QB McGloin set to lead Penn State’s new offense

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — June 1 was a pretty significant day in the life of Matt McGloin.

That was the day that new Penn State coach Bill O’Brien decided that McGloin, a former walk-on, was to be the next starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions and was going to help usher in this new era of football here under center — and under the spotlight.

Indeed, O’Brien wanted just one player to run his NFL-type offense, and McGloin grasped the playbook faster and had more success than Paul Jones and Rob Bolden.

So, McGloin grabbed the title, and will soon lead the Nittany Lions into preseason camp with a new offense and a new outlook.

“It was a load off my mind. You don’t have to worry about looking over your shoulder every two seconds, seeing where you stand,” McGloin said. “Last year, it was ‘If I don’t practice well Tuesday or Wednesday, I didn’t know if I was going to play on Saturday.’ … Now that I’m the guy, I know I have to work harder than ever to maintain that position and to prove everybody wrong.”

Penn State opens the season on Sept. 1 vs. Ohio.