When Penn State officially opens up spring practice on Friday, March 18, the competition to be named the starting quarterback for the 2011 college football season will be given the green light.

For a second straight season, there should be a wide-open competition for the starting job at quarterback for the Nittany Lions. After the departure of two-year starter Daryll Clark following the 2009 season, all eyes were placed on Kevin Newsome heading into the spring, but Newsome failed to impress the coaching staff and allowed the rest of the competition to catch up to him.

Over the summer it was Rob Bolden—a true freshman who arrived on campus that summer—who emerged as the starting quarterback, but the season ended with Matt McGloin leading the offense on the field for Joe Paterno and Penn State.

Will McGloin hold on to the starting job or will Bolden rebound with a strong spring? Perhaps the more pertinent question should be whether or not Bolden will remain at Penn State or transfer out of the program. What about Kevin Newsome, who was also thought to be on his way out in the offseason? Finally, what will Paul Jones bring to the field after being redshirted in 2010?

Here is a look at the four players in the discussion for the starting quarterback spot at Penn State.

The Candidates

Matt McGloin, Junior

2010: Played in nine games for the Nittany Lions and completed 54.9 percent of his passes for 1,548 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the team in the two latter categories. Took over starting job while Rob Bolden was recovering from a concussion and ended the season with a record number of interceptions thrown in an Outback Bowl loss to the Florida Gators.

No player inspired the term “moxie” to be used like McGloin did in the 2010 season. Credited with giving the offense a spark on offense in relief of Bolden, McGloin also drew heavy criticism for his decision-making and interception total. McGloin threw nine interceptions, with a pair being returned for touchdowns at Ohio State.

The question is whether or not Joe Paterno, who had multiple opportunities to pull McGloin and insert Bolden back in the offense but never did, will have the faith in having the Scranton native leading what is expected to be an improved offense in 2011.

Rob Bolden, Sophomore

2010: Named the starting quarterback as a true freshman, Bolden completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,360 yards in 10 total games. Bolden had five touchdowns and seven interceptions, struggling in the red zone along with the rest of the offense. Symptoms of a concussion essentially ended Bolden’s season at Minnesota.

Bolden entered the 2010 season with some high expectations from the fans after being named the starting quarterback at the beginning of the season as a true freshman, but after being knocked out of a game at Minnesota and struggling in his return against Northwestern, the freshman from Michigan never had an opportunity to redeem himself.

The opinions on what to do with Bolden were mixed at times in the fanbase, with a number of fans perfectly willing to accept a season of growing pains with a freshman at quarterback. Bolden, who has yet to truly state he will be at Penn State in 2011 and beyond, remains a question mark heading into the spring. If he stays at Penn State with a full season under his belt, then he could be considered a strong candidate to win the starting job back starting this spring and leading into the summer.

Kevin Newsome, Junior

2010: Entered spring and summer as the projected starter by many but ultimately took a back seat to Bolden. When Bolden went down at Minnesota, McGloin was the first quarterback to see time as a backup and took more snaps behind center than Newsome as the two split backup duty. Played in parts of six games, completing 6-of-13 passes for 78 yards. Rushed 14 times for 59 yards.

Is it fair to write Newsome off as a contender for the starting job or will he stick around at Penn State and make a serious case for playing time in 2011? That is one question to keep in mind in this conversation. Like Bolden, Newsome appeared to be leaving the program but spring practices will begin with the Virginia native still on campus and enrolled in classes. If he decides to stick with the football program, then he has the ability to change the way coaches look at him.

He may not be the most athletic quarterback in the bunch now, but if he can work on his passing mechanics and show the leadership expected of a junior, then do not be surprised if he can make a push to win back the coaches who make the decision. Still, he is considered a long shot in the competition.

Paul Jones, Sophomore

2010: Redshirted for his freshman season after dazzling in the spring Blue White Game.

Paul Jones came to Penn State in the same recruiting class as Bolden, but despite arriving on campus before Bolden and playing in the Blue White Game in April, the coaches opted to keep Bolden on the active roster and give Jones a redshirt season. This spring, Jones should show what he has learned in his time watching and learning on the sidelines.

Jones is commonly thought to be the most athletic quarterback on the roster, and many scouts feel that he brings the most to the table in the long run. With a strong showing in the spring, he could work his way to the front of the competition behind center, which could lead to some interesting decisions by Bolden and Newsome. If Jones emerges as the frontrunner, would Bolden or Newsome consider leaving in search of more playing time?

Clearly the Penn State quarterback competition will be the most interesting battle this spring in Happy Valley. Let the competition begin!

Kevin McGuire covers Penn State football for Examiner.com. Follow his Penn State updates on Twitter.

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