As I sit back and watch what are the likely closing minutes of LeBron James' 2009 season, my mind cannot escape the recent infatuation with the mass media's dissecting of LBJ -- the football player.

And just why does this affect you, Penn State fans? Because all signs indicate LeBron would have been a Buckeye had he chosen that different path.

But the Chosen One took the basketball route, and it has served him well. Still, ESPN dedicated almost a day to look at LeBron's football potential, given his size.

Our main man, Collegian alum Michael Weinreb, hit the spot with his take.

And really, is tall that evil when it comes to pigskin?

Penn State fans better hope not, since they'll be relying on 6-foot-6 Brett Brackett and 6-foot-5 Derek Moye as two of Daryll Clark's go-to guys this fall.

And they can also sleep easy, never having to rehash what the 6-foot-8, who-knows-how-many-pound James would have almost certainly done to the Lions defense if the King had other ideas just a few years ago.

-Fortuna

Two years ago, Joe Paterno's $500,000 base salary was made public as part of an open records request of state retirement data. Penn State released records Friday indicating the 82-year-old was the university's highest-paid employee, making more than $1.03 million last year, according to the AP. That number includes the half-million and bonuses but not compensation from outside the university. The records were released in compliance
with a Pennsylvania Right-to-Know law that took effect in January. Paterno's total compensation is not a public record.

My guess is bonuses come, in part, from on-field results, namely the team's second Big Ten championship and Bowl Championship Series berth in four years. The Hall of Fame coach signed a three-year contract extention in December.

-Mink

Warm sunshine, bright, tall flowers and bumble bees whizzing by just as you're about to bite into that plump, juicy hot dog can mean only one thing: College football is on the backburner. To whet your appetite for the upcoming fall, besides that whole student ticket pre-registration biz, here's a list of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks.

1. Daryll Clark, Penn State

An 11-2 record and Rose Bowl berth in his first year as starter is awfully hard to improve on. And not many fans saw a 2,600-yard, 19 TD vs. six INT-type season for Clark, either. Comfy leads often prevented him from leading a late, go-ahead scoring drive, but when he had to make a play, ala Illinois, he made it. In the Blue-White game, Clark was turned in a 10-for-13 day, proving he can make his reads with a brand new crop of wideouts. Quarterbacking goes beyond statistics, and Clark exudes dual-threat capabilities and extraordinary confidence, two signature traits in today's premier college football QB.

2. Juice Williams, Illinois

Four year ago, Williams would have been one of the first names to be unveiled on this list. But with three years of starting experience, the Illini signal caller is Mr. Everything for the Illinois offense, amassing 3,892 yards of total offense in 2008. Williams is more of a dual-threat QB than Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor because of his passing ability, and even though his yards per carry was less than four in most games, he still draws a spy from opposing defenses. Williams probably doesn't have much of an NFL future as a quarterback, but he thrives in college football's premier offense (the Spread). Like Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi, Juice hasn't shown the ability to lead his team to road wins, a definite attribute needed to be considered the best at the position.

3. Adam Weber, Minnesota

Weber is a well-sized kid with a live arm. The 6-foot-3, 220 pound signal caller cut his interceptions in half and then some between '07 and '08. Last season, Weber had a 62.2 completion percentage with more than 2,700 yards. Minnesota starting 7-1 last season had much to do with the rising senior quarterback's play, and returning with him is No. 1 target Eric Decker, who might own the conference's nicest pair of mitts. The Weber/Decker combo rolls into Happy Valley for Homecoming, the first time a Gopher team comes into Beaver Stadium for the alum festival since 1999.

4. Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State

There's an awful lot of progress to be made in his passing ability before Pryor is elevated to elite QB status. Right now, he's a freak athlete with a big arm. Pryor had a knack for airing out huge completions his freshman season, but Brian Robiske and Brian Hartline won't be downfield making mid-air adjustments and stealing balls away from defensive backs in '09. Pryor had single-digit completions in six of his 10 starts last year. Talk has been made about how much he's improved his throwing mechanics and delivery, but until that is seen on Saturdays, Pryor belongs outside the conference's top quarterbacks. His scrambling ability adds a dimension opposing defenses cannot prep for, but football has a position dedicated entirely to running, and quarterback is not it. Pryor will probably be the league's best in '10, but there are just a few more complete signal callers right now.

5. Ricky Stanzi, Iowa

Stanzi was efficient last year for an offense depending on since-departed RB Shonn Greene. His near 60-percent completion percentage rivals some of the top quarterbacks in the conference. The rising junior looked real good late in last year's game against Penn State, but hasn't always been at his best away from Kinnick Stadium. Three of the Hawkeyes four losses in '08 were on the road. Iowa's road schedule in '09 is brutal, with trips to Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State on tap. For Iowa to see its preseason billing as a Big Ten contender come to fruition Stanzi has to be better and will be more of a focal point for the offense next fall. Fortunately, his offensive line might be the best in the conference.

