Penn State enters Saturday’s contest against No. 14 Michigan as a four-point underdog in search of its first signature win of the season. The Nittany Lions are coming off a much-needed bye week and playing in front of a “White Out” crowd, creating two advantages over Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines, who are 8-2 overall, 5-1 in the Big Ten and gearing up for a rivalry game against Ohio State in Ann…
Few Penn State beat writers have been around the program as the Altoona Mirror’s Neil Rudel, who has a unique perspective covering the team through Joe Paterno, Bill O’Brien and all the turmoil of the last four years. He’s worked with James Franklin, as well, and has a front-row seat as the Nittany Lions begin to ascend from three years of harsh NCAA sanctions.
Penn State enters a pivotal final two-game stretch against Michigan and Michigan State having been afforded a week off to rest, get healthy and prepare. The Nittany Lions are coming off a disappointing road loss to Northwestern and look for win No. 8 with two ranked foes ahead. Analyst and former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker joined Dustin Hockensmith on the Keystone Kickoff Show to shed light on the players’…
Penn State has 19 commitments in its 2016 recruiting class as the end of the season approaches. It’s a group that is loaded with nine offensive and defensive linemen but could still improve with a number of high-profile targets still left on the board. Tre Nixon, Jordan Fuller and Damar Hamlin highlight the target list for James Franklin and his staff. But Franklin also has work to do with a…
Penn State is 7-3 going into its bye week, most recently losing a heartbreaker to Northwestern on the road last week. Coach James Franklin has had 10 weeks to evaluate his roster, develop young players reconsider game plans that have often been subject to criticism. So, how has the staff done so far? Jeff Rice of Lions 247 joined Bob Flounders and Greg Pickel on this week’s Keystone Kickoff Show…
Penn State got big contributions late last season from the likes of true freshmen Troy Apke and Grant Haley, which propelled them into bigger roles for their sophomore campaigns in 2015. They became vital parts of the rebuilding program moving forward, along with classmates such as Chris Godwin, Jason Cabinda and Marcus Allen. The Nittany Lions could be in the market for young help again this season, or at least…
Penn State gets a much-needed week to rest in advance of the “White Out” game against Michigan after a run of nine straight games to open the season. For the Nittany Lions coaching staff, the week off also affords them time to watch film, evaluate targets and make recruiting trips. The timing of the bye week could be good with the highly anticipated contest against the Wolverines looming. The “White…
Penn State suffered a blow to its secondary this week with the announcement that senior safety Jordan Lucas would miss the remainder of the season with an undisclosed injury. While the ailment disrupted Lucas’ season, it might not have derailed his quest to make an NFL roster, as he has a fifth-round draft grade and now earns an invitation to the Senior Bowl to his credit. Teammate Carl Nassib also received a…
Penn State has a chance to disrupt the top of the Big Ten East division standings with matchups ahead against Michigan and Michigan State. The Nittany Lions first tackle a tough, disciplined Northwestern team and still have a bye in advance of the “White Out” clash with the Wolverines. Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune and Big Ten Network joined Bob Flounders on this week’s Keystone Kickoff Show to talk…
Penn State hits the road for Evanston and date with Northwestern in the team’s final game before a much-needed bye. The contest kicks off a rugged three-game finish for the Nittany Lions, which includes Michigan and Michigan State to wrap up their regular season. The Wildcats are coming off a bye that followed a bumpy three-game stretch that included blowout losses to Michigan and Iowa. The Wildcats are 2 1/2-point…
Penn State enters a crucial three-game stretch to wrap up its 2015 season with a road trip to well-rested Northwestern on Saturday. The Nittany Lions have momentum on their side but a key opportunity on the horizon to secure their eighth victory of the season and a clear signal of progress in coach James Franklin’s second season.
Penn State has a key decision to make at the kicker position in advance of its trip to Northwestern. Joey Julius gave way to Tyler Davis after struggling in the 39-0 win over Illinois, a change that could stick for Northwestern and likely beyond. Coach James Franklin hasn’t yet announced any change, only saying this week’s practice competition would determine who wins placekicking duties. Franklin addressed his kickers, drew a…
Penn State has had its ups and downs this season but most recently came away encouraged from a 31-30 win over Maryland that was boosted by Christian Hackenberg and the big-play passing attack. Coach James Franklin talked about that strategy and the health of Saquon Barkley this week, and Bob Shoop broke down his defense in the advance of today’s game against Illinois.
Penn State has the No. 4 recruiting class in the country in 2016, a group of 19 verbal commitments that could be coach James Franklin’s best collection of talent since arriving in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions are still within arm’s reach to a number of high-profile targets but also have work to do to retain commits such as Lavert Hill, Quinn Nordin and Miles Sanders. Michigan is a big…
Penn State plays host to Illinois at Beaver Stadium and enters the contest as a 5 1/2-point favorite. The Nittany Lions are unbeaten at home (5-0) this season and face a pesky Illini squad that is winless on the road (0-2) but has managed to stay competitive in Big Ten play with a win over Nebraska (14-13) and losses to unbeaten Iowa (29-20) and Wisconsin (24-13). The Illini pose challenges…
Penn State’s James Franklin says he’s not going anywhere, and he’s passionately refuted any indication that he’s interested in leaving. Franklin was linked to the vacancy at Miami this week in a report from Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, which prompted a vehement denial from the coach that ended with, “This is where I want to be.” Franklin is 6-2 at Penn State this season and owns a 13-8 record in…