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Penn State 2019 Season articles

https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatef...-franklin-says-penn-state-is-his-calling.html

Asked by host Angelo Cataldi if he would ever consider going the NFL route again, Franklin returned to a familiar refrain.

"I've kind of been through that when I took the Penn State job," he said. "I had four or five interviews in the NFL, one or two that I took, and three or so that I turned down once I took the Penn State job.

"This is an unbelievable situation for me and my family."

"I coached all over the country to get to a place like Penn State," Franklin said.

“This is my calling ... to help educate young men and get a degree and then hopefully [they] chase their dream in the NFL.”
 
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Penn State has plenty of work to do before it takes on a 2019 schedule that is headlined by trips to Ohio State, Michigan State, and Iowa plus a home date with Michigan, among other opponents.

The Sean Clifford era is expected to begin at quarterback with the opener against Idaho on Aug. 31, and several other new starters and fresh contributors will be needed.

What is the head coach's outlook as he enters season six?

"We're young, but we're talented. There's no doubt about it," Franklin said during an interview with Philadelphia's WIP this week. "I think we got a chance to be really good on defense. We're fast. We're as fast as a football team as I've been around, but we play in a tough conference, and we have a challenging schedule.

“We’re going to get the guys to mature and grow up, play fast, play aggressive, and I think we have a chance.”
 
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Penn State has plenty of work to do before it takes on a 2019 schedule that is headlined by trips to Ohio State, Michigan State, and Iowa plus a home date with Michigan, among other opponents.

The Sean Clifford era is expected to begin at quarterback with the opener against Idaho on Aug. 31, and several other new starters and fresh contributors will be needed.

What is the head coach's outlook as he enters season six?

"We're young, but we're talented. There's no doubt about it," Franklin said during an interview with Philadelphia's WIP this week. "I think we got a chance to be really good on defense. We're fast. We're as fast as a football team as I've been around, but we play in a tough conference, and we have a challenging schedule.

“We’re going to get the guys to mature and grow up, play fast, play aggressive, and I think we have a chance.”
This defense should be really good. I took a look and it is quite realistic that 9 of the starters will be moving on after this year. That is an experienced talented defense. Quite the opposite, 10 of the 11 starters on offense are likely to be back in 2020, in fact 6 of them aren't even draft eligible. The WRs stepping up will be key, but this defense could be Penn State historically good.
 
Penn State has plenty of work to do before it takes on a 2019 schedule that is headlined by trips to Ohio State, Michigan State, and Iowa plus a home date with Michigan, among other opponents.
These all strike me as coin-toss games. Could use a few good bounces this year. Saw a prediction that Iowa will have the top defense in CFB. That game will go the full 12 rounds. UM probably comes in undefeated with a world of hype.
 
These all strike me as coin-toss games. Could use a few good bounces this year. Saw a prediction that Iowa will have the top defense in CFB. That game will go the full 12 rounds. UM probably comes in undefeated with a world of hype.

I think the schedule sets up pretty well.

With a young team, you have Idaho, Buffalo, and Pitt all at home to start the season. I think you are at 80-90% or above to win each of those games. Then you have a bye week before you go play @ Maryland in a stadium filled with PSU fans.
Purdue at home the following week. That is a very manageable start to the season. Would be surprising if they aren't 5-0, imo.

The toughest portion of the schedule is next, @ Iowa, Michigan at home, @ MSU. Then another bye week. Followed by @ Minny, Indiana at home, and at OSU.

For a young, talented team, I think the 5 games they have at the start of the season gives them a chance to grow and gel, gives Clifford a chance to get comfortable, gives Walker time to get experience at LT.
 
I think the schedule sets up pretty well.

With a young team, you have Idaho, Buffalo, and Pitt all at home to start the season. I think you are at 80-90% or above to win each of those games. Then you have a bye week before you go play @ Maryland in a stadium filled with PSU fans.
Purdue at home the following week. That is a very manageable start to the season. Would be surprising if they aren't 5-0, imo.

The toughest portion of the schedule is next, @ Iowa, Michigan at home, @ MSU. Then another bye week. Followed by @ Minny, Indiana at home, and at OSU.

For a young, talented team, I think the 5 games they have at the start of the season gives them a chance to grow and gel, gives Clifford a chance to get comfortable, gives Walker time to get experience at LT.

Agree... Purdue is the 1 game that makes me a little nervous. But it's at home and Clifford should be feeling more comfortable. Defense with its speed will be tested against Purdue but no doubt PSU should win.
 
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Agree... Purdue is the 1 game that makes me a little nervous. But it's at home and Clifford should be feeling more comfortable. Defense with its speed will be tested against Purdue but no doubt PSU should win.