6. Mike Kafka, Northwestern

Sure, Kafka has just two starts under his belt, but it's how he filled in for the now-graduated C.J. Bacher that earns him the No. 6 spot. In his first start against Minnesota, Kafka was 12-for-16 for 143 yards and a pair of TDs and rushed for another 217 yards. The rising senior should be poised to lead a Wildcat attack that lost four-year RB Tyrell Sutton. He'll gained plenty of experience in the spring and will continue to makes strides in the summer going up against a secondary that returns all four starters from last season. Kafka's dual-threat talent makes him one of the Big Ten's most dangerous playmakers, and Kafka will touch the ball on almost every snap.

7. Dustin Sherer, Wisconsin

Take a peek at Sherer's 2008 stats, and mediocrity immediately comes to mind. He completed 54.5 percent of his passes but threw for more than 200 yards just twice. The Badgers return a steady, drop-back passer who is rarely asked to win ball games in the brusing-style offense coach Bret Bielema employs. Unfortunately for Sherer, sure-handed TE Travis Beckum plays with the New York Giants now, leaving him little big-time ability from the receivers.

8. Keith Nichol or Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

Spartans' coach Mark Dantonio said the two were neck-and-neck after the spring and the race was too close to call. Cousins backed up Brian Hoyer last year, and Nichol is an Oklahoma transfer. How close is this race? Take a peak at the Green-White game stats.

Cousins, 29-for-43, 357 yards, 4 TDs
Nichol, 20-for-28, 357 yards, 4 TDs

It's evident whoever lines up under center in the fall has talent, and the other guy is probably the conference's best back-up QB, too. But Dantonio hasn't ruled out a two-quarterback system, a recipe that hasn't bode well for Big Ten teams in recent memory. On top of that, both would be entering their first year as a starting QB, which doesn't always come easy without a few bumps along the way. Of course, a couple other first-year QBs later on this list proved starting experience isn't necessary for immediate success.

9. Joey Elliott, Purdue

Elliott is a fifth-year senior quarterback threw for a whopping 81 yards last year, playing behind Curtis Painter the last three seasons. Penn State actually allowed his season-best 3-for-5, 46-yard outing. Purdue has a history of churning out big-time air assailants in West Lafayette, but that was under self-proclaimed Spread innovator, Joe Tiller. New head coach Danny Hope was a disciple of Tiller, but it is unclear whether QBs will have the same success rate with Hope at the helm. What Elliott does benefit from is former Miami QB Robert Marve's arrival. Widely considered one of the nation's best young quarterbacks, Marve can help Elliott adjust to the first-team while sitting out because of NCAA rules. Hope said redshirt freshman Caleb TerBush is vying for the starting role after an injury set Elliott back some, but with Elliott voted captain and completing 20-for-33 passes for 193 yards in the spring game, Elliott is almost certain to be in the huddle Sept. 5 against Toledo.

10. Tate Forcier, Michigan

Of course, this is all dependent on whether the true freshman even wins the starting job. Last year's starter, Nick Sheridan is rehabbing a serious leg injury and was never a long-term resolution for coach Rich Rodriguez, and former QB Steven Threet transferred. Forcier shined in the Wolverine's spring game, tossing four TDs and running for another. But having not played a meaningful down of college football can't be overlooked, and Forcier was the Wolverines only quarterback option in the spring. That changes this summer as the other heralded freshman QB, Denard Robinson, comes to Ann Arbor to compete for the starting nod.

11. Ben Chappel, Indiana

The rising junior is coming off a year in which he threw for 1,001 yards and just four TDs in nine games. Complicating matters is former WR Kellen Lewis getting booted off the team for a violation of team rules, giving Chappel no true target heading into summer workouts. Chappel and Lewis split time under center last fall, meaning the Bloomington native doesn't have much experience despite being one of eight returning starting QBs in the conference.

Paul Posluszny immediately sent Aaron Maybin a text message when he learned his Buffalo Bills had taken the Penn State defensive end with the No. 11 pick in the NFL draft last month.

Posluszny, the former Nittany Lion linebacker, later went out to dinner with Maybin after he was flown into Buffalo after being drafted that week.

"Definitely very, very excited, especially because I know what type of kid Aaron is," Posluszny said while stopping by Blair County Ballpark Sunday. "He's an unbelievably hard worker, Penn State guy, so it's great to see that we were gonna draft him."

