Penn State 2019 Season articles

[Raffycorn]

In the interest of being respectful of our players, I hope Lamont Wade succeeds and Brisker is there to provide depth, but from what I have seen, I think Brisker may be a better option opposing Taylor. Wade does seem undersized and a bit slow and he appeared out of position on more than a few occasions last year.

Here’s how I see it: if Wade holds off Brisker and keeps the job for the full season, then it means he had a really strong camp and played well on the field. If Brisker wins the job and takes it from Wade, then it means that he came in and won the job from a really good, tough player in Lamont.

I think Lamont would be an upgrade over what we had at the position over the past two years. That said, from everything I’ve seen, I think Brisker has the chance to be a special player at safety and that’s an exciting thing to think about.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Harrisburg Dave]

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Yetur has disappointed me twice since the end of last year.

He totally disappeared in the Kentucky game. Zero stats and dominated by their OT.

Then he goes and gets suspended for the Summer.

Before I declare him the second coming I want to see some production and his head in the right place.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Yetur has disappointed me twice since the end of last year.

He totally disappeared in the Kentucky game. Zero stats and dominated by their OT.

Then he goes and gets suspended for the Summer.

Before I declare him the second coming I want to see some production and his head in the right place.

You seem like the type who is real familiar with disappointments. He had a great year last year...get over it.

 

[Harrisburg Dave]

You seem like the type who is real familiar with disappointments. He had a great year last year...get over it.

No

 

[Raffycorn]

Yetur has disappointed me twice since the end of last year.

He totally disappeared in the Kentucky game. Zero stats and dominated by their OT.

Then he goes and gets suspended for the Summer.

Before I declare him the second coming I want to see some production and his head in the right place.

We saw some production when the kid had more than 20 TFLs last year and was an all-conference pick. We have one more year of him - it should be a good one.

 

[BobPSU92]

I hate us.

 

[Judge Smails]

Yetur has disappointed me twice since the end of last year.

He totally disappeared in the Kentucky game. Zero stats and dominated by their OT.

Then he goes and gets suspended for the Summer.

Before I declare him the second coming I want to see some production and his head in the right place.

20 tackles for loss as a true sophomore.

 

[Judge Smails]

The Sporting News has PSU ranked #12 preseason

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...p-25-2019-preseason/5tazejihuo4e1n7rwyynvum41

12. Penn State
Tommy Stevens' decision to enter the transfer portal shook up the quarterback race, but Sean Clifford impressed enough in the spring to take the lead for the job. The Nittany Lions likely will have a running back committee, and receiver KJ Hamler will build on a breakout season. Yetur Gross-Matos returns after leading the defense with eight sacks, and Micah Parsons could enjoy a breakout season. Close losses to Ohio State have kept the Nittany Lions out of the Playoff race the last two seasons. James Franklin upgraded the talent, but it's time to close the gap with the Buckeyes.

 

[Judge Smails]

Body bag game...



Idaho played two FBS opponents last year – Fresno State and Florida – and lost those games by a combined margin of 142-23.

 

[GOPSU01]

Army Ranked 16th in that sporting news ranking. They play Michigan I believe week 3. Definitely an upset in the making

 

[Crusher1950]

James needs to become a game day coach. When that happens we will become an elite team

 

[Lion8286]

James needs to become a game day coach. When that happens we will become an elite team

Flusher!!

 

[Judge Smails]

7.5 sacks in 2018 from a DT is great production. Robert should have a huge year this year.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[BobPSU92]

Body bag game...

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Idaho played two FBS opponents last year – Fresno State and Florida – and lost those games by a combined margin of 142-23.

Mason Petrino?

 

[Judge Smails]

PSU starts off at #14 in the preseason Coaches Poll

https://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/polls/amway-coaches-poll/2019-2020/

Pitt received zero votes. 7 Big Ten teams in the Top 25, 2 ACC teams.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Richard the LIONhearted]

Move in day, yo!

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

The Athletic: Mandel: Overrated and underrated teams in the preseason Coaches Poll



https://theathletic.com/1111221/201...derrated-teams-in-the-preseason-coaches-poll/

‘Overrated:

‘#5 Ohio State

‘#7 Michigan

‘# 8 Florida

‘#11 Texas A&M

‘#17 UCF


‘Underrated

‘#14 Penn State

‘#22 Syracuse

‘#24 Iowa State

‘NR Fresno State

‘NR Cincinnati

 

[Judge Smails]

From 247 Board. Brown is at Sam, and it looks like he'll be backed up by 5* true frosh Lance Dixon. Should be interesting to see if Dixon gets regular reps early in the season. PSU with their depth across the defense should be playing their 2nd and 3rd string guys all the way through.

