Spring Camp News Thread....

[GregInPitt]

Soooo let's get back to talking about Spring camp 2017!

I'm loving the clips I'm seeing, esp of Irv Charles and JJ. Those two look like monsters! I mean plenty of NFL teams would kill to have two 6'4'' 220+ pound beasts who run ~ 4.4s and can make contested catches

Yep, but NFL teams will need to see them make contested catches IN GAMES before they kill to get them!!

But I'm in the camp that believes that WR is the strongest position on the team. WR is a position where true freshmen rarely make a great impact. Unlike RB where talent and reading holes just translates to any field, and only blocking and improved strength are the only developmental aspects. WR's make many adjustments and it takes time to learn, and confidence in making catches against bigger, faster players can take time to develop. It is not uncommon for WR players that make just a few catches one year take over as #1 receivers in college. It likely will not happen, but it would not surprise me to see either (or both) Johnson or Charles make such a move in 2017 and actually end up by mid-season be PSU's #1 receiver. Working against them is that Blacknall is a super talent himself and if he stays out of trouble will be targeted very regularly if he continues to make plays. A great problem to have - too much talent to get the ball to everyone regularly! Baring injuries WR is loaded for the next 2 years. When Blacknall and Hamilton leave we will also have in 2018 a number of candidates (Darien, Hamler, Sullivan-Brown, Hippenhammer and possibly Shorter as a true freshman) to make a move into the rotation that will include Thompkins, Johnson, Charles, and Polk.

 

[BBG65]

I was a member of the "Joe must go crowd. I think it was selfish of him and irresponsible of the admin. for him to still be the HC until he was 85, not fully participating in recruiting and often game day coaching from upstairs. Joe's desire to stay in coaching and perhaps his desire to protect Jay, was put ahead of the welfare of the program.

 

[GregInPitt]

I know photo angles can be funny but 62 is listed at 6'4, while 71 is listed at 6'6, yet in the picture 62 looks taller.

Angle, and the fact that 71 looks to be farther away making him look smaller.....

 

[Judge Smails]

I was a member of the "Joe must go crowd. I think it was selfish of him and irresponsible of the admin. for him to still be the HC until he was 85, not fully participating in recruiting and often game day coaching from upstairs. Joe's desire to stay in coaching and perhaps his desire to protect Jay, was put ahead of the welfare of the program.

 

[GregInPitt]

I know photo angles can be funny but 62 is listed at 6'4, while 71 is listed at 6'6, yet in the picture 62 looks taller.

Basically the same picture but from the side. Looks more like their listed dimensions, eh?

 

[bmw199]

I gotta believe that Menet will win a job starting by mid season. That kid's raw talent has Sundays written all over it

 

[marshall23]

It's just reality. I loved Joe, I supported his right to work into his 80s, as long as he wanted, even though the program had settled into a perennial 9-3, 8-4, Outback Bowl-in-a-good-year kind of program.

With the benefit of hindsight, I wouldn't support his right to work into his 80s. With the benefit of hindsight, I think Joe was doing a disservice to those players he recruited by not being able to give them state of the art training and coaching. He always said he would get out of the way if someone else could do it better -- but he didn't. He worked hard at trying to lower fans' expectations, and I think he meant well, it was partly so that his successor wouldn't have such a hard time. But in the end I think it was the wrong message for his players. The program was smug and self-satisfied; it was all about glories past.

Joe has been a hero of mine since I was 9 years old, and he will always be. But let's be truthful when we talk about the program in Joe's last years. It was a lot of mediocrity and complacency wrapped around two coaches -- LJ Sr. and Vandy -- who were the only reason PSU was still competitive. They had some good years.

As for the assistants, they were awesome people (except for one). And most were competent. But when you have 10-15 HS all-Americans at a position and you're not consistently producing Big Ten caliber players, and when your unit isn't B1G competitive 2 years out of four -- I'm sorry, it's time to retire and let someone else have a go. When year after year you lose skill players to Rutgers and Maryland and Pitt and Virginia because they don't have confidence in your offensive system ....

But really my post wasn't about how bad things were. They weren't bad. 9-3 and the Outback Bowl isn't BAD. It's just amazing how much BETTER things are now.

Again, I simply said I will support James Franklin and the program without criticizing JVP. I really don't see the upside. As far as not recruiting....didn't he bring in Poz, Wake, Hali, Sean Lee...... and more towards the end of his career. Mauti and company may have saved PSU Football, character guys that Joe brought in.Still a strong presence of JVP guys in the NFL. I love PSU Football and I think we are very lucky to have James Franklin.