Going strictly off memory and without looking up the history, seems to me that PSU has a struggle (but normally wins) when playing AT Purdue or Indiana. At home, they normally beat them pretty easily.
 
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Going strictly off memory and without looking up the history, seems to me that PSU has a struggle (but normally wins) when playing AT Purdue or Indiana. At home, they normally beat them pretty easily.

Pretty much. I feel like we play Purdue quite often for homecoming... don't recall losing.

Nov. 6, 1993 Indiana W 38-31 Oct. 29, 1994 Ohio State W 63-14
Oct. 28, 1995 Indiana W 45-21 Oct. 12, 1996 Purdue W 31-14
Oct. 18, 1997 Minnesota W 16-15 Oct. 17, 1998 Purdue W 31-13
Nov. 6, 1999 Minnesota L 24-23 Oct. 21, 2000 Illinois W 39-25
Nov. 3, 2001 So. Miss W 38-20 Oct. 19, 2002 Northwestern W 49-0
Oct. 4, 2003 Wisconsin L 30-23 Oct. 23, 2004 Iowa L 6-4
Oct. 29, 2005 Purdue W 33-15 Oct. 21, 2006 Illinois W 26-12
Oct. 13, 2007 Wisconsin W 38-7 Oct. 18, 2008 Michigan W 46-17
Oct. 17, 2009 Minnesota W 20-0 Oct. 9, 2010 Illinois L 33-13
Oct. 15, 2011 Purdue W 23-18 Oct. 6, 2012 Northwestern W 39-28
Oct. 12, 2013 Michigan W 43-40 Sept. 27, 2014 Northwestern L 29-6
Oct. 10, 2015 Indiana W 29-7 Oct. 8, 2016 Maryland W 38-14
Nov. 11, 2017 Rutgers W 35-6

Yup. Not only are we 4-0 VS Purdue for homecoming games, we've played the Boilers more times than any other opponent since joining the B1G. Let's keep the trend rollin!

VS Indiana we're 10-0 at home, 2-0 at a neutral field, and 9-1 on the road. 21-1 All time
VS Purdue we're 8-1-1 at home, 6-2 on the road. 14-3-1 All time
 
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Everything about

Journey Brown
– his football resume, his track accomplishments, his name – suggests momentum.


This was a guy who once rushed for more than 700 yards in a single high school football game. A guy who once covered 100 meters faster than any sprinter in the history of Pennsylvania scholastic track, breaking a record that had been held by future Olympic gold medalist Leroy Burrell. He’s listed at 206 pounds this spring, 12 pounds above his weight when he arrived at PSU, and yet he’s still blazing fast.

“There are a lot of things going right for Journey right now,” coach James Franklin said. “He’s confident, he’s becoming a leader, he’s had an unbelievable off-season. He’s always been extremely gifted. Last year he ran a 4.3 for us and pulled his hamstring while running the 40 and missed a lot of spring ball because of it. But the light seems to be coming on for him. It’s never been a physical thing. It’s been a confidence thing, an assignment thing – not only with our offense but also with defensive recognition for blitz pickup and things like that. He’s doing some really nice things.”

Added running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, “Journey has really been a pleasant surprise. He’s taken the next step. He can make us different. His speed is game-changing. When he learns to trust himself as a player, he can be special.”
 
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It's fine. They can sleep on Cliff.

The best was one of the Pittlair dummies after Stevens entered the portal, saying how PSU was screwed now because he looked so good when he came in against them in last year's game. Someone else had to tell him that was Clifford. Ooops.

 
https://247sports.com/LongFormArtic...-college-sleepers-2019-132026249/#132026249_1

College football's Power 5 sleepers in every division for 2019
ByBRAD CRAWFORD

BIG TEN EAST: PENN STATE
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(Photo: Randy Litzinger, Getty)
Why the Nittany Lions are a sleeper: How many national analysts have picked Penn State to beat Ohio State and Michigan this season as champions of the Big Ten East? Zero that I've found. Much has been said about the loss of Trace McSorley and Miles Sanders offensively, two touchdown-producers no doubt, but it's not like the cupboard has been left bare in Happy Valley. Have you watched K.J. Hamler when his hands are on the football? Dude can fly. This team's primary strength however will be its defense, a unit bringing back six starters including two guys we've ranked inside the Top 15 players nationally. The Nittany Lions will take the why not us mentality into the 2019 season and that's when James Franklin is usually at his best.
 
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In Gross-Matos, Nittany Lions Have Influence and Experience

Nate Bauer • BlueWhiteIllustrated.com
@NateBauerBWI

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To reach his own goals for the season ahead, and those of Penn State’s defense as a whole, Gross-Matos is going to be counted upon to continue that trajectory for the 2019 slate. If the projections claiming him as a potential first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft are to become a reality, Gross-Matos might even have to improve upon it.