LisickyFan07

• In an article on The Athletic, Dane Brugler ranks the preseason draft-eligible LB's. He ranks Cam Brown #4 among senior LB's behind Troy Dye (Oregon), Markus Bailey (Purdue), and Josh Uche (Mich). Jan Johnson comes in at 20, which is the last spot on the list.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[bmw199]

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Me rushing to buy a waffle maker that has PSU logos in the middle

 

[Judge Smails]

Catch up on Penn State’s top storylines as training camp approaches

The Lions have 30 days to prepare for the Aug. 31 opener against Idaho, which begins a promising but unpredictable season. Is this team a contender this year or a stepladder to the future? Let’s examine how camp might begin answering that question.



By all accounts this summer, players absorbed the roster moves well (most weren’t surprises, save for Stevens), and the new coaches have freshened their position rooms. Further, the churn has left many players feeling undervalued from the outside.

“Personally, I think everyone’s writing us off, saying we’re young and inexperienced,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said. “That may be true, but we all know what’s happening here." The last time Penn State saw this much offseason movement, it emerged with a Big Ten title in 2016.

Penn State receiver KJ Hamler (1) and tight end Pat Freiermuth (87) watch from the sideline during spring practice in State College. (Mark Wogenrich/The Morning Call)
What happens at quarterback?
Redshirt sophomore Sean Clifford most likely will emerge as the starter, though he’ll benefit from a month of position dueling with redshirt freshman Will Levis.

Clifford is a high-energy quarterback who assumed the offense’s verbal reins soon after Stevens’ departure. Further, he accepted Franklin’s challenge to develop the physical skills to run Penn State’s offense.

[More Sports] What should we make of Penn State’s No. 14 ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll? »
Franklin said that, when he arrived at Penn State, Clifford was being timed in the 40-yard dash in about 4.8 seconds. This offseason, Clifford was running in the mid 4.5s, testing faster than former quarterback Trace McSorley.

“Our staff and players have been very impressed with him,” Franklin said.

Meanwhile, Franklin drew a lofty comparison regarding Levis, who is 6-3, 230 pounds and can launch a football. “Will looks like Troy Aikman,” Franklin said. “Will can throw the ball.”

Franklin will give this competition time to marinate before naming a starter publicly. But Penn State has a workable two-deep at the position, something Stevens no doubt considered in deciding to transfer.

How will Penn State use its speed?
Over and over this offseason, Penn State players and coaches raved about the team’s speed. Franklin called this perhaps the fastest team he has coached. Even Matt Millen of the Big Ten Network noticed.

“Judging from what I saw in the spring, this is going to be a really fast team,” Millen said.

But how will that manifest? It might be more noticeable on defense, where the Lions have players who can run. Jayson Oweh, a 255-pound end, ran the team’s fourth-fastest 40-yard dash last winter (4.33 seconds). Linebacker Micah Parsons wasn’t far behind at 4.41 seconds.

For defensive coordinator Brent Pry, leveraging that speed is a priority.

[More Sports] Adrian Peterson: Saquon Barkley could end up as greatest RB of all-time »
“I’m not big on 40s unless there’s a question mark,” Pry said. “But when you put the film on, these guys play fast. We have length at end, and the linebackers can run. [Tackle Robert] Windsor runs well for a guy inside who weighs 300 pounds. [Safety Lamont] Wade brings explosiveness in the back end. I’m excited about the speed they play with.”

Newcomers to watch
Noah Cain: The freshman back arrived in confident form and popped in the Blue-White Game, rushing for 45 yards and a touchdown. It wouldn’t surprise if he’s the team’s leading rusher this season.

Rasheed Walker: The 320-pound redshirt freshman has gained nearly 30 pounds since enrolling and likely will start at left tackle. Walker feels ready. “I’m really gritty,” he said. “I take the pressure of being a left tackle well.”

Jaquan Brisker: The transfer from Lackawanna College arrived this summer physically ready to start at safety. If Brisker picks up the "complexity of the playbook and the complexity of the offenses we’ll face, as Franklin said, he could be starting alongside Garrett Taylor soon.




Mark Wogenrich
CONTACT

 

[Judge Smails]

Pitt taken behind the woodshed.

 

[Judge Smails]

It's early, of course, but worth keeping an eye on. After first practice, Day had more comments about Kentucky transfer Gunnar Hoak at QB and didn't talk about Fields.

"Gunnar Hoak was impressive today. It’s hard to know until you’re really out there playing, but he has picked up the offense quickly. He made good decisions. He was definitely a positive today. There is no plan on when to name a starter. They want to get three quarterbacks ready to play in a game, and that’s the focus right now. The first couple of weeks are competing."

