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Manny Bowen

24/7 has announced Manny is back within the past hour.
CDT also has announced Manny back on the roster.
CJF supposed to speak to it this afternoon.
Here is the text of the 24/7 article:
Penn State’s new-look linebacker corps has gotten an old-school addition. Prior to the Nittany Lions’ 2018 Media Day at Beaver Stadium, senior linebacker Manny Bowen, who had been suspended and later dismissed from the program late last season, was added back to the roster.

Head coach James Franklin is expected to address the situation during his Media Day press conference on Saturday afternoon.

"We created some stipulations for Manny to achieve," Franklin said. "If he lived up to his end of the bargain, then we could facilitate [his return]. ... We didn't make it easy on him. ... The easiest thing would've been to transfer."
 
I'm about as old school as it gets.

I doubt our coach plans anything around Bowen. He is so far in the doghouse he will be lucky to get any playing time until October.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but if he fulfilled the requirements set by the coaching staff to be permitted back on the team, and is on the roster just like every other player, then I think he should be given the same opportunities as every other player. If he proves he is the best for the job, his playing time should reflect that. Just my opinion.

Now, if he were to violate whatever rules he did last year, then that is obviously another story.
 
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Bowen will be starting by the time the Big 10 season starts, if not sooner.

I'd bet the opposite. There would be no reason to put him ahead of guys like Johnson, Brooks, Luketa and Parsons who have worked really hard to get ready.

Sure, it could be in the team's short term interest to start Bowen for App. State because he knows what he's doing. But knowing he hasn't been able to stay on the rails before, it's just too risky. Plus it's time to give the young players the experience so that late in the season and for the bowl game, you know who you've got.

So I could see him getting a lot of reps as a backup, and his presence is going to help the young players get ready. But he's demonstrated two seasons in a row that the team can't rely on him.

And I think that's what you see in Franklin's and Pry's statements. They are rooting for Bowen to be successful personally, they're really happy that he got himself back on the roster, but the team can't rely on him at this point to be a significant factor. When it's midseason and they're playing Michgian and MSU and Wisconsin, they had better have the other guys ready to play. I think that's kind of what Pry is saying without saying it.

Let's hope Bowen can maybe the Brandon Smith of this team -- a highly effective backup who comes in and makes positive plays. Let's hope he makes it all the way to the bowl game and turns the game with a great play, then goes off and has a successful life because of the lessons learned in Franklin's program.
 
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Bowen will be starting by the time the Big 10 season starts, if not sooner.

I'd bet the opposite. There would be no reason to put him ahead of guys like Johnson, Brooks, Luketa and Parsons who have worked really hard to get ready.

Sure, it could be in the team's short term interest to start Bowen for App. State because he knows what he's doing. But knowing he hasn't been able to stay on the rails before, it's just too risky. Plus it's time to give the young players the experience so that late in the season and for the bowl game, you know who you've got.

So I could see him getting a lot of reps as a backup, and his presence is going to help the young players get ready. But he's demonstrated two seasons in a row that the team can't rely on him.

And I think that's what you see in Franklin's and Pry's statements. They are rooting for Bowen to be successful personally, they're really happy that he got himself back on the roster, but the team can't rely on him at this point to be a significant factor. When it's midseason and they're playing Michgian and MSU and Wisconsin, they had better have the other guys ready to play. I think that's kind of what Pry is saying without saying it.

Let's hope Bowen can maybe the Brandon Smith of this team -- a highly effective backup who comes in and makes positive plays. Let's hope he makes it all the way to the bowl game and turns the game with a great play, then goes off and has a successful life because of the lessons learned in Franklin's program.

From what CJF said in his conference, sounds like manny worked really hard too.

I take his comments as the opposite: that he’s impressed with how hard he’s worked, and he showed him enough to be back with the team. The only way manny is a back up all year is if CJF is set on the best players not starting. If the coaches put him through hell and he went through it without transferring, sounds to me like he’s back in the good graces, albeit with a VERY short leash.
 
Excellent Frank Burns impression.
It's uncanny!

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I'd bet the opposite. There would be no reason to put him ahead of guys like Johnson, Brooks, Luketa and Parsons who have worked really hard to get ready.

Sure, it could be in the team's short term interest to start Bowen for App. State because he knows what he's doing. But knowing he hasn't been able to stay on the rails before, it's just too risky. Plus it's time to give the young players the experience so that late in the season and for the bowl game, you know who you've got.

So I could see him getting a lot of reps as a backup, and his presence is going to help the young players get ready. But he's demonstrated two seasons in a row that the team can't rely on him.

And I think that's what you see in Franklin's and Pry's statements. They are rooting for Bowen to be successful personally, they're really happy that he got himself back on the roster, but the team can't rely on him at this point to be a significant factor. When it's midseason and they're playing Michgian and MSU and Wisconsin, they had better have the other guys ready to play. I think that's kind of what Pry is saying without saying it.

Let's hope Bowen can maybe the Brandon Smith of this team -- a highly effective backup who comes in and makes positive plays. Let's hope he makes it all the way to the bowl game and turns the game with a great play, then goes off and has a successful life because of the lessons learned in Franklin's program.

I think both things could be true. The BIG season starts game four. They could have the young kids play and work Bowen in. By the fifth game, which is when the season really starts, they should have lots of experience all over the field when they need it. Let the best kids play then.
 
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The only way manny is a back up all year is if CJF is set on the best players not starting.

It probably depends on the young LBers and how fast they get a grip on the position. If they are awful, then Bowen will have to play a lot. But if the young LBers are somewhat ready, it might be in the team's interest to bite the bullet and play them as much as possible because they need the experience and are more likely to still be with the team late in the season -- and of course next season.

Nothing against Bowen, he probably is their best LBer right now, but I can certainly understand why Pry is conflicted about what his role will be. There has been a loss of trust AND there is some tremendous talent at this position that just needs experience.
 
It probably depends on the young LBers and how fast they get a grip on the position. If they are awful, then Bowen will have to play a lot. But if the young LBers are somewhat ready, it might be in the team's interest to bite the bullet and play them as much as possible because they need the experience and are more likely to still be with the team late in the season -- and of course next season.

Nothing against Bowen, he probably is their best LBer right now, but I can certainly understand why Pry is conflicted about what his role will be. There has been a loss of trust AND there is some tremendous talent at this position that just needs experience.

Great point. I can get along with that. If the young LBers are studs early in the season (within reason based on the opponents), then there's no need for Manny to have a heavy role. That said, there's something to say about his experience ON the field. We'll see i guess.
 
Bowen starts every single game, barring another slip-up or an injury, and plays more snaps at LB than anyone else on the squad. That much is obvious.
 
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