2017 Preseason Practice Articles/Discussion
- Thread starter Judge Smails
- Start date
The blocked kick thing that I see referred to as the "fluke" that allowed us to win that game is like the Zombie fact that won't die. Ohio State benefited from a blocked field goal, a fumbled punt that led to a TD for them, and a snap that sailed over our punter's head for a safety. All in the first half. But OUR special teams play makes the win a fluke.
PapaBucks 11 MINUTES AGO
Does the template include "pray like hell you get a couple blocked kicks" too?
DownEastBuck 4 HOURS AGO
PSU is talented but it took a fluke play at home, during a "white out" to beat the Buckeyes. I think a rested more experienced Ohio State team in the Shoe handles them pretty easily.
BuckeyeinWI 2 HOURS AGO
Like everyone else on this site, I'm looking forward to watching OHIO STATE kick their ass come October 28th!
Grangel3 HOURS AGO
Bought my ticket already. I project a VERY convincing win for the Buckeyes.
Celtic020 3 HOURS AGO
Timing on the schedule matters a lot in college football....no team shows up every week and plays well. Last year, we got Penn State on the road at night.....fresh off Wisconsin on the road at night. Penn State got us in that spot coming off a bye....HUGE advantage. This year, we get them off a bye at home, and they play Michigan the week before. Bet the farm -- blood bath. GO BUCKS.
Southalabamabuckeye 4 HOURS AGO
This one has an MSU 2014 feel. We know it's circled on the schedule and that Urban and the staff will have the players prepared. We also know that JT, Billy Price, and Tyquan Lewis will do their part in having the team laser focused. Buckeyes win by double digits.
KBonay
I'm not buying the McSorley stock.
What a bunch of A-holes!
They didn't score for a ton of minutes in the 2nd half. I guess that was a fluke too.
Turn on the B10 right now and watch the ending.......
Forgot that Brown blocked a punt as well....
The blocked kick thing that I see referred to as the "fluke" that allowed us to win that game is like the Zombie fact that won't die. Ohio State benefited from a blocked field goal, a fumbled punt that led to a TD for them, and a snap that sailed over our punter's head for a safety. All in the first half. But OUR special teams play makes the win a fluke.
PapaBucks 11 MINUTES AGO
Does the template include "pray like hell you get a couple blocked kicks" too?
DownEastBuck 4 HOURS AGO
PSU is talented but it took a fluke play at home, during a "white out" to beat the Buckeyes. I think a rested more experienced Ohio State team in the Shoe handles them pretty easily.
BuckeyeinWI 2 HOURS AGO
Like everyone else on this site, I'm looking forward to watching OHIO STATE kick their ass come October 28th!
Grangel
Bought my ticket already. I project a VERY convincing win for the Buckeyes.
Celtic020 3 HOURS AGO
Timing on the schedule matters a lot in college football....no team shows up every week and plays well. Last year, we got Penn State on the road at night.....fresh off Wisconsin on the road at night. Penn State got us in that spot coming off a bye....HUGE advantage. This year, we get them off a bye at home, and they play Michigan the week before. Bet the farm -- blood bath. GO BUCKS.
Southalabamabuckeye 4 HOURS AGO
This one has an MSU 2014 feel. We know it's circled on the schedule and that Urban and the staff will have the players prepared. We also know that JT, Billy Price, and Tyquan Lewis will do their part in having the team laser focused. Buckeyes win by double digits.
KBonay
I'm not buying the McSorley stock.
Really, in the second half, Ohio State had one play, the long touchdown run. Perfectly executed, called at the right time against our defense. But that was it for the entire half. One play. They did nothing offensively in the second half. And their last possession, I think they could have had 10 minutes on the clock and they wouldn't have been able to move for a score. We had them figured out. Their line could not block us. They were done.
Interesting comments on Menet from the Nate Bauer piece on the front page. https://bwi.rivals.com/news/for-younger-lions-earning-role-now-a-tougher-task
Using the possibilities that exist for redshirt freshman Michal Menet on the offensive line as an example, specifically coming off a first year in the program in which he frequently earned rave reviews, Franklin said his role this season is a solid indicator of the ways in which the program has grown.
“He looks like a big time, Big Ten offensive lineman right now. The thing that's exciting is three years ago, we would have no choice but Michal Menet would already be listed in the starting lineup,” said Franklin. “The good thing is now we're in a situation where Michal Menet... if Michal is the starter, that means he beat out some guys that we won the Big Ten Championship with last year. So that's what you'd like to get is guys across the board having to earn their jobs where three years ago we had situations where almost the entire recruiting class was showing up and from day one they were in the two-deep.
