Penn State All Time Defense - first two teams...

Mufasa94

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Disagree with quite a few selections on this defensive list and then notice the name Troy Smith at the top.

I suggest not getting bothered by the opinion from someone who hasn’t followed the team nearly as much, and is a good bit younger than the many of us.
 
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LionJim

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Disagree with quite a few selections on this defensive list and then notice the name Troy Smith at the top.

I suggest not getting bothered by the opinion from someone who hasn’t followed the team nearly as much, and is a good bit younger than the many of us.
I found the choices to be at least interesting. If the writer had a bias for more recent players, you’d think that he would at least chosen Barkley #2. He didn’t just pick names from a list, it seems to me. I mean, Munchak second team shows that he’s given this some thought, seeing as how heralded MM was in the NFL.
 
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PSUAXE70

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Bvillebaron

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Joe said that Bruce Clark was the only player he coached that he actually worried that Clark might hurt somebody. He and Reid were the best I ever saw play.
I might be getting my years mixed up but I think it was Bruce Clark who had one of the best lines ever. Opening season game where Maryland was favored and most of the pre-game hype involved how much weight Randy White and other Maryland players could lift. After PSU won fairly comfortably, someone asked Clark about all the pre-game hype about Maryland’s weight lifting abilities and Clark said what were we going to do this afternoon lift weights or play football?
 
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Got GSPs

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Nice to bring in Bob Higgins. But, no, in no universe is Mike Reid second-team anything. There’s a link to the Offense team, too.
I couldn’t find the link to the offensive list. Please help if you can link for me here.
 

NB4PSU

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Good name tosses... my starting DLine is CB and Robinson on the outside and Reid and Clark inside. LB crew is solid. I gather Herring was put at CB to open the Safety spot and not keep either off the 1st team so i gave that a pass. On Offense, Dorney starts over Suhey. The suhey story is feel good, but if i'm going to war it's with Dorney and Wiz. Hard leaving Warner off that team.

It does give you an idea of just how great of receivers have been over the years. Anyway, interesting choices and most are reasonably informed.
 

OptionBob

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All right, time for an old-timer to chime in. I can't fairly comment on players I never even saw play, so I am only offering my All Time Joe Paterno Penn State team.

QB - Kerry Collins
RB - Lydell Mitchell
RB - Ki-Jana Carter
TE - Ted Kwalick
WR - Bobby Engram
WR - Kenny Jackson
OL - Mike Munchak
OL - Keith Dorney
OL - Charley Getty
OL - Sean Farrell
Ol - Jeff Hartings

DE - Courtney Brown
DT - Mike Reid
DT - Bruce Clark
DE - Tamba Hali
LB - Dennis Onkotz
LB - Jack Ham
LB - Paul Pozluzsny
LB - Lavar Arrington
DB - Neal Smith
DB - Mark Robinson
DB - Darren Perry

NOTES:
1. Success in the NFL is irrelevant, IMO.
2. I used the 4-4-3 defense that Joe created, allowing for an extra LB rather than a DB.
3. I grouped OL as "the best 5" rather than as G-T-C.
4. Easy arguments can be made at RB for Warner and Cappy; at WR for Robinson and maybe even McDuffie; at TE for Brady; and at DB for several players over Perry.
5. So many great LBs have come through Linebacker U (hence, the reason Howard Cosell christened Penn State as such). Yet, how does one drop a 2-time AA and all-time LB leader in interceptions and punt returns like Onkotz? Or the consensus pick as a LB in 1970 like Ham, who also blocked more kicks than other LB? Or 2-time AA like Paul P and Lavar?

Let the furor begin.
 

LionJim

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All right, time for an old-timer to chime in. I can't fairly comment on players I never even saw play, so I am only offering my All Time Joe Paterno Penn State team.

QB - Kerry Collins
RB - Lydell Mitchell
RB - Ki-Jana Carter
TE - Ted Kwalick
WR - Bobby Engram
WR - Kenny Jackson
OL - Mike Munchak
OL - Keith Dorney
OL - Charley Getty
OL - Sean Farrell
Ol - Jeff Hartings

DE - Courtney Brown
DT - Mike Reid
DT - Bruce Clark
DE - Tamba Hali
LB - Dennis Onkotz
LB - Jack Ham
LB - Paul Pozluzsny
LB - Lavar Arrington
DB - Neal Smith
DB - Mark Robinson
DB - Darren Perry

NOTES:
1. Success in the NFL is irrelevant, IMO.
2. I used the 4-4-3 defense that Joe created, allowing for an extra LB rather than a DB.
3. I grouped OL as "the best 5" rather than as G-T-C.
4. Easy arguments can be made at RB for Warner and Cappy; at WR for Robinson and maybe even McDuffie; at TE for Brady; and at DB for several players over Perry.
5. So many great LBs have come through Linebacker U (hence, the reason Howard Cosell christened Penn State as such). Yet, how does one drop a 2-time AA and all-time LB leader in interceptions and punt returns like Onkotz? Or the consensus pick as a LB in 1970 like Ham, who also blocked more kicks than other LB? Or 2-time AA like Paul P and Lavar?

Let the furor begin.
What furor? I’d say that 75% minimum here would agree with these choices. I’d pick Jim Romano as C just because ‘81. And, yeah, both Carter and Warner top SB in my book.
 
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LB99

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Carter was great but as a friend of mine pointed out, he probably played behind the best OL PSU ever had at one time. Barkley created more on his own. Lenny Moore was called the best he ever coached by Joe.
 

LB99

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Agreed.

And no mention of Denny Onkotz at LB seems strange to this Trojan. Thay guy was crazy good as a college LB. Tragic his career with the Jets ended so early.
Tragic and Jets usually go well together. Just ask Blair Thomas. Or anybody else ever drafted by the Jets.
 
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1000 OaksLion

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Shane Conlan was arguably the best LB in PSU history. He played his biggest in big games. In the Fiesta Bowl vs. Miami he essentially played todays "star" or "striker" position almost to perfection. He's one guy you could play at any of the 3 LB positions with total confidence. My top 3 based on my watching them actually play would be Conlan, Ham and Arrington. Second group Poz, Bowman and Parson's.
 

PSU12046

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Shane Conlan was arguably the best LB in PSU history. He played his biggest in big games. In the Fiesta Bowl vs. Miami he essentially played todays "star" or "striker" position almost to perfection. He's one guy you could play at any of the 3 LB positions with total confidence. My top 3 based on my watching them actually play would be Conlan, Ham and Arrington. Second group Poz, Bowman and Parson's.
I believe in an interview, Conlan said he fell down (accidentally) on one of his interceptions in that Fiesta Bowl with just green grass in front of him because he was so exhausted
 
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LB99

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Shane Conlan was arguably the best LB in PSU history. He played his biggest in big games. In the Fiesta Bowl vs. Miami he essentially played todays "star" or "striker" position almost to perfection. He's one guy you could play at any of the 3 LB positions with total confidence. My top 3 based on my watching them actually play would be Conlan, Ham and Arrington. Second group Poz, Bowman and Parson's.
Agree on Conlan. And he played much of that game with a banged up knee. While Arrington was a physical and athletic freak, I would put Poz in the starting lineup over him.
 
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