Penn State Blue White Game preview: Defensive Line

Penn State usually doesn’t lose players early to the NFL Draft, which made it all the more shocking when All-Big Ten defensive ends Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans decided to go pro following the Rose Bowl.

The loss of those two players, particularly Maybin, a mere sophomore, sent chills up Penn State fans’ spines. They were supposed to be in Blue and White for at least one more season, if not…
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Penn State 2009 Position Breakdown: Defensive Line

As long as defensive line coach Larry Johnson is at Penn State the defensive line will continue to reload year after year.  Though Penn State loses three star defensive ends in Maurice Evans, Josh Gaines, and Aaron Maybin, many look to the defensive line to be the best in the Big Ten.

 

What We Know

The defensive tackle position is talented, experienced, and deep.  All-American…
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Big Ten lunch links: Stars shine at pro days

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The madness is here, and so are these links.  Defensive end Aaron Maybin and his Penn State teammates dazzled at pro day, while cornerback Vontae Davis led the way at Illinois. Former Michigan State backfield mates Brian Hoyer and Javon Ringer also stepped up before NFL scouts.  Wisconsin's John Clay boasts plenty of raw ability, but the…
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Who are the nation’s greenest units?

The ESPN bloggers are getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit by breaking down the least experienced units in college football. Some highlights below, with links to the full reviews….

Graham Watson:

BYU offensive line: The Cougars will have to fill four of the five starting spots on the offensive line, but do have some depth there since several players received playing time due to injuries and some shuffling last year.

Boise State wide receivers: Boise State lost its three starting receivers, including Jeremy Childs, who left early for the NFL. Childs led the team in receiving yards and receptions last year and now quarterback Kellen Moore is going to have to break in some new playmakers.

Brian Bennett:

Louisville: The biggest bunch of newbies are at quarterback, where there are four candidates for the job but not one who’s seen any significant playing time at this level.

South Florida: Look no farther than the offensive line, where four of five starters need to be replaced.

Tim Griffin:

Oklahoma offensive line: The departure of starting center Jon Cooper, tackle Phil Loadholt and guards Duke Robinson and Brandon Walker means that Sam Bradford will have an inexperienced group protecting him next season. Trent Williams moves to left tackle and Bob Stoops likes his incoming talent, if not its early work habits.

Texas defensive line: The major question dogging the Longhorns’ national title hopes will be rebuilding a defensive front that loses All-American defensive end Brian Orakpo, defensive tackle Roy Miller, defensive tackleAaron Lewis and defensive end Henry Melton from last season.

Texas Tech offensive line: New quarterback Taylor Potts will be relying on a retooled offensive line protecting his blind side after left tackle Rylan Reed, left guard Louis Vasquez and center Stephen Hamby all departed from last year.

Chris Low:

Alabama: The Crimson Tide are replacing three-year starter John Parker Wilson at quarterback, but losing the threesome of Andre Smith, Marlon Davis and Antoine Caldwell on the offensive line leaves the biggest void. They were at the crux of just about everything Alabama did on offense last season.

Georgia: Much of the focus this spring will be on Joe Cox and the quarterback position, but the Bulldogs’ most glaring weakness is the lack of a dominant pass-rusher from the defensive end position. They’ve got to find somebody who can consistently get to the quarterback.

LSU: Jordan Jefferson started the final two games at quarterback last season as a true freshman and enters 2009 as the favorite to win the job. His main competition will come from another true freshman, Russell Shepard, who graduated early and is going through spring practice.

Heather Dinich:

GEORGIA TECH — Having lost three of four starters on the defensive line, it’s easily one of the greenest groups in the whole conference.

MIAMI – The Canes are still young everywhere, but remember quarterback Jacory Harris has only started two games and his backups have no collegiate experience.

NORTH CAROLINA — The Tar Heels lost their top three receivers and will be counting heavily on inexperienced players to replace Hakeem Nicks, Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster.

Ted Miller

Arizona State — QB: Combined starts of the five candidates to replace Rudy Carpenter at quarterback? Zero.

