Penn State Football: 9 Goals Heading into Next Season

Penn State finished the regular season with a 9-3 record, despite dropping two of their final three contests. Their nine victories earned them a spot in the Ticketcity Bowl to face the one-loss Houston Cougars.

The Nittany Lions' success in 2011 was somewhat unexpected. Their lack of firepower on offense and a banged-up defense certainly stacked the odds against them.

However, their defense emerged as one of the best in the nation. The offense was worse than expected, but Silas Redd emerged as a true No. 1 running back.

If Penn State wants to continue their success next season they have some work to do.

Here are nine goals for Penn State heading into next season:

Find a Leader at Safety

Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay were not stars in the Penn State secondary, but they were veteran leaders on the backside of the stellar Nittany Lions unit.

The two safeties combined for 120 tackles and four interceptions this season. Their ability to play in run support was a major asset to the Penn State defense.

Neither player is considered a ball hawk. Neither has the ball skills needed to make a major impact in coverage. However, both players are solid, understand the defense and had great instincts.

Replacing Sukay will be Malcolm Willis. Willis has starting experience and may be more talented than Sukay. He brings a big body to the field and the athleticism needed to cover players in the open field.

Astorino will be replaced by either Jacob Fagnano or Stephen Obeng-Agyapong. Fagnano has very little experience, and Obeng-Agyapong is a former cornerback.

Willis will need to emerge as the leader for Penn State in the secondary. His experience and ability make him a player to watch next season.

Land Noah Spence

According to rivals.com, Noah Spence is the No. 9 recruit in the nation.

Hailing from Harrisburg, PA, the 6-foot-4 defensive end is a dynamic presence as en edge rusher at Bishop McDevitt High School.

Spence must be Penn State's top recruiting priority this offseason. He is the best player in the state, one of the best in the nation and has the talent to earn snaps from Day One in Happy Valley.

Penn State rarely has a chance to land a marquee, blue-chip recruit. Spence is that major opportunity, and the Nittany Lions cannot miss.

Given Penn State's murky coaching situation, landing Spence would be a huge coup for a recovering program.

Work on Wildcat Formation

Penn State unveiled the Wildcat formation against Ohio State in Week 12.

Curtis Drake, Stephfon Green and freshman Bill Belton carved up the Buckeyes' defense with the new-age Penn State scheme.

The Nittany Lions struggled mightily on offense in 2011. The Wildcat formation provides a great change of pace, and the Nittany Lions have the athletes to make it work.

Drake and Belton are both former high school quarterbacks. Incoming freshman Eugene Lewis is, too. Penn State must allow their best athletes to do what they do best.

The Wildcat shouldn't ever be a full-time offense. However, it is good for a few looks a game.

Develop Curtis Dukes

Stephfon Green and Brandon Beachum will not be back in the Nittany Lions' backfield next season.

That leaves starter Silas Redd and bruiser Curtis Dukes as the most experienced Penn State ball carriers.

Redd is a proven presence in the backfield. Dukes saw time this season, but will need to see more next season. Dukes is a huge running back with a solid burst through the line of scrimmage. In his limited duty he averaged almost six yards per carry.

Developing Dukes would provide a thunder-and-lightning presence in the Penn State backfield. Redd was electric in his sophomore season, and should be even better next season.

If Dukes can emerge, Penn State will have a formidable duo to tote the rock in 2012.

Find Chemistry on Offensive Line

Penn State must replace four contributors on their offensive line next season.

If their offense has any hope to improve, this transition must be a smooth one.

The Nittany Lions coaching staff must develop a cohesive unit to pave the way for their running game. They must also protect whoever is behind center.

Players like John Urschel, Ty Howle and Mike Farrell will be considered veterans on a very green group. They must emerge as leaders early on.

The Penn State offense will only be as good as their offensive line next season. Given the questionable quarterback situation, Penn State's line must allow the run game to function by getting a push off the ball.

Give Eugene Lewis a Shot

Eugene Lewis is the No. 104 recruit, according to rivals.com, and the No. 18 wide receiver up for grabs in the 2012 recruiting class.

Lewis stands 6-foot-2' and runs a 4.5 40-yard dash. His size and athleticism should give him a shot to see the field right away for Penn State.

He was a quarterback at Wyoming Valley West High School. This will give Lewis the versatility to play wide receiver and possibly quarterback a Wildcat formation for the Nittany Lions next season.

Lewis does not have highlight-reel speed, but he has good hands and is explosive in the open field.

If he can adjust to the speed of the college game and learn the Penn State playbook, he could start very early next season.

If nothing else expect his playing time to increase as the season rolls along.

Solidify Quarterback Situation

Matt McGloin, Rob Bolden or Paul Jones could all be the starting quarterback heading into next season for Penn State. But which guy is the right choice?

Is there a right choice, or are Penn State coaches choosing the lesser of three evils?

McGloin was given the starting job after outperforming Bolden in a prolonged quarterback battle. He became the quarterback almost by default, and barely did enough to hold onto the job. He is a marginal talent with a flair for timely mistakes.

Bolden entered Happy Valley behind big expectations in 2010 but has failed to live up to the hype. He could transfer this offseason and leave this discussion. Based on potential, Bolden is better than McGloin. However, he plays scared most of the time.

Jones will be the hot commodity all offseason. Penn State fans are starved for a quarterback, and Jones is a dynamic talent. He lost the 2011 season due to academic issues, but under a new coaching staff, he will be given a fresh start.

No matter how this unfolds, Penn State cannot have an open competition during the season. They must choose a signal-caller and stick with him in order to maintain continuity on their offense.

Replace Devon Still

Devon Still was a finalist for the Bednarik Award, and he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.

Sadly, he graduates and will leave a gaping hole in the center of Penn State's defensive line. Penn State will need to replace Still if they want to continue their defensive success next season.

Jordan Hill will bump over and become the Nittany Lions' No. 1 defensive tackle. Da'Quan Jones, James Terry and freshman Tommy Schutt will all vie for the second spot in the middle.

Hill is ready for the spotlight. He had a tremendous 2011 season. His understanding of the position, explosion at the point of attack and ability to eat up blockers make him an intimidating presence.

Look for Hill to be an impact player for Penn State next season. It won't take long before Hill's name is known outside of Happy Valley, as well.

Find a New Head Coach

Penn State's No.1 priority this offseason is to fill Joe Paterno's enormous shoes on the sideline.

There is a lot of debate over realistic candidates, at this point; but if Penn State is smart, they will end this debate sooner rather than later.

Interim head coach and former defensive coordinator Tom Bradley is in the running. He's not the right choice for the future. Given Penn State's current position, Bradley is a bitter remembrance of a troubled time in Happy Valley.

Penn State needs absolute certainty on the sidelines for the future. The coaching choice cannot be a temporary or one-year fix. In terms of recruiting, this would be a treacherous mistake.

Dan Mullen, Darren Perry and others are considered possible replacements at this point. Many rumors are in fact rumors and a top candidate has yet to emerge.

Penn State faithful keep saying Mullen, but Mullen's reaction makes that possibility cloudy at best.

Bottom line, Penn State must fulfill their coaching position before they can work on anything else this offseason.