In 2-QB system, McGloin looks like PSU’s top option

Associated Press

State college, pa.

In coach Joe Paterno’s mind, the Penn State quarterback job is still officially a two-man rotation.

On the field, it sure looks like Matt McGloin is the go-to guy in the huddle over Rob Bolden for the 16th-ranked Nittany Lions.

“To be honest with you, it’s always felt like it was my team ... whether I was in there or not,” McGloin said Wednesday

The passing game very much remains a work in progress in Happy Valley. Lately, though, McGloin has taken the majority of snaps, to varying degrees of success.

The most important measure of success to the Nittany Lions (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) is their record. They enter the open week with a two-game lead in the loss column over Leaders Division rivals Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

“Absolutely this team deserves a bye week,” McGloin said. “We’re probably the only [people] in the country that believed we would be undefeated or 8-1 going into the bye.”

And especially not with the season-long drama over the quarterback job.

Bolden started the first seven games and had various rotations with McGloin coming off the bench. Against Northwestern two weeks ago, McGloin had his first start and played the entire game, throwing for 192 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns before the defense held on in the second half for 34-24 victory.

Last week against Illinois, McGloin’s success came on the last drive in the fourth quarter of an otherwise awful afternoon.

Benefiting from the return of favorite target Derek Moye from a left foot injury, McGloin connected on three straight long completions to drive form his own 20 to the Illinois 36. A pass later in the end zone on fourth-and-6 bounced off Moye’s hands, but Illinois corner Justin Green was whistled for pass interference to keep the drive alive.

McGloin hit one more pass to Moye to get to the 8 before Penn State handed the ball to budding star tailback Silas Redd, who ran in from 3 yards for a 10-7 lead with 1:08 to go.

“Paterno made sure to credit McGloin for his poise and demeanor. Moye, good friends with McGloin, called it his quarterback’s “an almost I don’t care attitude.”

“If something bad will happen on the play before, he’ll come back and not really worry about it,” he added.

McGloin has thrown for seven touchdowns and three interceptions over the last six games.

Bolden has had one touchdown pass, two interceptions and dwindling playing time during that span. After sitting out the entire Northwestern game, Bolden played just the second quarter against Illinois, missing all four pass attempts. He appears to be having more trouble sensing pressure in the pocket.

Still, Paterno said he still plans to use a rotation at quarterback.

“It wouldn’t be fair to Bolden for me not to still consider him as one of the kids that we are going to depend on,” Paterno said. “He’s worked too hard. He’s made too many sacrifices and he’s got too much ability for me to just say in one or two football games ... ‘Hey, we’re not counting on you.”’