McGloin has upper hand, yet 2 QB system remains

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Quarterback Matt McGloin has started the last two games for Penn State and emerged as the signal-caller coach Joe Paterno counts on late in games.

Despite that, Paterno maintains that Rob Bolden will continue to rotate with McGloin. The No. 16 Nittany Lions (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten Conference) are off Saturday before hosting Nebraska on Nov. 12.

Bolden, who started the first seven games, played the second quarter in the team's 10-7 win over Illinois on Saturday. The sophomore was 0 for 4 passing, fumbled twice, and looked uncomfortable in the pocket.

More than once, Bolden was booed by the Beaver Stadium crowd. The current situation is a far cry from when fans rooted for the coaches to insert Bolden for McGloin against Alabama on Sept. 10.

"It wouldn't be fair to Bolden for me not to still consider him as one of the kids that we're going to depend on," Paterno said Tuesday on the Big Ten coaches' teleconference. "He's worked too hard, he's made too many sacrifices, and he's got too much ability for me just because of one football game or two football games to say, 'Hey, we're not counting on you.' "

McGloin didn't play his best game Saturday (9 of 24 for 98 yards with an interception), but he led the winning drive. The redshirt junior has completed 55.6 percent of his passes and thrown seven touchdowns to three interceptions this season. Meanwhile, Bolden, whose role has decreased over the last month, has completed 43.1 percent of his passes and has one touchdown pass to four interceptions.

Wide receiver and senior cocaptain Derek Moye said Bolden has handled the situation well and isn't "being a distraction or anything like that."

"I think both guys have handled the whole situation - playing two quarterbacks - as well as anybody would," Moye said.

Paterno said Bolden has practiced well and "still has a great future." Again he pointed out that a couple of Bolden passes that were dropped earlier in the season could have made a difference.

"He's got to be ready to go," Paterno said. "We'll play him; I'm pretty sure we're going to play him. But again, we've got this week and next week to go back to some basic things, and we'll see what happens."

The Lions own a 21/2-game lead in the Leaders Division, but Paterno said he doesn't pay much attention to the division race. Penn State has an open date Saturday before its grueling end-of-the-year stretch against Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. The coach said his team has a lot of work ahead, and "we just happen to be a little bit ahead of one or two teams, but we sure are not home free."

Paterno gave his players the day off Monday, and they had meetings Tuesday to talk about the Illinois game. They will practice the rest of the week and have the weekend off before they "zero in" on Nebraska after it plays Northwestern on Saturday.

"I don't particularly like bye weeks at any time, 'cause I think you get out of a routine," Paterno said. "But I guess if you've got to have one, this would probably be as good a time as any to have it."