“Yetur is a guy that he doesn't know anything else but full speed,” Franklin said last season. “Some guys you have to coach that and they figure it out later in their careers. Some guys you fight with them their whole career and they never practice as hard as they should practice, and then it never translates and they never end up maximizing their potential or their ability. And then other guys just naturally have a great motor… I think Yetur has got a great motor.”

By the conclusion of the Citrus Bowl, Gross-Matos had accumulated 54 tackles and, more impressively, 20 tackles for loss and eight sacks for the season.

He finished tied for seventh in the league in sacks and second only to Michigan State's Kenny Willekes in tackles for loss. The numbers were good enough to earn Gross-Matos a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media.
 
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...n-top-25-for-2019/1r9osjd86wpdr1alq91g458llh/

College football rankings: SN's post-spring preseason top 25 for 2019

WRITTEN BY BILL BENDER

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12. Penn State
Tommy Stevens' decision to enter the transfer portal shook up the quarterback race, and Sean Clifford impressed enough in the spring to take a run at the job. The Nittany Lions likely will have a running back committee, and receiver KJ Hamler will build on a breakout season. Linebacker Micah Parsons could have a breakout season, too. Close losses to Ohio State have kept the Nittany Lions out of the Playoff race the last two seasons. James Franklin still has the talent capable of a breakthrough, but that means closing in the Big Ten East showdowns.
 
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https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/Article/PSU-Roundtable-Breakout-Player-Offense-132044419

PENN STATE’S 2019 BREAKOUT PLAYER (OFFENSE)

Pick 1. Sean Fitz — QB Sean Clifford

I suppose it makes sense to start with the guy who is going to have to break out if we're counting on the offense taking a step in the right direction this year. Clifford will inevitably be challenged by Will Levis with Stevens out of the picture, but it seems fairly clear that he'll be the guy taking snaps with the first team this fall. Clifford will give the Nittany Lions a bit of a different look, as he isn't the running threat that McSorley nor Stevens were. That doesn't mean that he won't pull it and go from time to time, but the offense should look much more conventional with Clifford running the show.

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(Photo: Mark Brennan-FOS/247)
He has a good rapport with the young group of wideouts on campus already and has commanded respect from his teammates since Stevens left town. He flashed in very limited action last year and should be able to give the Nittany Lions more of a downfield threat that they lacked last year when McSorley was banged up. Clifford throws a pretty deep ball.

Confidence doesn't seem like an issue and I expect him to throw a lot in the early part of the season to get into a rhythm, leaning on returning leading receivers KJ Hamler and Pat Freiermuth. Hamler could benefit from Clifford's throwing ability more than anyone else on the offensive side of the ball. If he stays healthy, Clifford could be one of the breakout players in the Big Ten this season.

 
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Big Ten ADs support possible expansion of College Football Playoff
Today 10:37 AM
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ANN ARBOR NEWS

Warde Manuel, University of Michigan Athletic Director, speaks during the University of Michigan Board of Regents annual budget meeting on Thursday, June 15, 2017.



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Gross-Matos high on ESPN's first 2020 NFL draft board
ByTYLER DONOHUE
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"Recent fourth-round pick Shareef Miller got all of the attention going into the 2018 season, but Gross-Matos was the Nittany Lions' most productive defender," Kiper wrote. "He stood out every time I turned on the Penn State tape."

The top 10 goes as follows:

1. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
2. Grant Delpit, S, LSU
3. Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
4. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
5. A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
6. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
7. Walker Little, OT, Stanford
8. CJ Henderson CB, Florida
9. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
10. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
 


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To fully express Rasheed Walker's
development through the offseason and Penn State’s spring practices, head coach James Franklin pointed across the line of scrimmage.


Lining up as the Nittany Lions’ left tackle throughout the spring, the redshirt freshman has faced a steady barrage from a group of defensive ends Franklin believes is one of the best in the country.

And through it, Walker came out better for it, Franklin said this spring.

“I think we're very talented at defensive end, so I think that's a benefit,” said Franklin. “Iron sharpens iron.”

And Walker has put himself into that position by building up his body in the weight room, going from 6-foot-6, 308 pounds to 315 pounds through winter workouts. And that physical development merely complements the undeniable athleticism Walker brought to the table before even stepping foot on Penn State’s campus.

“The thing about Rasheed is that he's a freak athlete,” said teammate Steven Gonzalez. “He has super quick feet. He can keep up with anyone. He has a pretty good punch. He's just a freak athlete. His feet are just so smooth and he has good flexibility, he has a good hip bend. So he's just a very freak athlete.”
 
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“The thing about Rasheed is that he's a freak athlete,” said teammate Steven Gonzalez. “He has super quick feet. He can keep up with anyone. He has a pretty good punch. He's just a freak athlete. His feet are just so smooth and he has good flexibility, he has a good hip bend. So he's just a very freak athlete.”