Oregon – DT: Both starting defensive tackles are gone and this unofficial depth chart shows 14 combine tackles for seven potential replacements.

Oregon State — DE: Sackmasters Victor Butler and Slade Norris and their 41.5 combined sacks over the past two seasons are gone. Sophomore Kevin Frahm and senior Ben Terry, who split two sacks between themselves in 2008, are in.

Adam Rittenberg

Ohio State’s offensive line — Don’t be shocked if Ohio State enters 2009 with three sophomores (Mike Brewster, Mike Adams, J.B. Shugarts) and a transfer (Justin Boren) on its starting line.

Penn State’s defensive ends — Jerome Hayes should be back from another knee injury, but Penn State will be on the lookout for a proven pass rusher after losing Aaron Maybin, Maurice Evans and Josh Gaines.

Purdue’s wide receivers — New coach Danny Hope made wide receiver a peak priority in his first recruiting class after losing Greg Orton and Desmond Tardy, who combined for 136 receptions and 1,596 yards last year.

Wisconsin’s defensive line — The Badgers lose three multiyear starters (Matt Shaughnessy, Mike Newkirk and Jason Chapman) and don’t return many proven players aside from ends O’Brien Schofield and Dan Moore.

And — of course — everyone’s favorite green unit:

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Position superlatives: Penn State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The superlatives pick up today with Big Ten co-champ Penn State, which will be one of the more intriguing teams to watch this spring. Penn State lost quite a bit at defensive back, wide receiver and offensive line, and the early departures of Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans created a hole at defensive end. Then again, D-line coach Larry Johnson seems to…
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Friday Big Ten mailbag

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Jake from Indianapolis writes: Adam, I recently moved to Indiana from Michigan, and the love for football in the Hoosier State clearly lies in the NFL. However, I still love my college football. I've adopted IU as my in-state team to watch and cheer for. Given their past and present situation, what does IU football have to do to become a contender in the Big10? Could they ever become the Kansas of their conference?

Adam Rittenberg: Always root for the underdog, Jake. Indiana has taken a few steps toward becoming a contender, though 2008 was a big step back. The stadium renovations certainly should help, but Indiana must upgrade its recruiting and make some improvement on defense. I've harped on this even after the bowl run in 2007. Indiana won't be a relevant Big Ten program until it consistently fields a decent defense. The numbers for the last decade have been really poor. There's talent on that side of the ball with Greg Middleton, Jammie Kirlew and Matt Mayberry, but they've got to put it together.

As far as recruiting, Indiana has recruited the state decently, even though the talent might not be as strong as other states. The other thing is continuity in coaching. As new AD Fred Glass noted in our conversation last month, there has been way too much fluctuation on the Hoosiers staff.

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Jason from Unionville, Mo., writes: I don't know if you're a draft person or not but I have a question about Shonn Greene and Scouts, Inc.'s analysis. They give him average at elusiveness and center of gravity. My question is were they not watching the Wisconsin or Purdue game? Greene spun a defender out of his shoes against Purdue and ran for a 75 yard touchdown. And only average at Center of Gravity? Come on. I just wanted to know if you had any thoughts on this. Thanks for the blog, I really enjoy reading it and think you do a great job!

Adam Rittenberg: The guys at Scouts Inc. are much stronger evaluators than yours truly, but having watched Greene for much of the season, I tend to agree with you, Jason. He runs slightly upright but has the ability to juke defenders and maintain his balance on tough runs. Loyal Big Ten blog readers know all about my man crush on Greene, and my only concerns with him are things that Iowa didn't ask him to do, like catching the football out of the backfield. I think he could improve his stock with a strong performance at the combine.

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Joe from State College, Pa., writes: You did a great job with the blog this year, Adam. Do you think with Ohio State having the top recruiting class and Penn State coming in at number 10, along with a weak Michigan team coming in at number 13 (according to Scout.com), that the Big Ten is on the upswing? Ohio State was seconds away from beating a team that many believed deserved to be in the National Championship game, and with Penn State holding USC to 7 points in the second half of the game, while scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter, I feel like the Big Ten is highly underrated. What will it take for the Big Ten to finally get some recognition?