The Bills recently started their organized team activities, where Posluszny -- who now looks more like a USC linebacker with his long locks -- says he and former Penn State safety Bryan Scott will look out for Maybin and Lydell Sargeant, the Lion cornerback who signed with Buffalo after not being drafted.

"We have the opportunity to work with them there, and we will as the summer progresses spend more time together there with practices and workouts, so definitely looking forward to it," he said.

Posluszny also said that Penn State redshirt senior Sean Lee is one of his best friends, and he looks forward to watching Lee get back on the field after missing all of 2008 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Should Lee switch to middle linebacker the same way Posluszny and Dan Connor did in their senior campaigns at Penn State, Posluszny feels the transition will be smooth.

"Oh absolutely, that's the way recently Coach Paterno has liked to do things," Posluszny said. "Sean is gonna step in there and do a great job. He's an unbelievable player, but he's so smart. He knows the defensive scheme and everything the coaches are looking for, so he's gonna do a great job of stepping in there, playing middle linebacker, leading that defense. I'm looking forward to watching him play."

-Fortuna

Purdue may have landed its next big-time air assailant with former Miami QB Robert Marve opting to transfer to West Lafayette, according to a release on the school's athletic Web site May 21. Marve will compete to go under center in 2010 and have two seasons of eligibility. The Boilermakers return to Penn State's schedule in 2011.

"No. 1, we are really excited to have a player the caliber of Robert become a Boilermaker," first-year Purdue head coach Danny Hope said in the release. "We became a better football program today."

-Mink

A developing story is taking place, and it may or may not affect the Nittany Lions.

Those of you fans who follow Penn State quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno's Twitter page and his HD Journal blog may recall him recently telling a fan that he would love for Penn State to play Notre Dame in the new Yankee Stadium.

Well, Thursday's New York Times is reporting that Jack Swarbrick, Notre Dame's athletic director, said the Bronx Bombers were welcome to opening their new (and pricey) doors to pigskin, and that the Fighting Irish have even asked the Yanks about a potential game.

Swarbick said he would prefer to play Army, given the two programs' history at Yankee Stadium, but it would certainly be interesting to see Joe Paterno return home for a contest. (To coach, not watch basketball.)

At the very least, it's good to see a Big Ten coach making productive use with his tweets, something that can't be said for all.

And, if the conference's coaches aren't entertaining enough, you can always hop on the bandwagon and follow us.

-Fortuna

The Big Ten's annual meetings of coaches and athletic directors kicked off Tuesday in Chicago, meaning Joe Paterno was in the news again.

The Penn State coach backed off his campaign for the conference to add a 12th team, according to ESPN.com.

But more importantly, at least for this upcoming season, was the 82-year-old coming out and telling ESPN.com that linebacker Navorro Bowman will not face any more punishment from the team after his probation was extended last month.

Bowman's 106 tackles led the Nittany Lions in 2008, a sophomore campaign that culminated with a first team All-Big Ten selection.

-Fortuna

Seniors Daryll Clark and Sean Lee have been chosen as this season's team captains, according to a story on gopsusports.com

Clark, the starting quarterback, follows in a recent stretch of senior quarterbacks being elected captain by their teammates, including Anthony Morelli and Michael Robinson.

Linebacker Lee becomes an official captain after being named an honorary one last season due to missing last year with a knee injury.

This year's number of captains are a far cry from last season's when four were chosen (not counting Lee): John Gaines, Anthony Scirrotto, A.Q. Shipley and Derrick Willams.

The selections of Clark and Lee shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, especially considering the two are the more experienced players on a team which features either young or inexperienced players at most positions.

-Wayne

A sad note to pass along in the college football world Thursday, as Boston College senior Mark Herzlich let it be known that he is fighting cancer.

The reigning ACC defensive player of the year was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a malignant tumor most often found in bone or soft tissue.

In 2008, the Wayne, Pa., native was a third team All-America and a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker.

***
On a lighter note, it looks like our former president hasn't lost all of his supporters.

George W. Bush will be joined by Joe Paterno at the Manufacturer & Business Association's annual event at the Bayfront Convention Center on June 17.

Paterno will not speak at the event.

-Fortuna

After speculation over where former Duke point guard Greg Paulus would start his one-year collegiate football career, Paulus will simply go back to where he began.

A three-year starter with the Blue Devils, Paulus will enroll at Syracuse for graduate school in hopes of making the football team and competing for the starting quarterback job. He attended Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse for high school.

Paulus' move to Syracuse comes after he also met with coaches from Michigan and Nebraska and worked out with the NFL's Green Bay Packers.

If Paulus is granted a waiver from the NCAA, he will be able to challenge for the starting role immediately.

This means Penn State fans could get a chance to see Paulus in action when the Orange and Nittany Lions meet Sept. 12 in Beaver Stadium.

