Here’s some of what Big Ten Comish Jim Delany said earlier today…he was asked if he is backing off his defense of the conference given some of the sub-par efforts the Big Ten schools have put forth in marquee games (IE: Ohio State performances against USC, LSU, Florida; Purdue against Oregon).
“I’m still going to make the case,” Delany said. “We won a (national) championship in 1996, should have won one in ‘94, we won won in 2001, we played at an elite level. We’ve won more Rose Bowls in the last 15 years than in any other 15-year period I think since 1975. We’re playing the best, we’re seeking out the Big 12, we’re seeking out the SEC, we’re trying to play on big stages.
“So I am not backing off at all on the quality of football. What I am suggesting, I was asked the question ‘do you think the Big Ten has taken a disproportionate hit?’ and I’m saying, when you don’t play well on the big stage people extrapolate that maybe your conference isn’t as good. No on expects us to be sixth. How many conferences are there in Division I, 10 or 11? They don’t expect us to be sixth, they’re not saying we’re sixth. They don’t expect us to be fifth, they don’t say we’re fifth. They say we’re not first. Maybe we’re second, maybe we’re third, sometimes we’re first. That’s the rarefied air we’re in and I think the expectations are high. Sometimes we’re (No.) 1 and sometimes we’re not.
“I think that there’s a lot of good branding that comes out of winning big games on big stages and I think the SEC has won those so therefore they deserve that kind of boost in their reputation. But I also think the record would show whether it’s the Pac-10 or the SEC, game in or game out the last 10 years we’ve been playing with them.”
First half numbers
Clark is 12-of-15 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. PSU has outgained Temple 338-32. Yes 32. Temple has run 27 plays for a whopping 32 yards.
By the way, Paterno has left the sidelines and moved to the pressbox.
Apparently the offense has removed rocks from tail. They already have more yards this quarter than all of the first and we still have 10 minutes and change to go.
END OF ONE
We’re scoreless at the end of one. First time Penn State has been scoreless this season and has still yet to allow a point in the first quarter this season.
Still. The Nittany Lions are sleepwalking right now, almost like they felt like they are better just by being out
So far this is as expected, a game. Temple is the toughest opponent already that PSU has faced and we still have 4:44 to go in the first quarter.
Daryll Clark has thrown a pick, Evan Royster has fumbled, there was a special teams fumble by Derrick Williams and PSU isn’t converting on third down either and in an ordinary game, Penn State is up 21-0 at this point of the game.
TEMPLE INJURY UPDATE
Quarterback Adam DiMichele is apparently out/done for the game. He was drilled hard by Aaron Maybin on a sack during the first drive. He is seated at the 50, jersey off, towel wrapped around his upper body and ice on the left shoulder.
Maybin came with blindside pressure and absolutely drilled DiMichele.
Breaking news out of Columbus….the Terrelle Pryor era has officially started for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Pryor started in place of Todd Boeckman and promptly tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rory Nichol. See the ironic connection there?
Another Joe update…I already got an email from someone asking why it’s such a big deal. Well, the guy is 82 and when you see the physical signs of things slowing down and even more questions arise about his health, it’s news. Deal with it.
Anyways, he is staying about 10-20 yards behind the play on the sidelines. He started out at what amounts to the Temple 40-yard line when PSU took the field on defense first, then after a punt and Anthony Scirrotto punt return to mid-field Paterno walked to the other 40-yard to stay out of harms way.
Outside of that when the play is going, he isn’t moving much. And it looked like he was wearing a brace on the leg, but you really can’t tell for sure.
JOE IS ON THE FIELD…he is leading the team out of the tunnel. He walked out of the tunnel over towards the sideline and between the makeshift entry that the cheerleaders set up when the team runs out on the field. But he is on the sideline, he walked very gingerly over to the sideline and is at the 44. He yelled a cameraman from a TV station who was filming him gesturing and saying something to the effect of “get away, get out of here.”
Joe is down on the field right now meeting with Temple head coach Al Golden.
UNIVERSITY PARK — A little less than an hour away from kickoff, here’s the latest on Joe Paterno.
According to PSU SID Jeff Nelson it’s a gametime decision on whether or not he will be on the sideline. Nelson said Paterno is expected to test out the leg on the field, see how he feels then make a decision.
Common sense would tell you that Joe shouldn’t be on the sideline. If Charlie Weis, albeit it a portly Charlie Weis, can’t get out of the way in last week’s Notre Dame whipping of Michigan, Joe at 82 shouldn’t be on the sideline in my opinion.
Jim Delany just met with us, more from that in a few…
