This is what happens when four years of expectations are packed into one or two seasons. The situation gets messy when things don't work out as planned.
After Anthony Morelli bided his time as a freshman and sophomore behind Zack Mills and Michael Robinson, and got his feet wet last season on the way to the Outback Bowl, eyes became focused on this, Morelli's senior year. He had experience now. And that should mean something.
But amid growing frustration and untimely turnovers through two Big Ten games this year, a growing number of critics are calling for a quarterback change, one which Joe Paterno said won't happen by the start of tomorrow's game against Iowa.
"We don't have a quarterback problem," Paterno said this week.
Whether or not Paterno privately thinks otherwise is up for debate. But those were the words he spoke, so that's what we have to go with.
However from this end, Penn State does have a quarterback problem. It's just not as obvious as the one with the starter.
There are a lot of opinions about Morelli around campus. I asked my roommate, not a die-hard fan by any means, who he thought should start tomorrow.
"Who's the backup?" he responded without hesitation.
This is the real important question.
No matter your stance on whether or not Morelli should be starting -- or playing at all -- somebody is going to have to eventually take his place. If not this season, then definitely next.
The "quarterback problem" won't just magically be solved because No. 14 is on the sideline.
There are two choices: From Youngstown, Ohio, junior Daryll Clark, who saw some time last season. Or from Downingtown East High, redshirt freshman Pat Devlin, who is two seasons removed from breaking the Pennsylvania high school record for career passing yardage.
Whichever direction the coaching staff goes, one player is going to be unhappy, and both would assume the mantle of Penn State quarterback with consequences affecting the entire program.
In starting Clark this year, or next, the risk is hindering the development of Devlin and piling four years of potential into Devlin's junior and senior seasons (sound familiar?).
In starting Devlin, the risk is experiencing some early growing pains that may, but not certainly, pay off in the future. Think of what Jimmy Clausen is going through right now at Notre Dame or any of the challenges a first-year college quarterback faces.
Clark is prepared to play tomorrow if needed, Paterno said. He's been No. 2 on the depth chart all year. He's got mobility and arm strength, plus, no shortage of confidence.
Devlin, though, could be a good choice if you're the kind that is willing to throw away this season in hopes of sustained brighter days in the future. Devlin is unproven, but so is everyone until he gets the chance.
If he plays now, Devlin will have the chance to develop a body of work and by the time his senior year arrives, realistic expectations should be able to be drawn.
I'm not going to say which one should be first to enter should Morelli be yanked. It's a complicated deal either way. The backup issue just needed to be addressed.
Because once Morelli is done, there's no going back.
And success for the next few years begins with whoever the first quarterback off the bench is now.
Corey McLaughlin is a senior majoring in journalism and anthropology and a Collegian football writer. His e-mail address is cpm167@psu.edu.
