http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefo...n_state_wants_to_play_eight.html#incart_river
PSU has NEVER had depth like this at receiver. Nothing close.
Most years under Paterno PSU system had one pair of good receivers and very little substituting. Engram and Scott (though JJ was available, they hardly used him). Terry Smith and David Daniels. Ray Roundtree and Eric Hamilton.
Two years they had multiple receivers -- 2005 and 1982. 82 of course was Jackson, Garrity, McCloskey, Baugh -- that was a TOUGH group to defend. and 2005 was Butler/Williams/Norwood but also Kilmer and Terrell Golden.
I think maybe the 2005 group might be comparable in the sense that 2005 was DESIGNED to use lots of receivers situationally. What 2005 didn't have was people like Godwin and Blacknall -- big, strong, fast guys with good skills (Kilmer was the closest thing but he was still developing as a receiver).
This year, like 2005, they will be able to use their depth as a weapon. They will be able to run Polk in to test how fast someone's corners are, then they'll be able to send in Blacknall or Juwan Johnson the very next play and play jump ball with the same corners.
They can establish patterns where certain receivers play certain situations -- and then by mid-season when those patterns have been picked by opposing defenses, they can start to mix up the receivers and situations and really confuse people.
Anyway, it will be fun to see who among these 8 turns into a big star. I would bet on Godwin. He looked like a man among boys at times last year -- he's really physical and has great coordination and body control. We got a taste of what he can do at the bowl game, and I would guess we will find out a lot more this year.
PSU has NEVER had depth like this at receiver. Nothing close.
Most years under Paterno PSU system had one pair of good receivers and very little substituting. Engram and Scott (though JJ was available, they hardly used him). Terry Smith and David Daniels. Ray Roundtree and Eric Hamilton.
Two years they had multiple receivers -- 2005 and 1982. 82 of course was Jackson, Garrity, McCloskey, Baugh -- that was a TOUGH group to defend. and 2005 was Butler/Williams/Norwood but also Kilmer and Terrell Golden.
I think maybe the 2005 group might be comparable in the sense that 2005 was DESIGNED to use lots of receivers situationally. What 2005 didn't have was people like Godwin and Blacknall -- big, strong, fast guys with good skills (Kilmer was the closest thing but he was still developing as a receiver).
This year, like 2005, they will be able to use their depth as a weapon. They will be able to run Polk in to test how fast someone's corners are, then they'll be able to send in Blacknall or Juwan Johnson the very next play and play jump ball with the same corners.
They can establish patterns where certain receivers play certain situations -- and then by mid-season when those patterns have been picked by opposing defenses, they can start to mix up the receivers and situations and really confuse people.
Anyway, it will be fun to see who among these 8 turns into a big star. I would bet on Godwin. He looked like a man among boys at times last year -- he's really physical and has great coordination and body control. We got a taste of what he can do at the bowl game, and I would guess we will find out a lot more this year.
