Nothing major coming out of spring practice yet.
The biggest piece of news is that fifth-year running back Brent Carter is not with the team and plans to transfer. Carter, if you remember, had his moment in the sun in the final regular season game of 2007, when he shredded Michigan State’s defense as Penn State drove for a game-winning touchdown. Inexplicably, the Nittany Lions’ coaching staff went away from Carter once they got inside MSU’s 30 and let Anthony Morelli throw the ball. Four straight incompletions later the game was over. Carter tore an ACL against Wisconsin in 2008 and with the emergence of Stephfon Green never allowed Carter to get back in the mix. He’ll end up at a I-AA or Division II school and be able to play right away.
Another player no longer the Lions is defensive tackle Tom McEowen. A highly-touted recruit out of Neshaminy High School, McEowen’s career was totally devastated by injuries. McEowen was the first freshman from the class of 2006 to see the field, but a broken ankle against Northwestern ended his season. A torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during winter drills as a sophomore hampered throughout the following season. McEowen bounced from DT to guard the past two seasons, but his play was limited by shoulder problems. Good kid, kept his nose clean and did his work in the classroom. Best of luck to him.
Sophomore Matt Farrell is getting first-team reps at right tackle ahead of both redshirt freshmen Adam Gress and Eric Shrive, but don’t expect that to last long. DeOn’Tae Pannell is at left tackle, but Gress is getting a look there, too. Matt McGloin is getting the first-team reps at QB, but that won’t last either. Expect Kevin Newsome to get the bulk of the work, with true freshman and early enrollee Paul Jones getting a look, too, as practice moves on.
Like I said, nothing earth shattering. The first intrasquad scrimmage won’t be until next weekend during the annual coaches clinic.
