Rooting for Bill O'Brien to fail ...


… because he put the player's names on the jerseys?

 Update on bottom: 

Some former Penn State football players are going overboard to show their displeasure with the football coach who succeeded Joe Paterno. The most recent one strikes me as funny … and as somewhat stupid. 

Former tight end Troy Drayton, whom I would not place in the top echelon of PSU players, said this about why he would not watch Penn State football games this year. "I don't care about all the other stuff," Drayton told the Harrisburg Patriot-News (pennlive.com). "It's the names on the back of the jersey. I have a hard time with it, I really do. I follow them from afar, but I can't fathom watching a game. Every coach has a right to change what they want and that's their prerogative. To me, I know what it stood for. It's tough as a hardcore Penn State traditionalist to swallow that."
<http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2013/08/penn_state_great_troy_drayton.html>

Joe Paterno believed that having your name on the back of the jerseys would undermine the concept of a team. That was his choice, but to say it is a major part of that tradition is puzzling.  In addition, the Nittany Lions should move into the 21st Century. Everyone does it today. 

If a Penn State fan lists what he or she remembers about the Penn State tradition that Paterno built, the names on the jersey would not likely make the top 10. 

It is not like O'Brien put a blue paisley patch on their helmets.

Underlying this is that Drayton and some other former players believed that when a successor to Joe Paterno was hired, the new coach should have some Penn State pedigree. O'Brien does not. 

So what?

In essence, this means that a former player will not root for the current players -- who are participating despite great adversity over the past year and a half. Drayton is just like Lubrano who was elected to the board of trustees but is not happy with O'Brien because he was hired by the previous board. He will anything he can to undermine Bill O'Brien.

Well, let me make some logic out of this. What O'Brien did in just one season with the Nittany Lion offense was phenomenal. The development of a QB like Matt McGloin, who was not really not as talented as the current Nittany Lion QBs, occurred because of the teaching of O"Brien and QB coach Charlie Fisher.

The two QBs who will play today, according to recent reports, may have the raw talent to be the best in PSU history. Christian Hackenberg, a true freshman, came in as a five-star recruit. If he comes along under the tutelage of O'Brien and  Fisher, the sky's the limit. 

JUCO transfer Tyler Ferguson has a better knowledge of O'Brien's offense since he has been at PSU since January. He could also be outstanding.

Here is the truth. Joe Paterno was a lousy offensive football coach. If Joe was still there, with his son Jay as co-offensive coordinator, Hackenberg would not have selected Penn State for his football future. 

Look at the truth here. Jay Paterno did a great job bringing along Rob Bolden, Anthony Miorelli, and scores of other QBs. Yes, I am being sarcastic since both of those guys were dismal failures. 

Is that nepotism part of the Nittany Lion tradition, choosing a son instead of a coach who has a great knowledge of football? Is lousy offense part of that tradition? 

Do you remember Joe's team, Mr. Drayton, which was ranked first in the country after the 1978 regular season but lost the national championship to Alabama, 14-7, in the Sugar Bowl? On third and fourth and inches, Joe tried to run up the middle twice but was rebuffed by the Alabama defense. Joe would not gamble, so he lost a national championship for his team despite having a better team. Is this part of the PSU tradition?

So, for Mr. Drayton, I say this: Give the PSU players your support. You are just on an ego trip using the names on the jerseys as an excuse to undermine the PSU coach. Root for Syracuse if you want and hope to bring down O'Brien's team if you want, but basically, I have this advice: Keep your mouth shut.  

Update: Whether the names are on the back or on the front, I liked what I saw with the Nittany Lions, particularly their true-freshman QB. I was able to see Hackenberg very clearly. Poised, with a strong arm.

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