" Hard to tell after day one if the quarterbacks are ahead of where he’d like them to be. He’ll know more in a week or so. The good news is that both Gunnar Hoak and Justin Fields have played in games, just not in this offense."

 

[Judge Smails]

Key questions as Penn State opens preseason camp

The potential for a breakthrough is very real — few teams across college football can match Penn State's overall athleticism — but pitfalls are also expected for a group that is light on big-game experience at key spots. The time for speculation is nearly complete, so let's dive in with 10 key questions that may ultimately determine team fortunes in 2019.

WILL PASSING ATTACK MAKE A MAJOR LEAP?

Freiermuth was a 2018 Freshman All-American who led all Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown receptions, and sets the tone for a tight end group that could challenge any in the nation, top-to-bottom. Hamler was a Paul Hornung Award (college football's most versatile player) finalist following a debut collegiate season

First-year receivers coach Gerad Parker aims to elevate his room after a 2018 campaign that proved quite miserable for the group as a whole. He certainly isn't desperate for talent, as former No. 1 overall positional prospect Justin Shorter and former four-star recruits Jahan Dotson and Daniel George are entering their second seasons.

HOW WILL OPPONENTS HANDLE PSU PASS RUSH?

Penn State led all FBS squads with 3.6 sacks per game last season and, despite the departure of defensive line starters Kevin Givensand Shareef Miller, expectations should remain in place for a repeat performance. Last month, while discussing his program's "eye-popping" speed, Franklin made an interesting comment that drew attention to the trenches.

"It's not just at the typical positions like running back," Franklin explained. "... It's at positions like D-end that guys typically are fast but not the numbers that we're talking."

Jayson Oweh, an on-the-rise redshirt freshman defensive end who secured two sacks in brief game action last fall, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4-range, at least. Defensive line coach Sean Spencer has spoken of 4.5-range results for projected starting defensive ends Yetur Gross-Matos (junior) and Shaka Toney (redshirt junior).

How can opposing offenses realistically deal with that kind of quickness off the edge? Well, to start, they'll need to make sacrifices elsewhere, limiting the full scope of their attack.

Redshirt junior Shane Simmons, the top-ranked defensive signee in Penn State's 2016 recruiting class, should be ready to make noise at defensive end if healthy. Former four-star prospect Daniel Josephalso aims for expanded duties during his fourth year on campus. If provided some time on the field, it wouldn't shock to see true freshmanAdisa Isaacflash in a way reminiscent to Oweh in 2018.

This spring, Franklin referred to the defensive end group as the best he's been around.

Inside, senior Robert Windsor returns at tackle after picking up at least half a sack in seven of nine Big Ten matchups last fall. He finished with four in the final three games, earning Big Ten Player of the Week honors along the way (Gross-Matos also picked up that honor after a dominant effort against Iowa).

PJ Mustipher, a top-five defensive tackle prospect in the 2018 class, is pushing redshirt junior Antonio Shelton for starting reps alongside Windsor and he's displayed impressive pass rushing abilities during his football career.

Beyond a talent-laden defensive front, Penn State boasts one of the country's most versatile — albeit youthful — collections of linebackers.

As referenced earlier, Parsons could become a much bigger factor chasing after QBs as a sophomore and senior Cam Brown is drawing hype as a player on the verge of a breakout campaign. Throw in former four-stars Ellis Brooks and Jesse Luketa, whose presences will expand in the defensive structure, and five-star 2019 signees Lance Dixon and Brandon Smith.

This is rare territory in terms of speed, length and overall athleticism across the defensive front seven. We'll soon learn what an offseason of imagination from Spencer and defensive coordinator Brent Pryleads to in the form of strategy.

The assumption here is that it will leave plenty of quarterbacks feeling brutalized on Sunday mornings throughout autumn.

 

[RickinDayton]

From 247 Board. Brown is at Sam, and it looks like he'll be backed up by 5* true frosh Lance Dixon. Should be interesting to see if Dixon gets regular reps early in the season. PSU with their depth across the defense should be playing their 2nd and 3rd string guys all the way through.

LisickyFan07

• In an article on The Athletic, Dane Brugler ranks the preseason draft-eligible LB's. He ranks Cam Brown #4 among senior LB's behind Troy Dye (Oregon), Markus Bailey (Purdue), and Josh Uche (Mich). Jan Johnson comes in at 20, which is the last spot on the list.

Wow, #4? I hope he has vastly improved from last year. We all know he is athletic enough. He needs to improve his ability against the run and must stay away from personal foul penalties.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

Wow, #4? I hope he has vastly improved from last year. We all know he is athletic enough. He needs to improve his ability against the run and must stay away from personal foul penalties.

BS..... He is a NFlbound after this season. Get it tattooed on your forehead.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]