Best Players of the Past 5 Years

[psu skp]

All-Penn State Team 2012-2016 (post Paterno):

First Team / Second Team
WR Chris Godwin (2016) Brandon Mosby-Felder (2012)
OT Donovan Smith (2014) Adam Gress (2013)
G Miles Dieffenbach (2013) Ryan Bates (2016)
C Ty Howle (2013) Matt Stankiewitch (2012)
G John Urschel (2013) Brian Gaia (2015)
OT Garry Gilliam (2013) Mike Farrell (2012)
TE Jesse James (2014) Mike Gesicki (2016)
WR DaeSean Hamilton (2016) Eugene Lewis (2014)
QB Matt McGloin (2012) Trace McSorley (2016)
RB Saquon Barkley (2016) Bill Belton (2014)
WR Allen Robinson (2013) Saeed Blacknall (2016)

DE Carl Nassib (2015) Evan Schwan (2016)
DT Jordan Hill (2012) Austin Johnson (2015)
DT Anthony Zettel (2014) DaQuan Jones (2014)
DE Deion Barnes (2014) Garrett Sickles (2016)
OLB Michael Mauti (2012) Manny Bowen (2016)
MLB Mike Hull (2014) Jason Cabinda (2016)
OLB Gerald Hodges (2012) Brandon Bell (2016)
CB Jordan Lucas (2015) Grant Haley (2016)
CB Trevor Williams (2015) John Reid (2016)
SS Adrian Amos (2014) Malik Golden (2016)
FS Marcus Allen (2016) Malcolm Willis (2013)

K Tyler Davis (2016) Sam Ficken (2014)
P Blake Gillikin (2016) Alex Butterworth (2013)

 

[psuro]

Actually a well put together list.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Sean Lee must have graduated before 2012.

 

[BBrown]

All-Penn State Team 2012-2016 (post Paterno):

First Team / Second Team
WR Chris Godwin (2016) Brandon Mosby-Felder (2012)
OT Donovan Smith (2014) Adam Gress (2013)
G Miles Dieffenbach (2013) Ryan Bates (2016)
C Ty Howle (2013) Matt Stankiewitch (2012)
G John Urschel (2013) Brian Gaia (2015)
OT Garry Gilliam (2013) Mike Farrell (2012)
TE Jesse James (2014) Mike Gesicki (2016)
WR DaeSean Hamilton (2016) Eugene Lewis (2014)
QB Matt McGloin (2012) Trace McSorley (2016)
RB Saquon Barkley (2016) Bill Belton (2014)
WR Allen Robinson (2013) Saeed Blacknall (2016)

DE Carl Nassib (2015) Evan Schwan (2016)
DT Jordan Hill (2012) Austin Johnson (2015)
DT Anthony Zettel (2014) DaQuan Jones (2014)
DE Deion Barnes (2014) Garrett Sickles (2016)
OLB Michael Mauti (2012) Manny Bowen (2016)
MLB Mike Hull (2014) Jason Cabinda (2016)
OLB Gerald Hodges (2012) Brandon Bell (2016)
CB Jordan Lucas (2015) Grant Haley (2016)
CB Trevor Williams (2015) John Reid (2016)
SS Adrian Amos (2014) Malik Golden (2016)
FS Marcus Allen (2016) Malcolm Willis (2013)

K Tyler Davis (2016) Sam Ficken (2014)
P Blake Gillikin (2016) Alex Butterworth (2013)

Interesting. Pretty good list.
I would move. Mike G over Jesse James. This was about the best year I've seen a PSU TE have since '94 and Mike G's blocking wasn't any worse than Jesse's.
And I loved the Moxie of Matt but I'm moving Trace over him even if its only 1 year.
The CB of Williams and Reid is tough but I think I go with Reid.
Neat idea.

 

[Jerademan74]

All-Penn State Team 2012-2016 (post Paterno):

First Team / Second Team
WR Chris Godwin (2016) Brandon Mosby-Felder (2012)
OT Donovan Smith (2014) Adam Gress (2013)
G Miles Dieffenbach (2013) Ryan Bates (2016)
C Ty Howle (2013) Matt Stankiewitch (2012)
G John Urschel (2013) Brian Gaia (2015)
OT Garry Gilliam (2013) Mike Farrell (2012)
TE Jesse James (2014) Mike Gesicki (2016)
WR DaeSean Hamilton (2016) Eugene Lewis (2014)
QB Matt McGloin (2012) Trace McSorley (2016)
RB Saquon Barkley (2016) Bill Belton (2014)
WR Allen Robinson (2013) Saeed Blacknall (2016)

