Some great discussion on how we might have been devoid of true leadership in '18. Got me wondering who the seniors will be this upcoming season and who might step up to fulfill that role as an upperclassman. Not a lot of them but here they are (those marked with an * are true seniors, the rest are redshirts):
TE Nick Bowers
OL Steven Gonzalez
TE Jonathan Holland
S Jarvis Miller
S Ayron Monroe
S John Petrishen
WR Brandon Polk
CB John Reid
QB Tommy Stevens
S Garrett Taylor
DT Robert Windsor
LB Cam Brown*
P Blake Gillikin*
Of the ones listed above, it’s hard to say much about guys who don’t play a lot. Being a leader isn’t limited to just guys who start or play a significant amount. For example, John Petrishen has been an important part of our special teams coverage units- he may be a very important 5th year senior leader on those units but he rarely plays on defense.
Right off the bat, I see two. Tommy Stevens—he’s stuck it out with these guys and he’s likely the heir apparent to McSorley. I get the sense his teammates respect the hel out of him. Second, John Reid on defense. I’ve read many times how much his teammates respect and look up to him. I’ve also read that he’s a film-rat and spends a tremendous amount of time studying and perfecting his craft. He came on toward the end of the season and I expect he’ll be both a team leader and a top performer in ’19. Of course, being a senior doesn’t immediately qualify you as a team leader, either- for example, Hackenberg was a team captain from the time he was a sophomore; Barkley was clearly a team leader throughout his career. I think KJ Hamler has exhibited leadership qualities, as has Micah Parsons. Anyway, hoping some of the "in the know" posters chime in-- just something else to discuss while we sit around watching the NFL playoffs and look forward to the next Penn State football season.
TE Nick Bowers
OL Steven Gonzalez
TE Jonathan Holland
S Jarvis Miller
S Ayron Monroe
S John Petrishen
WR Brandon Polk
CB John Reid
QB Tommy Stevens
S Garrett Taylor
DT Robert Windsor
LB Cam Brown*
P Blake Gillikin*
Of the ones listed above, it’s hard to say much about guys who don’t play a lot. Being a leader isn’t limited to just guys who start or play a significant amount. For example, John Petrishen has been an important part of our special teams coverage units- he may be a very important 5th year senior leader on those units but he rarely plays on defense.
Right off the bat, I see two. Tommy Stevens—he’s stuck it out with these guys and he’s likely the heir apparent to McSorley. I get the sense his teammates respect the hel out of him. Second, John Reid on defense. I’ve read many times how much his teammates respect and look up to him. I’ve also read that he’s a film-rat and spends a tremendous amount of time studying and perfecting his craft. He came on toward the end of the season and I expect he’ll be both a team leader and a top performer in ’19. Of course, being a senior doesn’t immediately qualify you as a team leader, either- for example, Hackenberg was a team captain from the time he was a sophomore; Barkley was clearly a team leader throughout his career. I think KJ Hamler has exhibited leadership qualities, as has Micah Parsons. Anyway, hoping some of the "in the know" posters chime in-- just something else to discuss while we sit around watching the NFL playoffs and look forward to the next Penn State football season.