Adam Rittenberg: Thanks, Joe. The consensus on Big Ten recruiting this year seemed to be the league did a solid job despite not landing many of the super elite prospects. Michigan's recruiting class coming off the worst season in team history certainly was encouraging, and Ohio State brought in an excellent group. Penn State also answered needs with its class. Getting recognition is simple: win your bowl games. Though Ohio State regained some national respect in the Fiesta Bowl, playing Texas tough or, in Penn State's case, limiting damage against USC doesn't win too many points nationally. The Big Ten desperately needs a bowl season of .500 or better this year.

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All-Big Ten: Who’s back? Who’s not?

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

As spring practice approaches, it's time to review the 2008 All-Big Ten teams and see who will be back and who won't for the 2009 season. To avoid confusion, I'll stick with the media's picks for all-conference. 

FIRST TEAM

Gone (17)

• RB Shonn Greene, Iowa
• RB Javon Ringer, Michigan State
• C A.Q. Shipley, Penn State
• G Seth Olsen, Iowa
• G Rich Ohrnberger, Penn State
• T Alex Boone, Ohio State
• T Gerald Cadogan, Penn State
• K Kevin Kelly, Penn State
• DT Mitch King, Iowa
• DE Willie VanDeSteeg, Minnesota
• DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State
• LB Brit Miller, Illinois
• LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
• CB Vontae Davis, Illinois
• S Otis Wiley, Michigan State
• CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
• CB Allen Langford, Wisconsin 

Back (7)

• QB Daryll Clark, Penn State
• WR Arrelious Benn, Illinois 
• WR Eric Decker, Minnesota
• TE Garrett Graham, Wisconsin
• DE Jammie Kirlew, Indiana
• LB Navorro Bowman, Penn State
• P Zoltan Mesko, Michigan

SECOND TEAM

Gone (14)

• RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ohio State
• WR Deon Butler, Penn State
• WR Derrick Williams, Penn State
• C Ryan McDonald, Illinois
• C Rob Bruggeman, Iowa
• G Roland Martin, Michigan State
• G Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin
• T Xavier Fulton, Illinois
• T Jesse Miller, Michigan State
• TE Jack Simmons, Minnesota
• DT Matt Kroul, Iowa
• LB Marcus Freeman, Ohio State
• CB Lydell Sargeant, Penn State
• S Anthony Scirrotto, Penn State

Back (12)

• QB Juice Williams, Illinois
• RB Evan Royster, Penn State
• T Kyle Calloway, Iowa
• K Brett Swenson, Michigan State
• DE Brandon Graham, Michigan
• DE Corey Wootton, Northwestern
• DT Jared Odrick, Penn State
• LB Pat Angerer, Iowa
• LB Greg Jones, Michigan State
• CB Traye Simmons, Minnesota
• S Kurt Coleman, Ohio State
• P Aaron Bates, Michigan State

Teams most affected by All-Big Ten losses: Penn State (9), Ohio State (5), Iowa (5)

Teams returning most All-Big Ten players: Penn State (4), Michigan State (3)

Positions most affected by losses: Tackle (4), guard (4), cornerback (4), center (3), running back (3)

Positions returning most All-Big Ten selections: Quarterback (2), wide receiver (2 first teamers), linebacker (3), punter (2)

Notes

• Co-champ Ohio State returns only one All-Big Ten selection (Coleman). Freshman of the Year Terrelle Pryor also is back.
• No team returns two first-team All-Big Ten selections.
• Michigan State returns both of its all-conference specialists.  
• For the second straight year, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year was a junior running back who entered the NFL draft. Iowa's Greene followed Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall in 2007. 

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Four Big Ten teams make Schlabach’s Top 25

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

No sport lends itself to premature predictions quite like college football, which provides a lengthy offseason for fearless forecasting. ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach did just that today with his revised Top 25 for 2009, which includes four Big Ten teams.

