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| Tuesday, August 13 A new beginning or the beginning of the end? By Herb Gould Special to ESPN.com |
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Outlook: The general assumption is that the last two seasons, only the second and third losing seasons of Paterno's career, were aberrations, and JoePa, even at 75, will right the ship this fall. Penn State certainly has the talent to get it done. But until the Nittany Lions bounce back, Paterno, like a major leaguer in his 30s whose batting average has started to slide, will face questions about whether it's time to step aside.
Having said that, there's reason for solid optimism at Penn State. It all starts with sophomore quarterback Zack Mills, who overcame Paterno's fascination with seniors and might have helped Penn State avoid a losing season if he hadn't gotten hurt with Penn State leading in a 33-28 loss at Illinois. The offense around Mills is solid. And if the linebackers step up, the defense once again should approach Penn State's high standards. A Sept. 14 date with Nebraska will tell a lot, as will back-to-back trips to Wisconsin and Michigan in early October. Key game: At Wisconsin on Oct. 5. The Nittany Lions, who also face trips to Michigan and Ohio State before Halloween, can't afford to dig an early hole. Keep an eye on: Mills. He's mobile, he's talented and he's a winner. If he stays healthy, Penn State can be in the thick of the Big Ten race. It's a good year if. . . The Nittany Lions finish over .500 in the Big Ten and reach a quality bowl. Penn State fans, who are so used to winning, won't want to hear it. But this program is more of a top-25 than a top-10 these days. Herb Gould covers the Big Ten for the Chicago Sun-Times. |
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