I think the doctors are a little bit leery about pushing him too soon,” he said.
--He said he thinks cornerback Stephon Morris will be okay after suffering an ankle injury last week.
--Joe Juliano
At this point, does it really matter if the "QB situation" gets resolved? Lets face the facts here: they both stink!— Penfold18- If you have 2 QB's, you have no QB. PS football is a joke like FSU was in their Old Man's final seasons. Nebraska, Wisconsin, and a down Ohio State team will make the Nits long for their independent years.— 5280philly
- Seeing the picture of Coach Paterno in this story just brought back memories of me doing fall bass and pike fishing while I was a young boy just entering high school, listening to the PSU games on my portable transistor radio while John Capelletti was the PSU running back, running his way right into the Heissman Trophy. And their team had a reputation for fierce hitting linebackers. Linebacker U. Now, I'm freaking 54 years old, my hair is more gray then brown, my favorite creek is silting in through natural water flow and I underwent a heart tune-up last winter. And this man is still at the helm. With a head of hair with less grey in it then mine. Coach Paterno has my eternal respect for maintaining honor and integrity in a job where little of that matters today. My little Panasonic transistor radio has been replaced by a digital Walkman radio. And I realize when this man is finally gone from the sidelines at Penn State a little piece of something from my life is going to be missing forever.......— DelawareRiverRat
- Penn State football yaaaawwwwnnnn— brucemines
This season is Joe's fourth season on the paper's Penn State beat. He previously covered the Nittany Lions for United Press International from 1976 to 1984.
Emily Kaplan is the Inquirer’s fall intern covering the Nittany Lions. She is a senior at Penn State and has covered a variety of sports for the university’s student-run paper, The Daily Collegian. Over the last two years, she has reported for The Associated Press from State College.
A Montclair, N.J. native, she has also interned at MLB Network, NHL.com and covered the 2012 Olympics in London. Follow her on Twitter here @EKaplan24.