 

[Judge Smails]

I gotta believe that Menet will win a job starting by mid season. That kid's raw talent has Sundays written all over it

Gotta believe they get the best 5 out there somehow. That might be Bates - Gonzalez/Wright - McGovern - Menet - Mahon eventually. They have Mahon/Menet splitting reps at RG, still like Mahon at tackle.

 

[marshall23]

see this is an opinion that not everyone shares. As you mentioned you are not an expert, but I would consider John Thomas one. I think he ran the program the way he thought it best. So lets' move on.

Muscles do not have brains. They react to overload. How you apply that principle, nautilus, free weights etc. It all works. There are strength training principles like duration of exercise and exercise to momentary muscular failure that are much more important than free weights vs. machines. Some strength coaches are cautious so as not to cause injury in the weight room.

 

[Cpeplion]

Muscles do not have brains. They react to overload. How you apply that principle, nautilus, free weights etc. It all works. There are strength training principles like duration of exercise and exercise to momentary muscular failure that are much more important than free weights vs. machines. Some strength coaches are cautious so as not to cause injury in the weight room.

disagree to an extent...as Mark Rippetoe would prolly say....if you train for strength you have to use a barbell and you must use the big three lifts at a minimum....If you don't know who Mark Rippetoe is then you shouldn't even be commenting on strength training.

 

[marshall23]

disagree to an extent...as Mark Rippetoe would prolly say....if you train for strength you have to use a barbell and you must use the big three lifts at a minimum....If you don't know who Mark Rippetoe is then you shouldn't even be commenting on strength training.

I see.

 

[bmw199]

Gotta believe they get the best 5 out there somehow. That might be Bates - Gonzalez/Wright - McGovern - Menet - Mahon eventually. They have Mahon/Menet splitting reps at RG, still like Mahon at tackle.

I agree about Mahon. I think you've said you like Bates at tackle, but I'm partial to him at G. In the end he's so good though it probably doesn't matter as long as he's on the field.
BTW good for Gonzalez, even as a 4 star recruit (at one point, don't think he finished as one) he battled a lot and it's great he is likely one of those 5 or at a minimum number 6

 

[sluggo72]

Basically the same picture but from the side. Looks more like their listed dimensions, eh?

yes you can see that now. I question a lot of the heights and weights listed on rosters. I just wanted to check and see how accurate our is. I understand fibbing on the weights, I understand why a kid 330# might want to be listed at 310#! I don't like it when a player is listed at 6'2 and you know he is only 5'11". Just a pet peeve of mine. That said you would think via Title IX that if the mens basketball team listed Hts & Wts, the women should as well!!

 

[tboyer]

That's what was so great about being able to play the Rose Bowl. It's a higher level of competition. SC had an OL entirely made up of future NFL players. They were REALLY tough up front and PSU D did pretty well containing the run but couldn't get near Darnold at the end obviously. That is a nice measuring stick for people like Cothran and Givens. If they want to compete for B1G East and beyond, that's the measuring stick. You have to play the best to know what you have to do to be competitive with that.

I disagree. He was showing flashes, but he also was inconsistent. He had no push against SC, and he had inconsistent moments against Wisconsin, remember Wisky ran all over us, in that game and put up 31 points. Michigan State did not punt in the first half against us.

Our defensive line needs to improve this year. That means everyone.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[21Guns]

Gotta believe they get the best 5 out there somehow. That might be Bates - Gonzalez/Wright - McGovern - Menet - Mahon eventually. They have Mahon/Menet splitting reps at RG, still like Mahon at tackle.

I wonder what the best five actually is? The fact that it's now up for debate, for maybe the first time in what seems like forever, is a GOOD thing, not a bad thing. We have 7 or 8 guys, in the conversation of "the best 5" for this O line. THAT is damn good news.

 

[21Guns]

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43, 47, and 31. Now, add in 40, 7, and 9. I think that's the two deep right there.

A couple of guys I want to see this spring are Vranec and Cooper: Especially Vranec, because I actually think he can play.

 

[83wuzme]

I know photo angles can be funny but 62 is listed at 6'4, while 71 is listed at 6'6, yet in the picture 62 looks taller.

I'd say they're both big enough.