Ohio State leads off the Big Ten representatives at No. 7, one spot behind Sept. 12 opponent USC and two spots ahead of Penn State. This seems about right for the Buckeyes, who will be a lot younger in 2009 but arguably more talented at the skill positions. Though it was somewhat surprising to see Virginia Tech (No. 5) ahead of Ohio State, the Buckeyes certainly enter the fall with some question marks, many of which can be answered with a win against USC.

Penn State's placement also seems about right. Like Ohio State, the Lions lose a sizable senior class as well as two defensive ends (Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans) leaving early for the NFL draft. The Big Ten's best offensive backfield (quarterback Daryll Clark and running back Evan Royster) and the league's best linebacking corps gives Penn State a chance to surpass Ohio State this fall.

Iowa moves up to No. 16 in Schlabach's rundown, thanks to a defense that returns nine starters and several experienced reserves. As Schlabach notes, quarterback Ricky Stanzi's development is paramount for an offense that loses Doak Walker Award winner Shonn Greene but should be stronger at wide receiver and possibly just as strong along the offensive line.

Michigan State rounds out the Big Ten contingent at No. 24. I was a bit surprised to see the Spartans in the rankings, though I would put them no worse than 30th in my preseason rundown. I'm always a bit hesitant to trumpet a team that must replace multi-year starters at both running back and quarterback, though Kirk Cousins or Keith Nichol could be an upgrade to Brian Hoyer under center. The Spartans should be even stronger on defense this fall, and if the passing game can be upgraded a bit, they'll crack my Top 25 as well.

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Big Ten pre-spring power rankings

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The recruiting classes are in, several underclassmen are out (preparing for the NFL draft) and coaching changes have been made. It's time to re-examine the Big Ten power rankings, which project forward to the 2009 season but take into consideration the way a team finished up 2008. 

1. Ohio State — The Buckeyes lost juniors Chris "Beanie" Wells, Brian Robiskie and Donald Washington to the NFL draft and said goodbye to a large senior class, but they performed well in the Fiesta Bowl and brought in the league's best recruiting class. The youth movement has begun in Columbus, and Ohio State likely will surround Terrelle Pryor with more dynamic skill players on offense. There are some holes in the defensive two-deep, but Ohio State rarely misses a beat on that side of the ball. 

2. Penn State — The somewhat surprising early departures of defensive ends Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans create questions in an area where Penn State dominated last season. Linebacker should be a major strength, but Penn State must replenish the secondary and find a stud pass rusher or two. Wide receiver should be the most interesting position to watch during the spring and summer, and if Penn State avoids a drop-off on the offensive line, it should be in good shape for another league title push. A large recruiting class will play a key role in the Lions' quest to repeat. 

3. Iowa — Shonn Greene surprised absolutely no one by declaring for the NFL draft, and the Doak Walker Award winner leaves a major void in production. But backup running back Jewel Hampton showed promise last year, and Iowa has fewer question marks on offense than most Big Ten teams. Arguably the bigger questions come at defensive tackle, where four-year starters Mitch King and Matt Kroul depart. Avoiding a major drop-off in the interior line is crucial, but Iowa returns most of its key players from a 9-4 team. 

4. Michigan State — Several key seniors depart, including running back Javon Ringer and safety Otis Wiley, but Michigan State brings back most of its key contributors and adds its best recruiting class in recent memory.  The competition at both running back and quarterback will set the course for the 2009 season, but the Spartans should be deeper and better on defense.

5. Northwestern — Much like Michigan State, Northwestern must replace its starting offensive backfield for the 2009 campaign. Mike Kafka steps in at quarterback after a solid junior season, but there will be plenty of competition at both running back and wide receiver. The offensive line should be much improved, and as long as star defensive end Corey Wootton recovers from knee surgery, the Wildcats will boast one of the Big Ten's best defenses. 