Looking Up Already
Teams in the MEAC in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) are already finding themselves behind in the standings.

Delaware State has been forced to forfeit its game against North Carolina A&T because a date couldn't be found to play a game this year.

The reason the Aggies get the victory is because the Hornets are scheduled to play Michigan at the Big House on Oct. 17. That was also the date the two MEAC programs were supposed to play.

It's still more than three months until the season gets underway, but NC A&T should be pleased it gets to match last season's conference win total in May.

-Wayne

There had been reports surfacing ever since draft day that Maurice Evans had signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants.

But after the Penn State athletic department issued a pair of press releases about the signings of undrafted Nittany Lions and neither contained Evans' whereabouts, we became skeptical as to what the 2008 preseason All-America was really up to.

As it turns out, the rumors were true.

The New York Daily News confirmed Evans' signing through the NFL Players Association.

The Brooklyn, N.Y., product rose to the national scene in 2007, when the then-sophomore recorded 12.5 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles.

-Fortuna

A man has been charged following the investigation of an incident the night of the Blue White game at an apartment rented by Penn State football players, one day after Joe Paterno said the situation was "blown way out of proportion."

Ronald Bridges, of Bear, Del., was charged with the controlled substance drug, device and cosmetic act after police said marijuana residue and similar items were found at the apartment April 25.

Deputy police chief Tyrone Parham says the case is now closed.

***
Matt Millen is back in business.

The fired Detroit Lions president will return to the airwaves, this time as an analyst for ESPN, where he will appear regularly on college football broadcasts and "Monday Night Countdown," among other ESPN programs.

Millen was an All-America defensive tackle with the Nittany Lions and a second round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 1980.

***
The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate (APR) report Wednesday, and Penn State was at the top of Big Ten schools in football, scoring a 976, 45 points above the Division I public school average of 931.

The Lions edged Northwestern by three points.

The NCAA cutline is 925, a number Minnesota failed to reach. The Golden Gophers have forfeited three scholarships.

-Fortuna

Luke Graham will be a Nittany Lion.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound guard from Penn-Trafford High School is a three-star prospect and ranked as the No. 9 guard in the country by Scout.com.

Graham becomes Penn State's fifth verbal commitment for the Class of 2010.

***
It looks like Joe Paterno won't get his wish anytime soon.

Paterno, who last week called for the Big Ten to add a 12th team, had his notion shot down by league commissioner Jim Delany in an interview with ESPN.com on Monday.

"The issue has come up with our football coaches a couple times -- with the extra week and if we did expand, would we be more competitive?" Delany said. "I would say in some years they might be right. But has it enhanced the competitiveness of the ACC in football? Has it enhanced the competitiveness of the WAC? I don't know.

"Just because you have a championship doesn't make you more competitive. It's about coaching the players. The SEC game has been a marketing bonanza. I wouldn't discount that. But others have struggled with it."

***
All those Penn State fans still dreaming of Pennsylvania-raised Terrelle Pryor one day suiting up in the blue and white can put such notions to rest.

Pryor has appeared in recent photos with some new artwork on his throwing arm.

(Note to Nit fans: It isn't pretty.)

-Fortuna

Penn State has a history of successful running backs, and it looks like the trend could continue down the road with a top commit.

Connecticut's Silas Redd, who will be a senior in the fall, committed to Penn State Sunday.

A four-star recruit on Rivals' Web site, Redd ran for more than 1,300 yards last season as a junior for King & Low Heywood Thomas High School.

Redd is now the fourth player to commit to the Lions out of the 2010 high school graduating class.

-Wayne

Penn State scored a major verbal Thursday when Baltimore wide receiver Adrian Coxson announced he would be attending Happy Valley in 2010.

Coxson, a 6-foot-1, 194 pounder, is ranked a four-star prospect by Scout.com, which has him rated as the nations No. 21 wideout for the class of 2010.

He shined at Baltimore City College this past fall, grabbing 40 balls for 987 yards and a dozen touchdowns en route to first team All-City honors.

***
Gerald Cadogan, Jordan Norwood, Tyrell Sales, Lydell Sargeant and Anthony Scirrotto all went undrafted, but each was quick to find an NFL team.

Cadogan and Scirrotto will reminisce with Dan Connor on the Panthers, while Sargeant reunites with Aaron Maybin and Paul Paul Posluszny in Buffalo.

Norwood will head to Cleveland and Sales will go to Indy.

Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions' two highest draftees checked into mini-camps sporting new numbers.

Aaron Maybin is wearing No. 58 for the Bills (check out photo No. 12).

In Detroit, Derrick Williams is hoping 13 is the lucky number to turn around the Lions' fortunes.

-Fortuna