Using the possibilities that exist for redshirt freshman Michal Menet on the offensive line as an example, specifically coming off a first year in the program in which he frequently earned rave reviews, Franklin said his role this season is a solid indicator of the ways in which the program has grown.
“He looks like a big time, Big Ten offensive lineman right now. The thing that's exciting is three years ago, we would have no choice but Michal Menet would already be listed in the starting lineup,” said Franklin. “The good thing is now we're in a situation where Michal Menet... if Michal is the starter, that means he beat out some guys that we won the Big Ten Championship with last year. So that's what you'd like to get is guys across the board having to earn their jobs where three years ago we had situations where almost the entire recruiting class was showing up and from day one they were in the two-deep.
Penn State's defense dominating the line of scrimmage for the entire second half was a fluke.
Six fluke sacks. You won't see their linemen slipping on banana peels again this year.
Stripes on the practice pants for the first time. I like 'em. Wonder if they make there way to the standard uniform. We need something new to get outraged 
over.
over.
Redshirted 5* DE Shane Simmons at 250. Can't wait to see what he can do.
Returning kicks for touchdowns in 2017
So on week one is it Saquon and Boobie returning kickoffs? And punts is a 4 way battle with Mark Allen, Hippenhammer, Thompkins, and Polk?
What people seem to forget about the O$U game is Gesicki went out after his second catch on the first drive and did not return till the second half, AND Sickels I think was suspended for the first half due to skipping classes during the bye week. Those two made huge differences in the second half.
Also remember we didn't have Blacknall and Brown for The Rose Bowl. Had those two been able to play I think a different outcome there. We had a 17pt lead when Bell went out with the arm injury, Brown would have provided the missing depth. When we were a whole team last year it was very special...
Also remember we didn't have Blacknall and Brown for The Rose Bowl. Had those two been able to play I think a different outcome there. We had a 17pt lead when Bell went out with the arm injury, Brown would have provided the missing depth. When we were a whole team last year it was very special...
I watched that game last week after everyone else went to bed. PSU spotted tOSU 12 points with some very poor play (two INT's and a ball snapped over the punter's head for a Safety).
In many ways, the game was similar to Minny, Wiscy and USC. We played a horrible, mistake filed first half to come back in the second half.
Audrey SnyderVerified account@audsnyder4 Jul 30
Signee Damion Barber has yet to report. PSU optimistic he'll join the team at some point. Barber was taking care of academics in Harrisburg.https://twitter.com/gopsukris/status/891791947651833856…
Audrey Snyder added,
Kris Petersen@GoPSUKris
Here is your 2017 @PennStateFball roster heading into training camp. One # change, @FreakyyCinco is now #6. http://bit.ly/17PSUFBRoster
4:16 PM - 30 Jul 2017
Signee Damion Barber has yet to report. PSU optimistic he'll join the team at some point. Barber was taking care of academics in Harrisburg.https://twitter.com/gopsukris/status/891791947651833856…
Audrey Snyder added,
Kris Petersen@GoPSUKris
Here is your 2017 @PennStateFball roster heading into training camp. One # change, @FreakyyCinco is now #6. http://bit.ly/17PSUFBRoster
4:16 PM - 30 Jul 2017
http://www.foreverstatecollege.com/2017/08/01/observations-from-camp-day-1/
Thomas Frank Carr
Beat Writer
Penn State football enters 2017 with incredible expectations for their upcoming season. That all got started on Monday with their first practice of the year. The media were allowed to watch individual drills yesterday before the start of practice. Here are some random observations from my first glimpse of the team in Camp.
Newbies
The full 2017 recruiting class was finally at practice and boy, do they stand out. Many years when freshman come into camp they look like….well freshman. Head coach James Franklin and his staff recruited some incredibly physically talented players this year. There were two players from the class in particular that stood out to me. Yetur Matos stands at 6-5, 242 pounds and looks like a fully grown man. With a deep crop of pass rushers in front of him, Matos likely won’t see much time but the first thing you say when you see him is ‘wow’. Franklin said this winter that Matos could be a surprise of the call,
“I know this sounds ridiculous but you say the sleeper of the class but he could be the sleeper of the class. I now he’s a four start recruit and all of that stuff, but he can to camp and ran one of the more ridiculous times that I’ve sever teemed a guy for the position he plays. He’s just gonna get bigger, stronger more explosive. He’s playing basketball. We’re really, really excited about him.”