6. Illinois — As expected, cornerback Vontae Davis entered the NFL draft, leaving some questions in an Illini secondary that struggled at the safety spot in 2008. Improving the defense will be Illinois' top priority entering the fall, especially with so much talent back on the offensive side. Ron Zook's recruiting class drew mixed reviews after several committed prospects went elsewhere, but Illinois held onto wide receiver Terry Hawthorne and addressed several of its needs. 

7. Minnesota — The Gophers welcome two new coordinators (Jedd Fisch and Kevin Cosgrove) and a different offensive approach heading into spring practice, but they bring back most of the pieces from a 7-6 team. Tim Brewster continued to improve the defensive secondary with his recent recruiting haul, and both lines return virtually intact. If Minnesota can adjust to the changes in coaching and scheme, it should take another step forward in 2009.

8. Wisconsin — Underappreciated running back P.J. Hill surprised some by declaring for the NFL draft, and Wisconsin also said goodbye to a large senior class. John Clay looks more than capable of becoming a featured back for the Badgers in 2009, but unless some significant progress is made at the quarterback position, it's hard to see improvement. A very solid recruiting class featuring quarterback Jon Budmayr and wide receiver Kraig Appleton could bolster the passing attack and move Wisconsin up the rankings. 

9. Michigan — Despite a 3-9 season, Michigan landed a Top 10 recruiting class that features several players likely to contribute right away. Brandon Graham stayed for his senior year, giving the Wolverines a dominant pass rusher. The Wolverines very well could make a major move up this list, but they first must find a solution at the quarterback spot and fill holes on the defensive line and in the secondary. The recruiting class provides a major boost, but the program remains in a transition phase.

10. Purdue — The Boilermakers are the Big Ten's mystery team, as they welcome a new head coach (Danny Hope) and most likely a different type of player. Hope landed 14 recruits from Florida in hopes of upgrading Purdue's speed and athleticism, and he also must replace starters at all the offensive skill positions (quarterback, running back, wide receiver). If the defense avoids a drop-off and Hope's recruits contribute immediately like he thinks they will, the Boilers will be a much improved team. 

11. Indiana — Wide receiver Andrew Means declared for the NFL draft, but Indiana doesn't lose a whole lot from last year's team, which could be good or bad. Head coach Bill Lynch didn't make any staff changes, hoping that continuity and improved health will lead to better results in 2009. Indiana boasts two experienced quarterbacks (Kellen Lewis and Ben Chappell), two proven pass rushers (Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew) and some promising young players, but if the defense doesn't improve, it could be another long season.

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Recruiting snapshot: Penn State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Despite being fairly quiet on signing day, Penn State inked a quality class ranked No. 16 nationally by ESPN's Scouts Inc.

Number of recruits: 27

Key needs: Wide receiver, quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, defensive back

Highest-rated player (Scouts Inc.): Darrell Givens (No. 6 nationally among cornerbacks)

The quote: "That was important so that the [assistant] coaches could go out there and feel comfortable that they could look a kid in the eye and say, 'Look, we're all going to be around. We think we can do some things here and that there are opportunities for you, that you're going to be around the people talking to you.'" – Head coach Joe Paterno, on the three-year contract he received after the 2008 regular season.

Quick take: Some Lions fans might be disappointed that their team didn't sign more marquee names — the class featured two ESPNU 150 prospects in Givens and tackle Eric Shrive — but Penn State filled the holes it needed to following the departure of a sizable senior class and two underclassmen defensive ends (Aaron Maybin, Maurice Evans). Sure, linebacker Jelani Jenkins would have taken Penn State's class to another level, but the Lions stocked up on offensive linemen and defensive backs, including Givens and Gerald Hodges. They added Justin Brown on signing day to round out a solid crop of incoming wide receivers. And perhaps most important, Penn State found a backup quarterback and possible successor to Daryll Clark in Kevin Newsome. The class might not have made a huge splash, but it should produce more than enough contributors for a program that has won two Big Ten titles in the last four seasons.

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