At this point the Rivals recruiting rankings for PSU and Rutgers is interesting but misleading.

For PSU, we've got 21 commits already and have exceeded to "top 20" scoring limit. We are ranked 7th. What this means is that any further commits will have a minimal effect on our ranking score. There are lots of teams behind us now that will pass us. Our challenge will be to stay in the top 15.

Rutgers ranking of 13th is even more misleading. While I note that Rutgers is having an excellent year for Rutgers, in their 29 commits, there are only 4 4stars in their commits. I do note that Rutgers has a higher than usual number of high (5.7) 3stars. Still, Rutgers will finish out of the top 20 and may have to hope they stay in the top 25. However, for Rutgers, Schiano is doing his best job yet.

Post in thread 'Happy Valley Insider FOOTBALL SCOOP'
https://pennstate.forums.rivals.com/threads/happy-valley-insider-football-scoop.350650/post-6725097

What criteria meets your definition of a good year for Penn State football? There are those that feel nothing less than a national championship is satisfactory. I place those morons with unrealistic expectations on ignore immediately. Is it a NY 6 Bowl game? A NY 6 bowl win? A Big 10 Championship? A top-10 ranking? Beating Ohio State? A 10-win season? Making the college football playoff? Making it to the Big 10 Championship Game? A combination of the aforementioned?

To me, it's been a 10-win season with a NY6 bowl game and even more so with a NY6 bowl win, and beginning in 2024, to me it's now a 10-win season and making the college football playoff. Sign me up for that every year.

Which schools had the most good years (10 wins & a bowl game win (not necessarily NY6) or playoff win) since 1950? And before you think that sounds easy, keep in mind there have been 74 football seasons played since 1950.

27 – Alabama (’52, ’61, ’62, ’66, ’75, ’77, ’78, ’79, ’80, ’86, ’91, ’92, 94, ’96, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’15, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20, ’21, ’22, ‘23) not including ’93 and ’05 both vacated.

20 – Georgia (’59, ’66, ’71, ’80, ’83, ’92, ’97, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’07, ’08, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’17, ’19, ’21, ’22, ‘23)

20 – Penn State (’68, ’69, ’71, ’73, ’74, ’77, ’80, ’81, ’82, ’86, ’91, ’93, ’94, ’96, ’99, ’05, ’09, ’17, ’19, ‘22)

19 – Oklahoma (’55, ’57, ’58, ’67, ’71, ’75, ’78, ’79, ’80, ’85, ’86, ’00, ’01, ’02, ’10, ’11, ’13, 16, ’21) (’54 & ’56 consecutive bowl appearances prohibited by conference.)

17 – Florida State (’77, ’87, ’88, ’89, ’90, ’91, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’97, ’99, ’10, ’12, ’13, ’16, ‘22)

17 – USC (’52, ’62, ’67, ’69, ’72, ’74, ’76, ’78, ’79, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’13, ’16)

15 – Nebraska (’63, ’70, ’71, ’80, ’82, ’84, ’86, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’97, ’99, ’00, ’03, ’09)

16 – Ohio State (’54, ’68, ’73, ’86, ’93, ’96, ’98, ’02, ’03, ’05, ’09, ’14, ’15, ’17, ’18, ’21)

15 – Texas (’61, ’63, ’64, ’69, ’72, ’75, ’81, ’01, ’02, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’18)

14 – Clemson (’78, ’81, ’87, ’88, ’89, ’90, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’18, ’19, ’21)

14 – LSU (’58, ’61, ’87, ’96, ’01, ’03, ’05, ’06, ’10, ’13, ’18. ’19, ’22, ‘23)

13 – Notre Dame (’70, ’73, ’74, ’77, ’88, ’89, ’91, ’92, ’93, ’15, ’17, ’19, ‘23)

13 – Tennessee (’50, ’70, ’71, ’72, ’87, ’89, ’95, ’96, ’98, ’01, ’04, ’07, ‘22)

12 – Washington (’59, ’60, ’77, ’79, ’81, ’82, ’84, ’90, ’91, ’00, ’22, ‘23)

10 – Florida (’93, ’96, ’97, ’98, ’01, ’06, ’08, ’09, ’18, ’19)

10 – Oregon (’00, ’01, ’08, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’19, ’22, ‘23)

10 – Wisconsin (’93, ’98, ’99, ’05, ’06, ’09, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17)

9 – Auburn (’72, ’74, ’83, ’86, ’89, ’97, ’04, ’06, ’10)

9 – Miami (’83, ’87, ’88, ’89, ’90, ’91, ’00, ’01, ’03)

9 – Michigan (’80, ’85, ’97, ’98, ’99, ’02, ’11, ’15, ‘23)

7 – UCLA (’82, ’87, ’88, ’97, ’05, ’13, ’14)

Care to toughen up the criteria?
Which schools had the most very good years (1 loss or less & a major bowl game or playoff win) since 1950?

18 – Alabama (’61, ’62, ’65, ’66, ’75, ’77, ’78, ’79, ’92, ’09, ’11, ’12, ’15, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’20, ’21)

12 – Oklahoma (’53, ’55, ’57, ’58, ’67, ’71, ’75, ’78, ’79, ’83, ’86, ’00)

(’54 and ’56 could not make consecutive bowl appearance as conference champion.)