When you see him in person, you can see why. Matos could be a legitimate 270 pound athlete in a couple of years, his frame looks big enough to fill out.
C.J. Thorpe leaves you with a similar feeling. After seeing offensive lineman over the past few years that looked more like power forwards than offensive lineman, Thorpe is what you expect to see in a lineman at 6-3, 323 pounds. His other characteristic, according to Franklin, is his demeanor.
“He’s got something that most coaches are looking for. He’s an offensive lineman with a nastiness to him. He plays with a really nasty demeanor. He wants to finish you. He wants to be physical, when you can find guys like that, that’s really valuable. When you look at this recruiting class, they all show that.”
Early enrollee Mike Miranda has already been impressing coaches and teammates to this point. Thorpe may be a bit farther behind him, but he’s got just as bright of a future at Penn State.
Tommy Stevens
We all got a taste of what Tommy Stevens can do with the ball during the Blue-White game this spring. In five minutes of watching him doing position drills on Monday, he reinforced the hype surrounding him this spring. His footwork is crisp and lightning quick. It’s going to be hard to keep him on the sideline much longer. Aside from just looking the part, Stevens throws a great ball. I would imagine they’ll have several packages for him this season. He’s too good of an athlete not to.
Thomas Frank Carr
Beat Writer
Penn State football enters 2017 with incredible expectations for their upcoming season. That all got started on Monday with their first practice of the year. The media were allowed to watch individual drills yesterday before the start of practice. Here are some random observations from my first glimpse of the team in Camp.
Newbies
The full 2017 recruiting class was finally at practice and boy, do they stand out. Many years when freshman come into camp they look like….well freshman. Head coach James Franklin and his staff recruited some incredibly physically talented players this year. There were two players from the class in particular that stood out to me. Yetur Matos stands at 6-5, 242 pounds and looks like a fully grown man. With a deep crop of pass rushers in front of him, Matos likely won’t see much time but the first thing you say when you see him is ‘wow’. Franklin said this winter that Matos could be a surprise of the call,
“I know this sounds ridiculous but you say the sleeper of the class but he could be the sleeper of the class. I now he’s a four start recruit and all of that stuff, but he can to camp and ran one of the more ridiculous times that I’ve sever teemed a guy for the position he plays. He’s just gonna get bigger, stronger more explosive. He’s playing basketball. We’re really, really excited about him.”
When you see him in person, you can see why. Matos could be a legitimate 270 pound athlete in a couple of years, his frame looks big enough to fill out.
C.J. Thorpe leaves you with a similar feeling. After seeing offensive lineman over the past few years that looked more like power forwards than offensive lineman, Thorpe is what you expect to see in a lineman at 6-3, 323 pounds. His other characteristic, according to Franklin, is his demeanor.
“He’s got something that most coaches are looking for. He’s an offensive lineman with a nastiness to him. He plays with a really nasty demeanor. He wants to finish you. He wants to be physical, when you can find guys like that, that’s really valuable. When you look at this recruiting class, they all show that.”
Early enrollee Mike Miranda has already been impressing coaches and teammates to this point. Thorpe may be a bit farther behind him, but he’s got just as bright of a future at Penn State.
Tommy Stevens
We all got a taste of what Tommy Stevens can do with the ball during the Blue-White game this spring. In five minutes of watching him doing position drills on Monday, he reinforced the hype surrounding him this spring. His footwork is crisp and lightning quick. It’s going to be hard to keep him on the sideline much longer. Aside from just looking the part, Stevens throws a great ball. I would imagine they’ll have several packages for him this season. He’s too good of an athlete not to.
http://pennstate.247sports.com/Article/Freshmen-join-Penn-States-official-roster-105678872
Shortly before breaking for camp, Penn State updated its official 2017 roster, a list that now includes all true freshmen who arrived on campus five weeks ago. The height and weight of every Nittany Lion freshman is listed below.
Of note: Defensive end Damion Barber is absent from the roster. His status remains TBD.
