Penn State Football: Predicting the Offensive Depth Chart for the Season-Opener

Kevin McGuireJun 7, 2018

Penn State football returns in under two months, so the time to start predicting the season-opening depth chart is now. The offense alone still has a number of questions to sort through before Penn State takes on Indiana State.

Will Rob Bolden once again be named the starting quarterback to open the season, or will Matt McGloin continue to hold on to the starting job as he believes?

Will Silas Redd indeed be named the full-time starter at tailback, or will Joe Paterno opt to go with the veteran Stephfon Green? Where does Brandon Beachum fit in the mix?

Derek Moye is one of the top players on offense, but will Justin Brown emerge as a second go-to guy in 2011? Who are the other receivers to keep an eye on?

And who will have the task of providing protection for the quarterback and creating holes for the running backs on an offensive line that was a bit of a problem last season?

Here is a prediction for each depth chart spot on the Penn State offense for the 2011 season-opener against Indiana State. The defense will be previewed later this week.

Kevin McGuire is the national college football writer for Examiner.com. Follow his college football discussion on Twitter or become a fan of him on Facebook.

Quarterback

1 of 12

1. Rob Bolden (pictured)

Rob Bolden, a sophomore, may be considered the best option to start the season at quarterback. His athleticism and potential room to grow appear to be higher than Matt McGloin, the only other potential candidate for the job to start the 2011 season.

2. Matt McGloin

3. Paul Jones

Tailback

2 of 12

1. Silas Redd (pictured)

Silas Redd, another sophomore, has everybody excited about the future of the running game. Redd brings tremendous athleticism to the field and has the ability to power through a defender, as well as shed a tackle or two.

This could be a fun season to watch as he becomes a household name.

2. Stephfon Green

3. Brandon Beachum

Left Tackle

3 of 12

1. Quinn Barham

Barham started every game during the 2010 season, and there is little reason to believe he might lose his starting job entering 2011. Barham is one of three players who started on the offensive line last season projected to start this year.

2. Mike Farrell

Left Guard

4 of 12

1. Johnnie Troutman

Troutman started the final 10 regular-season games at left guard in 2010 and should hold down a starting job entering the 2011 season if he can stay out of JoePa's Doghouse this year. Troutman could help Penn State's offensive line find some stability early on.

2. John Urschel

Center

5 of 12

1. Matt Stankiewich

Center is one of the holes that needs to be filled on the offensive line in 2011, so this remains a question after a couple years of Stefen Wisniewski and Doug Klopacz snapping the football. Stankiewich is the upperclassman of the group, but Ty Howle could be a strong candidate for the job in 2011.

2. Ty Howle

Right Guard

6 of 12

1. DeOn'tae Pannell

Pannell looks to be filling in one of the holes left on the offensive line this season, and it is a big hole to fill.

Stefen Wisniewski started every game of the 2010 season at right guard and established himself as one of the top offensive linemen in the nation. As an upperclassman, Paterno may be more willing to give Pannell a starting job on the line.

2. Mark Arcidiacono

Right Tackle

7 of 12

1. Eric Shrive

Eric Shrive was a highly-rated offensive line recruit out of high school, and he could be ready to make an impact this season.

Doing so would mean replacing Chima Okoli as the starter on the line, which would be an interesting move for a team that could start four returning offensive line starters from 2010. Shrive is slightly bigger than Okoli, and a couple of inches could give him the edge.

2. Chima Okoli

Tight End

8 of 12

1. Nate Cadogan (pictured)

One position that was decimated last season due to injuries and moving players from one spot to another was the tight end position.

Entering 2011, it would seem to be fairly easy to find a way to improve the position just by having a starter for the majority of the season. For now, it is up in the air between Nate Cadogen and Kevin Haplea.

2. Kevin Haplea

Wide Receiver

9 of 12

1. Derek Moye

Penn State's leading receiver from 2010 is back to provide veteran leadership on the offense in 2011.

Derek Moye was the only receiver to have more than 800 receiving yards last season, but with a maturing quarterback and a potentially improved offensive line, Moye's production could increase in 2011, although he is not a 1,000-yard type of receiver.

2. Brandon Moseby-Felder

Wide Receiver

10 of 12

1. Justin Brown (pictured)

Justin Brown started to show signs of improvement as 2010 went on and as the offensive line came together, so it should be expected that Brown becomes even more of a factor in 2011. The combination of Moye and Brown could become one of the underappreciated receiver duos in the Big Ten.

2. Andrew Goodman

Fullback

11 of 12

1. Zack Zwinak

Mickey Shuler has moved on, so the fullback position should be handed off to Maryland prospect Zack Zwinak, one of the class of 2010's top pickups in recruiting.

Zwinak was one of the top fullbacks in the nation and another great addition out of the state of Maryland. He should have the power to pick up the short yardage needed, and could be a solid blocker and screen option.

2. P.J. Byers