But would you say he’s a...freak athlete?
 
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A former four-star recruit, Elite 11 participant, and Cincinnati, Ohio native, Clifford will not receive the kind of credit he should for his ability to evade rushers and get out of the pocket, and his big arm should help stretch the field once he settles in.
 
Athlon Preseason Magazine has PSU ranked #14

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25-college-football-rankings-2019

14. Penn State
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penn-state-nittany-lions.png
The Nittany Lions have won at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, and there's a good chance that streak extends to four in 2019. But in order to reach nine (or more) wins, Penn State has to find a replacement for quarterback Trace McSorley. Sophomore Sean Clifford played sparingly as McSorley's backup last season and is set for the starting role after Tommy Stevens transferred to Mississippi State. Clifford has a big-time arm, and the Nittany Lions have intriguing talent on the edge to utilize downfield. The best of the bunch is sophomore KJ Hamler (42 catches for 754 yards and five scores last season), with Jahan Dotson, Justin Shorter and transfers George Campbell (Florida State) and Weston Carr (Azusa Pacific) also poised to contribute. Tight end Pat Freiermuth caught 26 passes as a freshman last season and should be more involved in 2019. Miles Sanders left for the NFL after a terrific junior season, but the cupboard isn't bare at running back. Ricky Slade is likely to see the bulk of the carries, with Journey Brown, C.J. Holmes and freshmen Noah Cain and Devyn Ford rounding out a deep rotation. Three starters are back up front, but the left tackle spot is worth monitoring, as redshirt freshman Rasheed Walker is penciled in as the favorite to start. If Clifford and Penn State's offense needs a few games to find their footing, the defense provides an excellent insurance policy. The Nittany Lions held teams to 20.5 points a game and 4.7 yards per play in 2018. The strength of this unit is the front seven. End Yetur Gross-Matos is poised for All-America honors after recording 20 tackles for a loss and eight sacks last fall. Sophomore Micah Parsons is one of college football's rising stars at linebacker, joining an experienced starting trio that features Cam Brown and Jan Johnson. John Reid and Tariq Castro-Fields form a solid duo at cornerback. Michigan visits Happy Valley in 2019, but Penn State catches Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa on the road.
 
Athlon Preseason Magazine has PSU ranked #14

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25-college-football-rankings-2019

14. Penn State
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penn-state-nittany-lions.png
The Nittany Lions have won at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, and there's a good chance that streak extends to four in 2019. But in order to reach nine (or more) wins, Penn State has to find a replacement for quarterback Trace McSorley. Sophomore Sean Clifford played sparingly as McSorley's backup last season and is set for the starting role after Tommy Stevens transferred to Mississippi State. Clifford has a big-time arm, and the Nittany Lions have intriguing talent on the edge to utilize downfield. The best of the bunch is sophomore KJ Hamler (42 catches for 754 yards and five scores last season), with Jahan Dotson, Justin Shorter and transfers George Campbell (Florida State) and Weston Carr (Azusa Pacific) also poised to contribute. Tight end Pat Freiermuth caught 26 passes as a freshman last season and should be more involved in 2019. Miles Sanders left for the NFL after a terrific junior season, but the cupboard isn't bare at running back. Ricky Slade is likely to see the bulk of the carries, with Journey Brown, C.J. Holmes and freshmen Noah Cain and Devyn Ford rounding out a deep rotation. Three starters are back up front, but the left tackle spot is worth monitoring, as redshirt freshman Rasheed Walker is penciled in as the favorite to start. If Clifford and Penn State's offense needs a few games to find their footing, the defense provides an excellent insurance policy. The Nittany Lions held teams to 20.5 points a game and 4.7 yards per play in 2018. The strength of this unit is the front seven. End Yetur Gross-Matos is poised for All-America honors after recording 20 tackles for a loss and eight sacks last fall. Sophomore Micah Parsons is one of college football's rising stars at linebacker, joining an experienced starting trio that features Cam Brown and Jan Johnson. John Reid and Tariq Castro-Fields form a solid duo at cornerback. Michigan visits Happy Valley in 2019, but Penn State catches Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa on the road.
Awesome...ranked 14th would put us at two losses...perhaps 3. The means we win two ot these four: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State. And, with no upsets against Purdue, Minny, Pitt, and the rest.
 


"I think Clifford is probably a better athlete than people think he is," offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne said following April's Blue-White game.

Clifford weighs in at 6-foot-2, 218-pound, and those within the program have noted his increased explosion thanks to the workout regimen from head strength coach Dwight Galt and his staff. It should put to rest any concerns about him being mobile enough to fit into Penn State's spread scheme that features plenty of run/pass options for the quarterback.
 
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