Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden is back at University Park and is enrolled for Penn State's second summer session of classes, Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson confirmed via text message on Monday.
Following the Blue-White Game April 16, Bolden was undecided on whether he would stay with the program or transfer elsewhere. The sophomore, it appears, opted for the former.
Don Buchanan, Bolden’s high school quarterbacks coach at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (Mich.), said Bolden told him sometime around the end of Penn State's spring semester that he planned to return to Happy Valley in mid-June.
“He was competing in the spring to be the starting quarterback and as far as I knew anything, he was going back,” Buchanan said by phone Monday. “He had made that decision to stay at Penn State and compete there.”
That decision was in question when Bolden expressed intent to transfer following Penn State’s Jan. 1 Outback Bowl loss to Florida. Bolden didn’t get an opportunity to play, as starting quarterback Matt McGloin threw five interceptions in the 37-24 loss to the Gators.
Penn State coach Joe Paterno denied Bolden a release from his scholarship shortly after the bowl game.
Bolden, who began last season as the Nittany Lions’ starting signal caller as a true freshman, suffered a concussion Oct. 23 at Minnesota, which allowed McGloin to step in and have success under center for the rest of the 2010 regular season.
Though Bolden remained at Penn State for spring practices, his future with the team remained uncertain. Now, it appears Bolden is ready to compete with McGloin for the right to direct the Lions’ offense come September.