DT Corey Bolds 6-3/285
LB Ellis Brooks 6-1/220
CB DJ Brown 5-10/175
RB Journey Brown 5-11/194
LS Joe Calcagno 6-0/256
CB Tariq Castro-Fields 6-0/185
QB Sean Clifford 6-2/211
LB Brelin Faison-Walden 6-1/200
LB Brailyn Franklin 6-1/204
DE Yetur Gross-Matos 6-5/242
WR KJ Hamler 5-9/165
DT Fred Hansard 6-3/302
S Drew Hartlaub 5-11/180
WR Mac Hippenhammer 5-11/175
WR Alex Hoestine 6-1/175
OL Des Holmes 6-5/325
CB Donovan Johnson 5-9/175
K/P Carson Landis 6-2/200
OL Robbie Martin 6-4/280
OL Crae McCracken 6-2/301
OL Mike Miranda 6-3/295
LS Chris Stoll 6-2/239
WR Cameron Sullivan-Brown 6-0/182
S Jonathan Sutherland 5-11/191
OL C.J. Thorpe 6-3/314
CB Lamont Wade 5-9/190
WR Justin Weller 6-0/187
Shortly before breaking for camp, Penn State updated its official 2017 roster, a list that now includes all true freshmen who arrived on campus five weeks ago. The height and weight of every Nittany Lion freshman is listed below.
Of note: Defensive end Damion Barber is absent from the roster. His status remains TBD.
DT Corey Bolds 6-3/285
LB Ellis Brooks 6-1/220
CB DJ Brown 5-10/175
RB Journey Brown 5-11/194
LS Joe Calcagno 6-0/256
CB Tariq Castro-Fields 6-0/185
QB Sean Clifford 6-2/211
LB Brelin Faison-Walden 6-1/200
LB Brailyn Franklin 6-1/204
DE Yetur Gross-Matos 6-5/242
WR KJ Hamler 5-9/165
DT Fred Hansard 6-3/302
S Drew Hartlaub 5-11/180
WR Mac Hippenhammer 5-11/175
WR Alex Hoestine 6-1/175
OL Des Holmes 6-5/325
CB Donovan Johnson 5-9/175
K/P Carson Landis 6-2/200
OL Robbie Martin 6-4/280
OL Crae McCracken 6-2/301
OL Mike Miranda 6-3/295
LS Chris Stoll 6-2/239
WR Cameron Sullivan-Brown 6-0/182
S Jonathan Sutherland 5-11/191
OL C.J. Thorpe 6-3/314
CB Lamont Wade 5-9/190
WR Justin Weller 6-0/187
Top 25 players in college football, per ESPN:
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/20148837/college-football-top-50-players-2017-season
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/20148837/college-football-top-50-players-2017-season
Penn State offensive linemen Steven Gonzalez (57) and Ryan Bates (52). Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Bob Flounders, PennLive
Some of the most interesting maneuvering during Penn State spring practices could occur on the Lions’ offensive line. Many positions are set as James Franklin’s program returns a ton of experienced players from the Big Ten title team that finished 11-3. But there is some uncertainty on the offensive line.
Penn State must replace center Brian Gaia and a couple of veterans are coming off injury plagued 2016 seasons. But the Lions’ linemen group, coached by Matt Limegrover, will be deeper as a few promising second-year players are coming off their redshirt seasons and PSU has a couple of talented true freshmen in its 2017 class, one who participated in spring drills.
Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
What does Penn State’s offensive line look like heading into August practice? It would appear three positions are set at the start but Matt Limegrover and the Lions have to decide on the guard spots. Two of PSU’s most talented players can play multiple spots. The projected starting five at the beginning of camp may not be first-teamers by the time the Sept. 2 opener with Akron rolls around. Here are the players to watch on Penn State’s offensive line.
THE LOCKS
Ryan Bates
Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover and offensive lineman Ryan Bates.
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Bates is one of the top young linemen in the Big Ten and coming off a season in which he played very well for Penn State at the left guard and the left tackle positions. Bates is slotted to begin the season at the left tackle spot after he finished 2016 there.
Penn State offensive linemen Connor McGovern (66) and Ryan Bates (52). Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Bates is of several Penn State offensive linemen with significant starting experience. The Lions could also use a couple of veterans, Brendan Mahon and Andrew Nelson, as the tackle spots and move Bates inside. Another possibility at tackle is redshirt freshman Will Fries.
Connor McGovern
Penn State offensive lineman Ryan Bates and quarterback Tommy Stevens. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover’s first option to replace Brian Gaia at center is second-year sophomore Connor McGovern, who finished 2016 as the Lions’ right guard. McGovern worked extensively at center in the spring and he is Penn State’s top option there at the start of August practices.
Penn State offensive lineman Connor McGovern (66). Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
McGovern, a Pennsylvania prep standout, enrolled early to take participate in spring drills and the experience helped him during the regular season. He’s added size and strength and McGovern is still working on the intricacies of the center spot. McGovern, listed at 310 pounds, should provide the Lions’ inside running game with more push.
