Open competition
STATE COLLEGE— The spread offense in vogue around the Big Ten isn't quite so unique to Joe Paterno.
The Penn State coach ran the spread in high school back in Brooklyn — in 1944.
"We never huddled, I played quarterback in the shotgun and we spread out all over the place, " the 81-year-old Paterno reminded reporters at preseason media day Friday.
"The people we played were too dumb to know that I couldn't throw the ball."
Paterno can only hope that the candidates for Penn State starting quarterback this year can do a bit better. The Nittany Lions expect to open up the offense more this season, going to a spread-style attack similar to the one that helped them get to the Orange Bowl in 2005.
Darryl Clark and Pat Devlin, backups the last two years, figure to be the top candidates to take over, though Paterno insists that little-used Paul Cianciolo is in the mix, too.
The Nittany Lions started working out in full pads Friday, four days after preseason camp opened, so Paterno said he needs more time to figure out what he'll do.
He does know he wants a quarterback who can rile up the offense in crunch time, not just someone who can run the option or throw a 40-yard pass.
"You're not tired, you just think you're tired ... You got to suck it up, big play coming," Paterno said in relaying the type of rah-rah mentality he wants to hear from his QB. "Someone's got to get in and do it, you can't have a bunch of guys looking at each other (for) who's going to do it. I think you need that in a quarterback."
All three QBs are rotating through stints with the first- and second-team offenses. Paterno hasn't ruled out rotating two quarterbacks, though he prefers to stick with one.
Will fans see a big difference in the offense this season?
"I sure do hope so. We installed a little tricks and trades, a little option here, option there," Clark said. "We're going to keep the game spread, just see where it goes."
JoePa said he really isn't worried about the quarterback position.
Friday was the first meeting between Paterno and reporters since defensive tackles Chris Baker and Phil Taylor were kicked off the team. Paterno didn't disclose why they were dismissed.
Baker and Taylor were two of a handful of Nittany Lions with off-field trouble over the past year, one issue that was part of a critical report on ESPN's "Outside the Lines." Paterno said he hasn't watched the program, but "I really think they didn't try to get both sides."
Later, Paterno said, "I think all of us are under the gun" to keep players out of trouble. "Whether I've done a good enough job, I'm trying, and my staff is trying."
"If you want to walk out of that tunnel, and want people to cheer for you and respect you, there's an obligation that goes with that," he said. "Sometimes it's hard for a kid."
Notes: CB A.J. Wallace sustained a minor hamstring pull this week but is expected to be OK. ... OL Josh Marks has left the program. The redshirt freshman from Catawissa, Pa., had a celebrated high school career and was expected to be a top backup this season. "Never showed up when he was supposed to," said Paterno, who didn't disclose a specific reason for the departure. "Marks is a good kid. I don't want to get into anything negative about him."
