MIKE GROSS | Sports WriterConsidering that it’s February, last week was a busy one for Penn State football. A look back:
A resolution to name the field at Beaver Stadium Paterno Field, and to hold a Joe and Sue Paterno Day this fall, was introduced at a meeting of Penn State’s Board of Trustees meeting Friday.
The resolution came from board member Anthony Lubrano.
"All of us in this room should be immensely proud of the culture that (Joe Paterno’s) thinking helped to create," Lubrano said.
"So my fellow trustees, we have reached the moment of truth. Are we going to honor two people (Joe and Sue) who have literally given their lives in the pursuit of a better Penn State? Or are we going to allow fear-mongering to prevail?"
Why the moment of truth arrived Fridat was unclear to fellow trustee Jay Paterno, Joe’s son and former assistant, who asked that the resolution be held until, “we've charted the course to meet the same vision and shared history of the two people we hope to honor."
Jay Paterno has been something of a budget hawk in his tenure on the board, opposing many of the spending increases for facilities and staff within the football program. The course-charting referred to above is a reference to a University-wide plan to cut $94 million in budgetary spending in 2025.
After Jay Paterno spoke Friday, Lubrano withdrew the resolution, reserving the option to re-introduce at another time.
Enter trustee Brandon Short, former Penn State linebacker, international investment banker and something of an adversary to Jay Paterno on spending issues.
Short has advocated athletic, and in particular football, spending to keep up with Ohio State, Michigan et al. Beyond that, Short has been critical of certain trustees for undermining athletics by discouraging donors from giving to the football program and NIL initiatives.
He is also, safe to say, not an Anthony Lubrano fan.
“There are people here that no one would ever know if it wasn’t for the scandal and what happened to Joe Paterno,” Short said.
“They use that constantly. Please stop. Stop. If you really wanted to do the resolution then put the resolution up and call for it. But to put it up and then pull it back means you never wanted it, and it doesn’t seem like you actually care about it.”
Short flatly blamed people, obviously including Lubrano, for “using Joe Paterno's name to be re-elected," to the board.
"As much as I support this resolution, support honoring Joe Paterno and honoring Sue and doing everything that we can to honor their name, I don't support continued political stunts in Joe Paterno's name,’’ he said.
“Please stop using Joe Paterno as a political football."
Nit notes: In actual football news, Abdul Carter is moving to defensive end.
It isn’t often that an all-conference player changes positions, especially a linebacker at Linebacker U.
Carter, a junior, was all-Big Ten at LB as a freshman and sophomore. He is a dynamic player with a rare combination of strength and explosiveness. He moves to the edge rusher spot vacated by last years starting ends, Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac, who have been invited to the NFL scouting combine.
With Carter and junior Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State will have a pair of ends with comparable athleticism to Robinson and Isaac. The Lions also seem set at linebackers with returners Kobe King, Tyler Eldson, Dom Deluca and Tony Rojas.
As Mark Wogenrich of SI.com points out, Tom Allen, Penn State’s new defensive coordinator, has in previous jobs employed a LB/DE hybrid position he calls the Bull. Carter could be a brilliant fit for that role.
One more noteworthy position change: Mehki Flowers, a redshirt sophomore from Central Dauphin East High in Harrisburg, has moved from safety to wide receiver.