Chasz Wright
Penn State offensive lineman Chasz Wright. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Penn State coach James Franklin and Chasz Wright. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Chasz Wright was one of Penn State’s biggest surprises during the 2016 season. Wright took over the right tackle spot during second half of the season after Brendan Mahon, Andrew Nelson and Paris Palmer suffered injuries. Wright is one of the biggest players on the team and he finished the spring as the first-team right tackle.
TOP CONTENDERS
Brendan Mahon
Penn State offensive linemen Brendan Mahon (70) and Andrew Nelson (59) along with offensive line coach Matt Limegrover. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive.
Brendan Mahon is back for another season after the tackle-guard couldn’t finish the 2016 season. He was injured against Iowa and did not play again. Mahon began 2016 as the left tackle and moved to the right tackle spot before getting injured. He is one of Penn State’s most versatile lineman but he has some work left to do in August.
Penn State offensive lineman Brendan Mahon. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Mahon has played all over the Lions’ offensive line. And starting at both left tackle and right tackle. At the start of August, it would appear that Mahon is being prepped to play guard. If he can regain his 2016 form, Mahon is going to be one of Penn State’s top five linemen heading into 2017.
Steven Gonzalez
Penn State offensive lineman Steven Gonzalez and James Franklin. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Penn State offensive lineman Steven Gonzalez. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Steven Gonzalez is one of Penn State’s biggest offensive interior linemen and he was a key player on the Lions’ 2016 offensive line down the stretch. Gonzalez is a top contender to start on PSU’s offensive line but he will face competition from some of the Lions’ younger guards.
THE VETERAN WILD CARD
Andrew Nelson
Penn State offensive lineman Andrew Nelson. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLlve
Penn State offensive linemen Andrew Nelson (left) and David Joyner. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Andrew Nelson, the Hershey High graduate, is Penn State’s most experienced offensive tackle and a starter for the Lions’ since the 2014 season. But Nelson has dealt with significant injuries the last two seasons and he’s spent much of the offseason doing rehab work. There was speculation during spring that Nelson might be in the mix for PSU at guard but tackle is his best position. He could challenge to start or end up being the Lions’ swing tackle, a valuable spot given all of the injuries PSU suffered last year.
PLAYERS PUSHING FOR PLAYING TIME
Michal Menet
Penn State offensive lineman Michal Menet (62). Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive.
Michal Menet was one of Penn State’s top 2016 recruits and a player coming off his redshirt season. Menet has the size and athleticism to play multiple positions for the Lions but he may be headed inside to one of the guard spots. Menet did not work much during spring and August will be a big month for him if he is going to become a key contributor in 2017.
Will Fries
Penn State offensive tackle Will Fries and guard Chasz Wright line up during practice on the Lasch outdoor fields on Oct. 5, 2016. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
Will Fries’ name came up frequently down the stretch of Penn State’s 2016 regular season. With PSU struggling to find players for depth at the tackle spots due to injury, James Franklin considered burning Fries’ redshirt. But he stayed on the sideline and now PSU has Fries for four seasons. He may be able to help at one of the tackle spots in the fall.
Mike Miranda
Penn State offensive lineman Mike Miranda. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Lamont Wade is the most likely true freshman to play in 2017 after the aggressive corner turned in a strong performance during winter conditioning and spring drills. But offensive guard Mike Miranda, another January enrollee, also caught the eye of James Franklin and his assistants. A feisty player with good size, Miranda is being fast-tracked at Penn State.
WHAT ABOUT ...
Alex Gellerstedt
Penn State offensive lineman Alex Gellerstedt. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive.
Alex Gellerstedt is a 6-6, 300-pound redshirt freshman tackle prospect who has potential but remains short on experience heading into August practices. Gellerstedt is a player who can help the Lions down the line but there are a few players in front of him.
C.J. Thorpe
Penn State offensive lineman C.J. Thorpe. Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Penn State offensive lineman Sterling Jenkins (right). Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
C.J. Thorpe is a top talent in Penn State’s 2017 recruiting class and he projects to be a prominent player for the Lions early in his career. He is behind Mike Miranda, who enrolled in January. But Thorpe, a physical player, is a player who figures to help Penn State at either guard or center.
Sterling Jenkins
Penn State offensive linemen Chasz Wright (77) and Sterling Jenkins (76). Photo by Joe Hermitt, PennLive
Sterling Jenkins continues to work at becoming a major college tackle and Jenkins was praised by O-line coach Matt Limegrover near the end of spring drills. Now in his third season with Penn State, it’s fair to say that Jenkins has to make his move on the depth chart sooner, rather than later.