 

[PSU_Chicago]

Over Joes last 3 full seasons we won 29 games, James 25; 2 of JVPs last 3 seasons had better records than James best season (at over 80 years of age). Perhaps we should be thankful for the job James is doing and be thankful for the years we had under Joe.

Can you even compare Yr 1 and 2 of CJF's tenure with any year of Joe? The roster was barren. I cannot.

 

[bdgan]

It's just reality. I loved Joe, I supported his right to work into his 80s, as long as he wanted, even though the program had settled into a perennial 9-3, 8-4, Outback Bowl-in-a-good-year kind of program.

With the benefit of hindsight, I wouldn't support his right to work into his 80s. With the benefit of hindsight, I think Joe was doing a disservice to those players he recruited by not being able to give them state of the art training and coaching. He always said he would get out of the way if someone else could do it better -- but he didn't. He worked hard at trying to lower fans' expectations, and I think he meant well, it was partly so that his successor wouldn't have such a hard time. But in the end I think it was the wrong message for his players. The program was smug and self-satisfied; it was all about glories past.

Joe has been a hero of mine since I was 9 years old, and he will always be. But let's be truthful when we talk about the program in Joe's last years. It was a lot of mediocrity and complacency wrapped around two coaches -- LJ Sr. and Vandy -- who were the only reason PSU was still competitive. They had some good years.

As for the assistants, they were awesome people (except for one). And most were competent. But when you have 10-15 HS all-Americans at a position and you're not consistently producing Big Ten caliber players, and when your unit isn't B1G competitive 2 years out of four -- I'm sorry, it's time to retire and let someone else have a go. When year after year you lose skill players to Rutgers and Maryland and Pitt and Virginia because they don't have confidence in your offensive system ....

But really my post wasn't about how bad things were. They weren't bad. 9-3 and the Outback Bowl isn't BAD. It's just amazing how much BETTER things are now.

I agree that Joe stayed too long but...

• BiG champs 2005
• BiG champs 2009
• Could have made another run in 2012 if not for sanctions (8-4 would likely have been closer to 11-1 with Forty, Fera, Redd, Brown, etc.)
• The 2012 recruiting class was ranked top 5 until the crap hit the fan.

 

[BobPSU92]

I love Joe, but THIS. THREAD. IS. NOT. ABOUT. JOE.

 

[sgw107]

Holy God Juwan Johnson is impressive looking. I have no idea if that will actually translate to results on the field, but wow! Then couple that with Irvin Charles who's equally huge and then blacknall who's 6'3 212 runs a 4.3 and on, and on. If they fulfill at least some of their potential, they will strike fear into absolutely anyone in the country. And the wr corp as a whole just looks outstanding. I think the team will be really good this year, but I've been so traumatized by the first two years of barely beating rutgers and losing to maryland, then losing to temple, then barely beating maryland that it's not as easy to take the leap of faith. lol!

 

[royboy]

Holy God Juwan Johnson is impressive looking. I have no idea if that will actually translate to results on the field, but wow! Then couple that with Irvin Charles who's equally huge and then blacknall who's 6'3 212 runs a 4.3 and on, and on. If they fulfill at least some of their potential, they will strike fear into absolutely anyone in the country. And the wr corp as a whole just looks outstanding. I think the team will be really good this year, but I've been so traumatized by the first two years of barely beating rutgers and losing to maryland, then losing to temple, then barely beating maryland that it's not as easy to take the leap of faith. lol!

And don't forget Gesicki at Tight End....major weapon, esp. in the red zone. And the better the passing game goes, the more opportunity for the best weapon of all...#26.

 

[TheGLOV]

Yep, but NFL teams will need to see them make contested catches IN GAMES before they kill to get them!!

But I'm in the camp that believes that WR is the strongest position on the team. WR is a position where true freshmen rarely make a great impact. Unlike RB where talent and reading holes just translates to any field, and only blocking and improved strength are the only developmental aspects. WR's make many adjustments and it takes time to learn, and confidence in making catches against bigger, faster players can take time to develop. It is not uncommon for WR players that make just a few catches one year take over as #1 receivers in college. It likely will not happen, but it would not surprise me to see either (or both) Johnson or Charles make such a move in 2017 and actually end up by mid-season be PSU's #1 receiver. Working against them is that Blacknall is a super talent himself and if he stays out of trouble will be targeted very regularly if he continues to make plays. A great problem to have - too much talent to get the ball to everyone regularly! Baring injuries WR is loaded for the next 2 years. When Blacknall and Hamilton leave we will also have in 2018 a number of candidates (Darien, Hamler, Sullivan-Brown, Hippenhammer and possibly Shorter as a true freshman) to make a move into the rotation that will include Thompkins, Johnson, Charles, and Polk.