12 – USC (’52, ’62, ’67, ’69, ’72, ’74, ’76, ’78, ’79, ’03, ’04, ’08)

11 – Ohio State (’54, ’57, ’68, ’73, ’96, ’98, ’02, ’14, ’15, ’18, ’20)

(’61 opted not to go to Rose Bowl and in ’10 wins were vacated)

10 – Texas (’61, ’63, ’64, ’68, ’69, ’72, ’81, ’04, ’05, ’08)

9 – Washington (’59, ’60, ’77, ’81, ’84, ’90, ’91, ’00, ‘23)

8 – Florida State (’87, ’88, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’97, ’99, ’13)

8 – Georgia (’59, ’66, ’80, ’83, ’02, ’21, ’22, ‘23)

8 – Nebraska (’63, ’70, ’71, ’82, ’94, ’95, ’97, ’99)

8 – Penn State (’68, ’69, ’71, ’73, ’82, ’86, ’94, ’05)

7 – Miami (’83, ’87, ’88, ’89, ’91, ’00, ’01)

7- Notre Dame (’70, ’73, ’77, ’88, ’89, ’92, ’93)

(’53 and ’66 Notre Dame chose to not go to a bowl game)

6 – Clemson (’50, ’81, ’15, ’16, ’18, ’ 19)

5 – LSU (’58, ’61, ’62, ’03, ’19)

5 – Tennessee (’50, ’70, ’85, ’89, ’98)

4 – Auburn (’83, ’87* tie in Sugar Bowl, ’04, ’10)

4 – Florida (’96, ’06, ’08, ’09)

4 – Michigan (’64, ’92, ’97, ‘23)

3 – Arkansas (’64, ’68, ’77)

3 – Michigan State (’53, ’55, ’13)

(’66 could not go to the Rose Bowl consecutive years as conference champion.)

3 – Wisconsin (’93, ’98, ’17)

So what criteria meets your definition of a good year for Penn State football?

Figured I'd post this for the old timers and folks who want a glimpse back at the way college football used to be. This is also Joe in his prime which is a thing of beauty.
Paterno

This time of year I always seem to get sinus headaches, what works best for you guys as far as non prescription, over the counter medicine? Advil or Tylenol? Tylenol sinus? Drops? Help a brother out...

See the attached. Apparently, much of the seating on one sideline is going to be unusable in 2024, and the available seating on that sideline is going to be temporary.

It finally dawned on me who former Penn State special teams coordinator Joe Lorig looks like, David Morse.

Anyone else experiencing functionality problems on this site?

Son and family are vacationing on Marco Island. Wonder if anyone here lives there or has been there...your impressions?

My brother-in-law graduated from the Naval Academy years ago. After my sister and him got married, I spent a lot of time going down to Annapolis. My wife's birthday is July 5 so we like to get a room at the Marriott waterfront and watch the fireworks in the fourth and then maybe staying another day or two. Wonder her favorite steak houses is Lewnes in Annapolis.

It was just this past year that I found out that the owners family had had a believe to all American wrestler from Cornell. I talked to Matt today. He was at the host station. Great fellow and he said some nice things about psu. He said it's kinda hard to hate the big dog or the top team like Penn State when it's so much fun to watch them wrestle.

TOP 5 PSU VIDEO GAME PLAYERS

See link. Fun trip down digital memory lane that we spent way too much time researching. Tried to find a unique angle/storyline to each player in each game. Hopefully this partially fills the gap between now and the release of the new game.

I'm currently reading a book about the Florida Gators football history, and I came upon an interesting tidbit from the 1962 Gator Bowl played between Florida and PSU. In that game, PSU was 9-1 and heavily favored. Florida actually wore helmets that had the Confederate Battle Flag on them because they were playing a Northern school. Unfortunately, they upset PSU 17-7. The only photo that I could download is attached.

Break out the ole crystal ball, dust it off, polish it up, and then tell us what you see c. mid October????

WHO ( which five kids) will be on the tips of our collective tongues at that point in time?

To me I think I can almost make out - from the jumble of names -

DAllar
CCousins
DDS
KalebArtis
and a break out receiver I cant quite make out........to be named later.

His size, & vision reminds me a-lot of a young Marcus Allen

I read Ohiiio State rc'vd a verbal this week from an SJP DL. What seems to be the problem with PSU recruiting their players? This was a problem even before NIL. Wasn't a former SJP coach on the PSU staff recently as an advisor? Puzzling to me.

Penn State has made the Top 10 for Class of 2026, Winslow Township (NJ) athlete Nyqir Helton. This is one PSU could win if they push, as Bill Belton is the program's head coach.

Not trying to rattle any cages with another false alarm, just sharing what I saw.

On Twitter Taz Williams just started following Pony Sports DTX NIL Collective, which is SMUs collective on July 5. I would say this is notable. Yet same day a CB for Taz to PSU was entered.

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm not saying we are losing Taz but this can be concerning.

Recruiting in the NIL era is absolutely crazy and certainly does NOT favor Penn St.

Shane Beamer today put out a tweet saying he just got off the phone with a prospect who will be committing to them. In his tweet it shows Alshon Jeffery in an Eagles Uniform which some SCarolina fans think is a hint at a PA WR.....Lex Cyrus.

Let me clarify not saying this tweet is 100% Lex, but it certainly could be.

Can't post the tweet from my device but you can go to Shane Beamers twitter and probably see it.

IMO T.A. has shown great ability to get the most out of his players/use them in ways that highlight their talents/motive them to play above what their "talent " would seem to be. But most of all, he can compete with anybody.

His coaching style seems to take the focus off himself, and puts in on the team. And I think that will come to light in our Big Games. We will play sound D, make fewer mistakes, and keep us in the games against the "Big Boys."

There will be some expected growing pains in Sept, and Oct, but by November it will be clear we are a more confident team on D. This will in turn help DA and the O learn how to rally in tough games, and, hopefully, discover the so far elusive "explosiveness" that has held us back when it counts the most.

With a little luck, we make it to the playoffs in 2024.

My greatest concern is Coach burning himself out. He's one intense man! But not having the burdens a HC must shoulder should let him focus on being one of the best DCs in the Land.