Blue skies, green grass, Mt. Nittany in the background, coaches shoutin', players playin' --- what a welcome sight!
Daesean comes down with a great catch on a perfectly thrown deep ball by Trace between Troy Apke and Marcus Allen, right at the end.
50/50 Armpunt, you mean.
We're exploring new ground here. First time I can remember a great deep ball team is labeled "lucky".
Where would you guess we ranked nationally in rushing yards per game last year?
Answer: https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/teams/ppb
Answer: https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/teams/ppb
wow...had no idea we were that low.
I watched the tOSU, Wiscy and Rose Bowl. I can tell you that several on the oline got man-handled after the injuries set in. In the Bowl, we were down to our third string right tackle (after Paris got hurt) and started a guy who was supposed to redshirt (true frosh) in the Rose. And he got lit up all night.
We remember the fireworks, but it is easy to forget that the offense really didn't start clicking until after the Ohio State game, which was game #7. The passing game was rough and Barkley had a hard time finding any running room against defenses that were ignoring McSorley and the receivers.
It was the second half of the Purdue game, in game 8, that the offense finally found itself. For this season, the offense still has a lot to improve on, such as starting faster and not allowing inferior teams to hang around into the 3rd quarter. Our offense was basically non-existent in the first half of most games last year. Let's see how Moorhead fixes that.
Stripes on the practice pants for the first time. I like 'em. Wonder if they make there way to the standard uniform. We need something new to get outraged
It's great to have a source of legitimate OUTRAGE.
on just the second day of camp. I am really psyched for this season.
According to this yardbird 'We Are' to be disappointed this season!It's great to have a source of legitimate OUTRAGE.
A win/loss numbers game doesn’t entirely define my measurement of the season.
Don't believe the hype: 3 teams most likely to disappoint in 2017
sports 15 hours ago theScore
by Taboola
The offseason is a time for fans and pundits to hype up teams heading into the upcoming campaign based on a number of factors.
Whether it's the way it closed out the previous year, excitement about new roster additions, or the anticipation of young players reaching their potential, it's easy to buy into a program's chances.
Often, though, that belief doesn't translate into success on the field.
Here are three teams likely to disappoint in 2017:
Penn State
The Nittany Lions took a major step forward under James Franklin last season, capturing the Big Ten championship thanks to some improbable heroics.
Those heroics included a narrow overtime win over Minnesota, a stunning upset against Ohio State thanks to a blocked field goal for a touchdown, and overcoming a 21-point deficit in the Big Ten title game against Wisconsin. Let's first give Penn State credit for pulling out those victories, but the likelihood of Franklin and Co. being on the right side of that many close games two years in a row seems highly unlikely.
Even with those wins and an 11-2 record, the Nittany Lions still fell short of reaching the College Football Playoff.
Penn State may very well be improved this season, but the odds of it winning more than 11 games and securing a spot in the playoff seem too much to overcome.
Oklahoma State
After back-to-back 10-win seasons for the Cowboys, and with Texas in a rebuilding phase and Oklahoma transitioning to a new head coach, it would appear 2017 might be time for Oklahoma State to win the Big 12 and challenge for a playoff spot.
Not so fast. Although Mike Gundy and Co. are stellar on offense, averaging more than 38 points per game last season, their defense isn't anywhere near good enough to compete for a playoff spot. The Cowboys conceded an average of 457 yards per game in 2016, good enough for 108th in the country.
A quick glance at Oklahoma State's schedule sees the Cowboys face a stretch where they meet Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas, West Virginia, and Oklahoma in succession, with three of those coming on the road - not to mention a tough early season showdown at Pitt.
Given their dismal defense, it would be hard to imagine Oklahoma State escaping that gauntlet without two losses, likely ending any hopes of a playoff spot.
Louisville
Louisville was in the playoff conversation for a large portion of last season, before a late-season collapse ended those hopes. The Cardinals suffered a trio of disappointing losses, perhaps signaling things to come in 2017.
There's no question Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson carried the team, and when his play dropped slightly, the team went with him. Jackson torched defenses last season to the tune of 51 total touchdowns, but fell back down to earth in his final four contests, compiling just two rushing scores and four through the air over that span.
It's unrealistic to think he can match last season's pace in 2017, especially with the opposition now having hours of video at their disposal to study him.
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