DE Carl Nassib (2015) Evan Schwan (2016)
DT Jordan Hill (2012) Austin Johnson (2015)
DT Anthony Zettel (2014) DaQuan Jones (2014)
DE Deion Barnes (2014) Garrett Sickles (2016)
OLB Michael Mauti (2012) Manny Bowen (2016)
MLB Mike Hull (2014) Jason Cabinda (2016)
OLB Gerald Hodges (2012) Brandon Bell (2016)
CB Jordan Lucas (2015) Grant Haley (2016)
CB Trevor Williams (2015) John Reid (2016)
SS Adrian Amos (2014) Malik Golden (2016)
FS Marcus Allen (2016) Malcolm Willis (2013)

K Tyler Davis (2016) Sam Ficken (2014)
P Blake Gillikin (2016) Alex Butterworth (2013)

Good list. The only change I'd make is to put McSorley as first team, then McGloin;

 

[bjf1991]

All-Penn State Team 2012-2016 (post Paterno):

First Team / Second Team
WR Chris Godwin (2016) Brandon Mosby-Felder (2012)
OT Donovan Smith (2014) Adam Gress (2013)
G Miles Dieffenbach (2013) Ryan Bates (2016)
C Ty Howle (2013) Matt Stankiewitch (2012)
G John Urschel (2013) Brian Gaia (2015)
OT Garry Gilliam (2013) Mike Farrell (2012)
TE Jesse James (2014) Mike Gesicki (2016)
WR DaeSean Hamilton (2016) Eugene Lewis (2014)
QB Matt McGloin (2012) Trace McSorley (2016)
RB Saquon Barkley (2016) Bill Belton (2014)
WR Allen Robinson (2013) Saeed Blacknall (2016)

DE Carl Nassib (2015) Evan Schwan (2016)
DT Jordan Hill (2012) Austin Johnson (2015)
DT Anthony Zettel (2014) DaQuan Jones (2014)
DE Deion Barnes (2014) Garrett Sickles (2016)
OLB Michael Mauti (2012) Manny Bowen (2016)
MLB Mike Hull (2014) Jason Cabinda (2016)
OLB Gerald Hodges (2012) Brandon Bell (2016)
CB Jordan Lucas (2015) Grant Haley (2016)
CB Trevor Williams (2015) John Reid (2016)
SS Adrian Amos (2014) Malik Golden (2016)
FS Marcus Allen (2016) Malcolm Willis (2013)

K Tyler Davis (2016) Sam Ficken (2014)
P Blake Gillikin (2016) Alex Butterworth (2013)

All debatable - hard to argue w any of those choices. FWIW I'd go with:


McS > McGloin
Stanly > Howle
Bates > Diff
AJohnson > Hill or Zettel
Sickels > Barnes
Reid > Lucas or Williams
And, just for "sentimental reasons" Ficken over Davis (though Davis has been the more consistent......just "gotta love" Ficken, seems like such a nice kid - who the fans just really turned on to)

 

[uPBRmeASAP]

Nice post. A few suggested changes:

QB: McSorley was All B1G, broke every single season passing record, and won the conference. He also beat 2 top ten teams. McGloin had an excellent 2012, but I can't see him being ahead of McSorley

C: Stankiewich over Howle. Stank was 1st team all B1G in 2012. In fact, i thought Howle was a weak link in 2013. For an o-line that had 3 NFL starters, it really underachieved.

TE: Gesicki over James. I kinda thought James was a little disappointing in 2014. Gesicki obviously struggles as a blocker, but he is also the most explosive TE I've ever seen here.

Tackle: Mahon or Bates should get mentioned over Adam Gress

MLB: Glenn Carson over Jason Cabinda

CB: Reid over Lucas.

 

[Option Bob]

Good list; however, I would rate Zwinak a much better RB than Belton.

 

[psu skp]

All debatable - hard to argue w any of those choices. FWIW I'd go with:
McS > McGloin
Stanly > Howle
Bates > Diff
AJohnson > Hill or Zettel
Sickels > Barnes
Reid > Lucas or Williams
And, just for "sentimental reasons" Ficken over Davis (though Davis has been the more consistent......just "gotta love" Ficken, seems like such a nice kid - who the fans just really turned on to)

Can't argue with any of your edits, except putting Zettel second team (his 2014 season, not senior year)... AZ was a BEAST that season

 

[LemonEars]

Sean Lee must have graduated before 2012.

Sean Lee graduated in 2010.

 

[Nashville Lion]

Sean Lee must have graduated before 2012.

yes, Sean lee was gone before 2012....he was a freshman on the team that won the Orange bowl....and that was 2005 season, right???

