RIP Bobby Parsons: Joe Paterno’s worst personnel decision?
Bobby Parsons could have been a great QB -- spent 12 professional years as a punter ... They had a 22-game winning streak to protect, but Joe chose the wrong QB He was a fabulous punter, but the Nittany Lion faithful were simply salivating about his taking over as QB of the Penn State football team. Entering the 1970 season, the Lions were protecting a 22-game winning streak, but they had lost some fabulous players to graduation. Altoona’s Mike Reid, the All-American defensive lineman, and All-American linebacker Denny Onkotz, for starters. However, they had a great nucleus coming back — including All-American linebacker Jack Ham — with some tremendous young talent. If only Joe Paterno would start Bobby Parsons at QB. And after the spring game that year, the fans were even more ecstatic about Parsons. He was the quintessential drop-back QB for the time, standing about 6-5 and weighing about 220. He could throw the deep ball, the short pass — he could ...