Today
Your Source For The Latest In • High School • College • PSU
Is PSU spreading it out?
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Add This
Feeds
Local Sports
Article RatingUNIVERSITY PARK - Preseason camp is a month away, but ask the majority of Penn State players about the proposed spread attack the offense may utilize this season and that same majority is pretty quiet on the topic.
Dubbed the “Spread HD” by players and coaches after the Alamo Bowl, specifically quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno, it’s possible the Nittany Lions could explore a more wide open attack with mobile quarterbacks this season.
The lingering question is will head coach Joe Paterno allow the offense to open up ala the Michael Robinson style from 2005?
Some players aren’t sure what they’re in store for come August camp.
“The number one thing with the spread offense is speed, speed and more speed,” redshirt freshman tailback Stephfon Green said.
Green, who figures to be a home run hitter of sorts no matter the offense, along with most team members participated in Friday’s sixth annual Lift for Life, put on by Uplifting Athletes, founded by former Mechanicsburg student Scott Shirley. Shirley started the organization as a benefit to those suffering from rare diseases, such as kidney cancer, which claimed his father, longtime Mechanicsburg baseball coach Don Shirley.
What is unclear about Penn State’s development of a spread attack is how all of the athletes on the field will be used and exactly what formations Paterno and Galen Hall will concoct.
Green could be in the backfield with Evan Royster, both could see backfield snaps with receiver Derrick Williams.
Could Williams be in the backfield with either Royster and Green split out?
Might the coaches use both quarterbacks Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin at the same time?
Clark and Devlin, each more mobile than predecessor Anthony Morelli, are likely to use sprint outs and even some zone read option sets.
Devlin said Friday he enjoys running the option and doesn’t mind taking the punishment that comes with it if that is what the offense calls for.
“It puts the decision making in your hands as far as quarterbacking goes,” Devlin said. “You’ve got to be tough.”
“I just know we want to utilize everyone to best ability that we have,” Green said. “We don’t know anything because we still have to go through training camps and things like that first.”
“We’re going to keep the offense like it was last year,” Clark added. “We had a pretty spread offense last year, but with the talent me and Pat may bring with being able to run the ball, (we) have some options and a couple of wrinkles with the wideouts being in the backfield, some things we’re going to work out during camp and we’ll just see how it works.”
Earlier this spring coaches experimented with running cornerback A.J. Wallace out of the backfield. Jay Paterno said at yesterday’s event that cornerback Devin Fentress has also seen reps at wide receiver in some drills this offseason.
The main objective this season is to just get the ball in the hands of people who can make plays.
“With Stephfon being back there, with Derrick being back there, a reverse here, reverse there, reverse pass here, a lot of quick plays putting the wideouts in a position to make plays after the catch. That’s one of our main objectives this season.”
But figuring it all out between now and the home opener against Coastal Carolina on August 30th?
“That’s what camp is for,” Clark said. “If it works against our defense I figure (head coach) Joe Paterno will allow it to happen.”
Royster said this spring that he didn’t envision a tailback carrying 20-25 times as been the norm with runners like Tony Hunt and Rodney Kinlaw in recent years.
“I’m not going to say I am exactly looking forward to it,” Royster said, “but I think it’s just a chance to change up the way other teams have to look at us and we can go back to our old ways. It’s really going to help us out this year.”
Royster said the team balanced out the proposed spread attack with Penn State’s norm of a more control style offense during spring drills. The coaches didn’t reveal much during the annual spring game back in April.
“We stuck to our old stuff and we threw other stuff in now and then,” Royster said. “It’s early to say. We haven’t gotten into scouting the teams we’re going to play this year and that’s really what it depends on. I’m sure we’ll see Daryll scrambling and option packages (but) you can’t really say.”
NOTES: Linebacker Navarro Bowman confirmed he is back on the squad. Bowman participated in Friday’s event, cornerback Knowledge Timmons was expected to participate in the event as well.
“Yeah, I’m back,” Bowman said.
The linebacker was one of several players suspended for off-field incidents. Defensive tackle Chris Baker was absent from the event, while another defensive tackle, Phil Taylor, is barred from campus until preseason practice begins.
Tight end Andrew Quarless attended the event but did not participate.
“I’m ready for this season to get started, I got a lot to prove,” Bowman said. “There really wasn’t a discussion, it was just ‘your troubles are out of the way, your grades are doing well and there is no need to mess anything up.’”
Linebacker Sean Lee is currently walking without crutches, still wearing a brace and will be cleared to resume light running in about three weeks.
Lee said he is doing routine leg exercises to rehab his rebuilt ACL, which he tore this spring.
“The reality starts to set in,” Lee said. “In the season I might not be wearing a brace, walking around, walking normal, maybe jogging normal thinking I can be out there when you just can’t because it you want to come back full speed you have to take your time.”