You go Greg!

 

[T J]

Basically the same picture but from the side. Looks more like their listed dimensions, eh?

Like Fries with that

... picture.​

 

[T J]

View embedded media

Good pic.

Please remind...

What's the deal with the cutout areas in the top front of some of the helmets (the two on the right), while other helmets have the traditional solid, unbroken plastic tops (the helmet on the left).
Thanks -​

 

[royboy]

Like Fries with that

... picture.​

Well, it does look like they haven't missed too many meals lately.

Nothing wrong with bigger, stronger, heavier, so long as they maintain quickness and some speed. For example, it was remarkable to see #52 Bates running downfield on some plays last season. The OL looks to be getting better and better.

 

[Raffycorn]

43, 47, and 31. Now, add in 40, 7, and 9. I think that's the two deep right there.

A couple of guys I want to see this spring are Vranec and Cooper: Especially Vranec, because I actually think he can play.

No way Smith starts at MLB over Cabinda.

 

[Raffycorn]

Good pic.

Please remind...

What's the deal with the cutout areas in the top front of some of the helmets (the two on the right), while other helmets have the traditional solid, unbroken plastic tops (the helmet on the left).
Thanks -​

It's a flexible panel to try and absorb some of the energy and impact from hits to the forehead area of the helmet.

 

[T J]

It's a flexible panel to try and absorb some of the energy and impact from hits to the forehead area of the helmet.

Good. Expected it was related to that issue.
Thanks Raffycorn.

 

[royboy]

No way Smith starts at MLB over Cabinda.

Maybe so, but there's not much drop-off if any when Brandon Smith is on the field. He's smart, has good instincts, and tackles well.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Good a place as any to say this - hope the BW game is much more competitive this year - lots of exciting young players to get a first look at too.

 

[sgw107]

And don't forget Gesicki at Tight End....major weapon, esp. in the red zone. And the better the passing game goes, the more opportunity for the best weapon of all...#26.

Yeah right after I typed that I realized i forgot to mention Gesicki. Seriously part of the offense this year will be just throw it up, anywhere, and they will get it. Think of the red zone potential! Not only that, but the dbs will be going up against those guys in practice every day. Yes, saquon. Now we'll get to see ow truly good he can be with an offensive line that actually suits his talent. You saw it in pieces last year I think until they got injured.

 

[21Guns]

No way Smith starts at MLB over Cabinda.

Yeah, I wasn't saying that. Those six should make up the two deep, in one combo or another. Cooper will join Jan Johnson for extra depth, and possible two true frosh if they are green lighted.

 

[OhioLion]

double post

 

[OhioLion]

AldenT, your dislike for JT is your choice. But, please understand he was offered the job by Boston College while still at Penn State when the storm hit. It was during Joe's funeral he was called by the HC at BC at the time and the offer was pulled. It was pulled because the BC HC was told win or be fired. What happened? BC had a losing season and the coach was fired. He didn't want JT and his family to go through back-to-back seasons of changing jobs.
JT was then hired as an assistant at UGA. As he was readying to take over the program due to head S & C coach retiring, Richt was let go. JT followed him to UM along with Gus Felder.
For reasons I will not discuss here, Gus Felder has taken over as the head S & C coach at UM with JT assisting.
And, there was another offer by a D1 program, but it did not work out for JT and he decided to stay with Richt.
So, to say D1 programs have seen him as "unworthy" is a lie.
And, please also understand that aside from Larry Johnson and Ron Vanderlinden, JT was the only other coach hired the for the 2013 season.
Not liking John Thomas is fine, but lying in your post is not.

OL

 

[TheGLOV]

Blacknall injuried??

 

[bmw199]

Blacknall injuried??

What??

 

[LundyPSU]

What??

Saw a couple of posts that he went down with a knew injury this past week. No idea if serious or not. Franklin won't discuss injuries. So just a wait and see. I do believe Blacknall could have a huge season if healthy.

 

[Judge Smails]

Saw a couple of posts that he went down with a knew injury this past week. No idea if serious or not. Franklin won't discuss injuries. So just a wait and see. I do believe Blacknall could have a huge season if healthy.

He'll be fine.