BlueWhiteIllustrated.com - Good news overflows from PSU camp

August 8, 2007

Phil Grosz
BlueWhiteIllustrated.com Publisher

Here are 10 quick bullet points on information we've received regarding players on the roster from Penn State's first two preseason practice sessions on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

Don't be upset, these are positive comments we've heard about the team at the start of preseason practice and not enough has really taken place for us to have any bad commentary about disappointments regarding the team.

I'm sure we'll have some negative things to say as preseason practice progresses because nothing moves along 100 percent in the way you want preseason practice to go.

1. Aaron Maybin

BWI has been told that Larry Johnson was thrilled with the fact that Maybin reported on Monday at 248 pounds. Maybin himself told BWI back at the Lift for Life event on July 13 that he hoped to be close to 250 pounds when preseason practice began.

Maybin was 246 pounds back then and it seems that he came close to meeting his goal by reporting at 248 pounds on Monday.

BWI has been told that they expect Maybin to really challenge redshirt junior Josh Gaines at the left defensive end position.

Penn State's not sure right now if Maybin can be an every-down player at the defensive end position, but they are certain he can be an oustanding situational performer. He has a tremendous first step and an outstanding pass rush which makes him a superb candidate for third-down and long passing situations.

That, however, doesn't mean that Tom Bradley and coach Johnson believe that Maybin doesn't have an opportunity to challenge Gaines for the starting left end position.

2. Two players that came into preseason practice ready to do battle were redshirt freshman OLB Navorro Bowman and redshirt junior OLB Tyrell Sales. It seems that Sales realized the impact that Bowman made in spring practice and came into preseason practice knowing he had a fight on his hands for the starting "Fritz" OLBer position.

Bowman checked in at 6-foot-1, 232 on Monday and Sales was reportedly in the best condition of his Penn State career at 6-foot-2, 237 pounds.

This could prove to be maybe the best battle on defense in preseason practice.

3. Two players entered preseason practice with the coaching staff expecting them to be difference makers on special teams this fall.

Redshirt freshman Bani Gbadyu and redshirt sophomore Knowledge Timmons both provide Penn State with the speed and hitting power that Paterno wants to establish on both the punt and kickoff cover teams this fall.

Gbadyu is the fastest of all the linebackers on the roster. This spring he ran a 4.47 40-yard time and Timmons rivals Justin King and Derrick Williams as the fastest member on Penn State's football roster.

He has 4.33 40-yard speed.

But, the aspect of both Gbadyu's and Timmons' play that impresses Joe Paterno the most is the way both players love to hit.

4. Another real interesting battle at linebacker is for the No. 2 spot at ILB behind Dan Connor.

Both redshirt junior Dontey Brown and redshirt sophomore Jerome Hayes want to establish themselves as Connor's successor at the ILB position in 2008.

This is a critical preseason practice session for Brown because in 2008, he'll be a fifth-year senior and with scholarship demands, there is a good possibility, if he doesn't win that starting position, he may not choose to come back for his final year of eligibility in 2008.

That decision could be determined in this fall's preseason practice session.

5. Everyone thinks that sophomore A.J. Wallace has wrapped up the starting position at the left cornerback spot.

Personally, I think that's what will happen before Penn State's opening game against Florida International on Sept. 1. But don't completely eliminate junior Lydell Sargeant from challenging Wallace for the starting left cornerback job.

Two of my Penn State contacts have told me that Sargeant was probably the most overlooked performer in spring practice on defense by the media.

Both contacts told me that Sargeant is not that far behind Wallace at the left cornerback spot. It isn't a 100 percent certainty that Sargeant couldn't beat out Wallace for the starting job.

If Sargeant does end up at No. 2 behind Wallace at the left CB position, then I've been told Sargeant will be a top candidate for the nickelback spot.

6. Probably the player that brings the biggest smile to Tom Bradley's face on defense so far in preseason practice is redshirt junior free safety Tony Davis.

I've been told they believe Davis has made a remarkable transition from the cornerback spot to the starting free safety position.

Two of my contacts told me that the Penn State coaches were skeptical of when they decided to make the move of Davis from CB to safety during the spring, but that skepticism no longer exists.

7. Everyone reads about the emergence of sophomore wide receiver Chris Bell in spring practice. But, the player that Tom Bradley felt made the biggest improvement at wide receiver in April was senior WR Terrell Golden.

Golden is the best blocking wide receiver on the team and BWI has been told Mike McQueary was thoroughly pleased with how much better Golden caught the football with his hands in spring practice.

8. Probably the most interesting comment we heard from one of the Penn State members of the coaching staff going into preseason practice was a comment about Chris Bell.

Remember, these are not my words, but are the words of a former Penn State coach that still has an important role to play at Penn State.

BWI was told Bell, right now, is the best wide receiver on Penn State's football team. In fact, BWI was told if he keeps his head on straight, and masters the mental aspects of the game, he'll be Penn State's next first-round NFL draft choice at wide receiver.

9. The move that probably surprised everyone the most in spring practice was redshirt freshman Brett Brackett's move from quarterback to slot WR/flex-TE.

I'm sure there still are a number of Lions Den members that are skeptical of Brackett's move to his new position. But, Penn State's coaching staff believes Brackett could be a major help to Penn State's passing game, especially once it enters the red zone inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

Last year, Penn State was 10th in the Big Ten in red zone offense. And, on a number of occasions, Penn State failed when they tried to run some fade routes to several of their wide receivers like Derrick Williams and Deon Butler.

They were just to small for the job.

This is the area where Penn State's coaching staff believes Brackett could have a major impact. At 6-foot-6, 241 pounds, he's the perfect size to run the fade route inside the opponents' 20-yard lines.

Brackett is a gifted athlete with outstanding hands and Penn State is thoroughly pleased with the way he's learned to run routes this spring and summer preparing for preseason practice.

Brackett, Bell, Golden and Andrew Quarless could provide Penn State with a perfect type of receiving corps inside the opponents' red zone. Look for liberal substitution taking place with Penn State's wide receivers when they lineup in their three-WR set.

This is the deepest Penn State's ever been at wide receiver during the Joe Paterno era.

10. In our update yesterday, we talked about how Chimaeze Okoli has impressed the coaches as a freshman so far.

Another freshman that has been really sharp since the beginning of preseason practice on Monday, has been ATH Chaz Powell.

BWI has been told he's over 190 pounds right now and he's probably capable of playing three different positions in the secondary - strong safety, free safety, and he has the quickness and speed to even play at a cornerback position.

That's today's practice report, hopefully we'll talk to you in the chat on Friday about what's been taking place during Penn State's first week of preseason practice.

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