Around the Interwebs: Penn State Football Links for 3/25/2009

• Draft prospect Gerald Cadogan, the former Nittany Lion LT, sat down with Mark McColey and answered a few questions. This is the second interview Cadogan has participated in for blogs. The first, that I linked to before, was done by The Football Expert. Perhaps I should find a way to contact him? [Onward State]
• Bob Flounders reinforces the notion that Penn State lost a ton of talent. Which they did. But he also takes time to highlight who may step up for the Nittany Lions starting today, with the start of spring practice. If you listen carefully you may be able to hear DT Brandon Ware, one of Flounders' players to keep an eye on, gasping for air. [The Patriot-News]
• Former Penn State DE Maurice Evans cleared the air to Josh Langenbacher last week. Langenbacher's article answers some of the questions we all wondered about Evans since he declared for the NFL draft. Here's a shocker: he says "financial considerations" were not a factor in leaving school early. [The Daily Collegian]
• Rich Scarcella takes a stab at the Maurice Evans situation as well. His piece, however, highlights what could or should have been. Evans was supposed to be where teammate Aaron Maybin is right now - a potential first round pick. A suspension and demotion will kill that dream in less than a year. [Reading Eagle]
  
• Every day there seems to be a new or revised article about Allan Q. Shipley being drafted by the Steelers. This time Ron Musselman chimes in on the "match made in heaven" pairing. Shipley has been to the Steelers facility on multiple occasions and each time the organization appears impressed. He has even been compared to Pittsburgh great Mike Webster. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
• Mike 2 has a rundown on last weeks PSU Pro Day, which I also highlighted. [Zombie Nation]
• BigBlueShoe, SBN's Colts blogger, has a terrific writeup on former WR/KR Derrick Williams. He speaks highly of Williams and even goes as far as saying Indianapolis could consider Williams at the end of round one - much like they did with Anthony Gonzalez a few years ago. The post commenters are not as fond of Williams as the writer is. [Stampede Blue]
• The Florida State scandal powers on. The university appealed the NCAA sanctions, as expected, but no word yet on what the final consequences of the cheating scandal will be. FSU is trying to protect football coach Bobby Bowden by insisting the football team not vacate wins from the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Mike 2 has a take on this incident and how the mainstream media are handling it. His opinion? Where's the blood? [Zombie Nation]
• As has been widely speculated before, soon-to-be junior Stefen Wisniewski will shift to center and take over for the departed A.Q. Shipley. With Wisniewski's change of position and the graduation of Rich Ohrnberger, Penn State will be looking for two new guards. And a new left tackle. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
• Frank Bodani lists a few things to look forward to seeing or hearing over the next month, leading up to the culmination of spring practice with the Blue and White scrimmage. [Public Opinion]
  

9. Keep an eye on ...

Jerome Hayes, a hybrid linebacker/defensive end, suffered his second season-ending knee injury early last fall. He's has rehabbed and is back yet again and will be practicing, though in limited fashion. We may begin to determine, though, what kind of recovery to expect.


• Eric Thomas chimes in with his headlines to look out for, players to watch, new faces to learn, and positional battles that highlight April practices. [Read Between the Lions]

3. Chaz Powell: Switched numbers from 12 to 2, and he may be expected to dosoem of the same things the former No. 2 (Derrick Williams) did. I see someone more along the lines of a Graham Zug stepping up as a main receiver, maybe Brett Brackett or A.J. Price, but Powell could be the slash type guy.


• Sam Ross, Jr. has you covered with an intricately detailed spring preview that covers most of what has all been bulleted here thus far. Remember, games aren't won in the spring but what you do now can affect how the fall plays out. Now's the time to answer some of the minor questions.[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]
• Eric Thomas, yes the same Eric Thomas from before, wrote a piece for his day job about the recovery and return of one Sean Lee. [Cumberland County Sentinel]

Now it’s a new season, Lee has a rebuilt knee and he is ready to rejoin one of the best, and still, youngest linebacking corps in the entire country.

Put it this way, Lee coming back isn’t a bad thing. In fact it may be pure hell for opponents that line up opposite of Lee and Navarro Bowman.

“It’ll be different, but Navarro I played with him two years ago. Josh Hull has a lot of experience, and we’ve got a lot of young guys that are ready to step up,” Lee said.


• Mark Wogenrich says that the returning players have one goal in mind: a rematch with the USC Trojans. When? January 7th, 2010 at the Rose Bowl, site of the seasons BCS National Championship Game. He also has the lowdown on how spring practice is allowed to play out. [Allentown Morning Call]
  

Penn State is allowed 15 sessions, including the Blue-White Game, during spring practice. Only 12 of the practices can involve contact, and only eight of those can include tackling.


• Derek Levarse has questions - and answers - for each position as spring practice starts. [The Times Leader]
• Todd Sponsler has the lowdown on where CBS Sports writer Dennis Dodd has us in the football hierarchy heading into spring practice. Hint: Top 10, baby! [50-yard Lion]