Blue and White Roundtable: Thank God For Content Spring Roster Edition!

Thanks to Mike at BSD for putting together a very good set of questions for this edition of the BWRT. First your exam materials: Spring Practice Roster and FOS Analysis.

And if you haven't already hit these guys up this morning:

Black Shoe Diaries
Run Up The Score
The Nittany Line
There Is No Name On My Jersey
William F. Yurasko
The Nittany Notebook
Tangled Up In White and Blue


Let’s start with the ugly news. Chris Baker, Chris Bell, Phil Taylor, Knowledge Timmons, and Navorro Bowman are all sitting out the spring practice sessions. What impact will this have on the 2008 season?

Well, of course, not good. What is bothering me the most is how talented Baker and Bowman are. Bell also. I don't see Andrew Quarless on your list, and to some extent he's been a disappointment, but his name is also one I'd rather see on the roster. From a pure football perspective, losing several key guys is going to hurt us, period. Many will probably still make heavy contributions, but you'd like to see the full team work together in the spring, especially with what I think will be a dangerous Oregon State team week two of the season.

But I want to take the other side on this, too. For starters, there is actually some punishment being handed out and it appears as though the team needs this. Secondly, after two years of stagnant play, maybe a little shuffling will do the team some good. All these guys may end up starting again during the season, but they will at least have to prove to everyone they are in fact deserving of the spot.

Would you move Sean Lee to middle linebacker like Paul Posluszny in 2006 and Dan Connor in 2007?

This is a difficult question because you really want to make sure you are truly taking advantage of how good Sean Lee is. And lets not joke around, he will probably end up being the best of the three. Paul will be known for his leadership, and Connor ended up a little better statistically, but Lee brings both aspects to the table and I can't help but get excited about it. Also, there is this:



And especially this (near 1:00):



Anyway, back to the question, no. Why? I know the middle is important from a leadership standpoint, but it's a different position and unless the circumstances demand it (which I don't think is the case), I say leave Lee where he is.

If Lee stays on the outside, who would you start at the other outside linebacker assuming Bowman is out of the picture?

Tyrell Sales.

Which position on the field is our weakest link?

Just like last year, I am most concerned about our secondary. King would get burned on faceguards, but he could run with any receiver in the nation. Timmons will have a hard time getting on the field. So we are a bit thin. The saving grace here was the pickup of D'Anton Lynn. I think he gets on the field right away.

Who is your pony in the quarterback contro…uh, competition?

I think the smart money is on Dyarll Clark here. Besides having a year-up on Devlin, there was this quote from last week:

Center A.Q. Shipley doesn't have any doubt that Clark will be a leader on and off the field.

"He's champing at the bit right now," Shipley said. "He realizes this is his shot. You could tell throughout the whole winter conditioning program that he wants to make the most of it. He realizes it's his job.

"He has mobility. He can run a little bit. When he gets in the huddle, he commands respect, and that's what you want in your quarterback. He can throw the ball better than people think." [emphasis mine]

Now I understand that doesn't mean the job is already filled, just that it sounds like A.Q. thinks it's Clark's to lose.

Name three players that absolutely have to step up their performance this spring?

A.J. Wallace, Lydell Sargeant, and Kevin Kelly.

Lightning Round

Who is your pick to win the Red Worrell award given to the offensive player that shows the most improvement during spring practice?

OL Mike Lucian

Who is your pick for the Jim O’Hora award given to the defensive player that shows the most improvement?

LB Josh Hull

Your 2008 team captains are…?

Sean Lee, A.Q. Shipley, Derrick Williams