 

[Option Bob]

yes, Sean lee was gone before 2012....he was a freshman on the team that won the Orange bowl....and that was 2005 season, right???

Correct. Lee replaced Paul Posluszny when Paul was injured late in regulation, a sign of how good a LB Sean was even as a true freshman. I read somewhere -- of course, I don't recall the source -- that in 2009, Penn State only had Bowman and Lee together at LB for the entire game twice ... thankfully, 1 of those was the Bowl vs LSU.

 

[psu skp]

Good list; however, I would rate Zwinak a much better RB than Belton.

Picked Belton b/c he rates as a much better receiver out of the backfield, but Zwinak was a very underrated back I agree.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Penn State only had Bowman and Lee together at LB for the entire game twice ... thankfully, 1 of those was the Bowl vs LSU.

Only one game together? Well, the notion of the two of them playing together is pretty mind bending. Trying to come up with another linebacking duo that good. All I can think of, at the college level, is the Selmon brothers at Oklahoma. Maybe Bama or SC had a comparable duo.

 

[psu skp]

Trying to come up with another linebacking duo that good. All I can think of, at the college level, is the Selmon brothers at Oklahoma. Maybe Bama or SC had a comparable duo.

Our three starting LB's in '06 weren't bad either: Poz, Lee, Connor (319 total tackles)

 

[Option Bob]

Only one game together? Well, the notion of the two of them playing together is pretty mind bending. Trying to come up with another linebacking duo that good. All I can think of, at the college level, is the Selmon brothers at Oklahoma. Maybe Bama or SC had a comparable duo.

Bowman and Lee were hurt almost throughout that 2009 season. But LSU and the nation saw how good Penn State's defense was when they (and Odrick) were healthy.

Now about a linebacking duo that good ... you're making me go back into my sad old memory banks to pull out some Nittany Lion duos for you:

1. 1968-69 Dennis Onkotz (twice a 1st team AA, but injury ended NFL career and any shot that younger Lion fans would remember how awesome he was) and Jack Ham (needs no comment)

2. 1971 Charlie Zapiec (1st team AA) and John Skorupan (1st team AA in 1972, solid NFL career)

3. 1999 Lavar Arrington (need I say more?) and Brandon Short (1st team AA)

4. 2005-06 Paul Posluszny (2-time AA, 2-time Bednarik Award, Butkus award, solid in NFL) and Dan Conner (2-time AA and some NFL)

For some reason, since the graduation of Lee and Biowman, Penn State has struggled to recruit (or, perhaps, develop) star linebackers. Old timers like me relish great LB play.

 

[psu skp]

Now about a linebacking duo that good ... you're making me go back into my sad old memory banks to pull out some Nittany Lion duos for you:

1. 1968-69 Dennis Onkotz (twice a 1st team AA, but injury ended NFL career and any shot that younger Lion fans would remember how awesome he was) and Jack Ham (needs no comment)

2. 1971 Charlie Zapiec (1st team AA) and John Skorupan (1st team AA in 1972, solid NFL career)

3. 1999 Lavar Arrington (need I say more?) and Brandon Short (1st team AA)

4. 2005-06 Paul Posluszny (2-time AA, 2-time Bednarik Award, Butkus award, solid in NFL) and Dan Conner (2-time AA and some NFL)

For some reason, since the graduation of Lee and Biowman, Penn State has struggled to recruit (or, perhaps, develop) star linebackers. Old timers like me relish great LB play.

In 1973 we had John Skorupan, Ed O'Neil & Jim Laslavic as starters; all three had over 100 tackles that year and all went on to be NFL stars

 

[Option Bob]

In 1973 we had John Skorupan, Ed O'Neil & Jim Laslavic as starters; all three had over 100 tackles that year and all went on to be NFL stars

Skip, Skorupan and Laslavic left after the 1972 season, not 1973. I remember those 2 very well because they were huge factors in one of my all-time favorite wins -- the 1972 Cotton Bowl vs Texas.

You are correct, however, that O'Neill was an AA in 1973.

 

[bjf1991]

Only one game together? Well, the notion of the two of them playing together is pretty mind bending. Trying to come up with another linebacking duo that good. All I can think of, at the college level, is the Selmon brothers at Oklahoma. Maybe Bama or SC had a comparable duo.

Connor and Poz?

 

[psu skp]

Skip, Skorupan and Laslavic left after the 1972 season, not 1973. I remember those 2 very well because they were huge factors in one of my all-time favorite wins -- the 1972 Cotton Bowl vs Texas.

You are correct, however, that O'Neill was an AA in 1973.

Yes, meant to say 1972, of course '73 wasn't bad either, Greg Buttle & Kurt Allerman showed up