Blue White Roundtable – Blue White 2010

Ah spring, when a young man’s fancy turns to… football.

1. Big Ten expansion talk is heating back up, with word coming out of an “accelerated timetable.” We’ll split this question three ways:

a) What should the Big Ten do?

They should be prepared to add none, one or three new universities. Notre Dame should only be able to join if two other schools are added, because technically they don’t expand the Big Ten Network footprint on basic cable. They need to add at least one eastern team, I guess Rutgers.

Also, if they add more teams, they ought to change the name to “The Big Conference.” It would work on several levels.

b) What do you want the Big Ten to do?

I want them to add an eastern school like Rutgers and thus increase the chance that I have to see a Penn State road game. I’d gladly go up to Rutgers for a game, whereas I’m not real inclined to go all the way to the Midwest.

c) What will the Big Ten do?

The Big Ten will follow the money. If the timetable has been accelerated, I think it is because the Big Ten feels they have one university locked up and want to go in for the kill. I don’t think they are doing this out of desperation.

In the end, I really don’t care whether it expands or not. If its just Rutgers or Notre Dame, I’m cool with that, it doesn’t need to be a 14 team conference. If nothing happens, I’m cool with that too. I don’t have a tremendous amount of loyalty to the conference, even though I think it was the right move for Penn State.

2. Back to Penn State: Though Joe Paterno has continued to insist that there is a quarterback competition this spring, in your eyes is there any chance that it isn’t Kevin Newsome under center against Youngstown State next August?

Newsome would have to have to be terrible this summer, get hurt, get in legal trouble or have academic problems to keep him off the field against Youngstown State.

3. What do you make of Penn State’s current recruiting situation, with no commits as of this Monday before the Blue/White Game while a team like Ohio State already has 9?

I make nothing out of it, I’m not following it. I don’t like “watching sausage being made” when it involves teenagers.

4. Aside from the QB situation, what is one aspect of the team you’re going to be looking at closely during the scrimmage this Saturday?

Special teams!

Seriously, I’m curious about the secondary and linebackers. They Nittany Lions look to be reloading at linebacker and they are going to be young, but should be fine. The secondary is one of the few units that can actually play close to all out. Praise Zug, I’m comfortable with the wideouts for the most part.

Lightning Round:

1. Will you be watching the Blue/White Game in person, or on ESPN2?

ESPN2 – Too much stuff going on here to make the trip. It is going to rain anyway, right? I’ll grill something and pretend I’m tailgating.

2. Who will be starting at linebacker come the Youngstown State game?
Bani Gbadyu, Chris Colasanti, Nate Stupar

3. Which game will be selected as this year’s night game/White Out, or will there be none?

There will be one White Out — the Michigan game. I don’t think we’ll have any home night games, but if we do, it will be Michigan. Night games are overrated anyway, as is the White Out.

4. What round will the Penn State players be selected in this year’s draft?

1 – Jared Odrick
2 – Navarro Bowman
2 – Sean Lee
6 – Josh Hull

Lots of free agent signings and the Hull pick is sentimental. The Patriots will probably grab him and expand his folk hero status to New England.

The Roundtable

2 the Lion
Nittany Whiteout
Linebacker U