Staff, Author at Keystone Sports Network - Page 4 of 17

KSN Podcast: ‘Tucker’s Tape’ on Penn State, Christian Hackenberg and situational football

October 23, 2015

Two years into coach James Franklin’s tenure, his offense still has far more questions than answers. And as the Nittany Lions struggle, blame falls on Franklin, offensive coordinator John Donovan, the offensive line and quarterback Christian Hackenberg. But what is the biggest problem in a sputtering passing attack, the scheme or Hackenberg’s execution? Hackenberg was asked to do very little in a 38-10 loss at Ohio State, completing 7 of…

KSN Podcast: Penn State-Ohio State preview

October 16, 2015

Penn State is 5-1 and coming off a strong, 29-7 win over Indiana that wrapped up a five-game home stand at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions hit the road Saturday to face No. 1 Ohio State in a rematch of last year’s overtime thriller in State College. The Buckeyes have been slow out of the gates in their six wins; does Penn State have what it takes to start fast,…

KSN Podcast: Talking Penn State-Ohio State with Doug Lesmerises

October 16, 2015

Ohio State has had its share of struggles to open its defense of last year’s national championship, running into adversity in every single game during a 6-0 start. The Buckeyes are still trying to find themselves on both sides of the ball with huge matchups that carry College Football Playoff implications coming next month against Michigan State and at Michigan. Penn State, which gave OSU all it could handle at…

KSN Podcast: Penn State football news and notes on Saquon Barkley, Adam Breneman, more

October 15, 2015

Penn State hits the road for its biggest test of the season with a Saturday visit to No. 1 Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are 5-1 and riding high despite a rash of recent injuries that could be clearing up this weekend. Right tackle Andrew Nelson and safety Marcus Allen are back, but the status of Angelo Mangiro and freshman sensation Saquon Barkley is still up in the air. A…

KSN Podcast: Looking at Penn State-Ohio State ‘X-factors’

October 15, 2015

Saturday’s Penn State-Ohio State matchup brings plenty of star power on both sides of the ball, but particularly on the Buckeyes’ sideline with a slew of NFL talent led by defensive end Joey Bosa and quarterback Cardale Jones. For Penn State, Christian Hackenberg and Anthony Zettel have all the name recognition, while Saquon Barkley and Austin Johnson have have burst onto the national scene. Big names are likely to shape…

KSN Podcast: Penn State-Indiana preview

October 9, 2015

Penn State is a surprising 6.5-point favorite this weekend as it welcomes Indiana to Beaver Stadium, a venue in which the Hoosiers have never won. But the Nittany Lions are sputtering going into the Big Ten Conference matchup with lingering injuries and a lack of offensive momentum coming off a tense, 20-14 win over Army last weekend. Indiana represents a good early test and an important opportunity to take a…

KSN Podcast: ‘Tucker’s Tape’ eyes the dominance of Penn State’s defensive line

October 9, 2015

Penn State’s defensive line has long been an integral part of the program’s success, dating back to the days of Joe Paterno and position coach Larry Johnson. But that unit’s dominance has continued under James Franklin and Sean Spencer, anchored of course by the 1-2 punch of Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel inside. The front four are making even more noise this season as the Nittany Lions with the third-most…

KSN Podcast: Talking Penn State football with Steve Jones

October 9, 2015

Penn State is going through a time of transition, from a scholarship-strapped program with a bleak future to an aspiring Big Ten contender making huge gains in building a talent base. James Franklin’s first two seasons have been far from smooth, and his approach still comes with question marks as the team works through the same offensive struggles again in 2015. Where the Nittany Lions are, and where they’re going,…

KSN Podcast: Penn State football news, injury updates, more

October 9, 2015

Penn State football coach James Franklin is focused on positive going into the Indiana game. His team is 4-1 and working on a run of four straight wins, but red flags abound in the form of injuries and continued offensive struggles. Those problems reached a boiling point of sorts in last week’s narrow 20-14 win over Army, after which Franklin was questioned as if his team lost. It’s hard to…

KSN Podcast: Penn State-Army preview

October 2, 2015

Penn State wraps up its non-conference season at Beaver Stadium on Saturday when Army comes to town for a noon matchup on ESPNU. The Nittany Lions are trending up in terms of wins and losses but have a number of injuries this week, while Army comes off its first win of the season, a 58-36 victory at Eastern Michigan. The Black Knights run a triple-option offense that is heavy on…

KSN Podcast: Evaluating Penn State performance at each position

October 2, 2015

Penn State has won three straight games and is a heavy favorite to beat Army at Beaver Stadium this weekend. Bright spots have come into focus everywhere on the roster following an all-around debacle, with a fresh, new look at the linebacker spots, along the offensive line and at cornerback with the return to health of talented sophomore Grant Haley for the Buffalo game. The Nittany Lions’ defensive line has…

KSN Podcast: Penn State football news on Christian Hackenberg, injuries and more

October 1, 2015

Penn State is 3-1 going into its final non-conference game with points of optimism — Hackenberg’s best performance of the young season against San Diego State — and points of concern heading into Army weekend. The Nittany Lions could be without running backs Saquon Barkley and Akeel Lynch this Saturday, perhaps beyond, putting even more strain on Hackenberg and the passing attack. Hackenberg has made headlines since May as a…

KSN Podcast: Talking Penn State football with Mark Brennan

October 1, 2015

Penn State rides a three-game winning streak into this weekend’s non-conference matchup with Army at Beaver Stadium, and the Nittany Lions have appeared to generate offensive momentum through the air and on the ground. The team has come a long way from the season-opening loss to Temple, and pleasant surprises such as Saquon Barkley, Troy Reeder, John Reid and Carl Nassib have played a big part in the recent run…

KSN Podcast: Penn State-San Diego State preview

September 25, 2015

Penn State plays its third of five straight home games Saturday against San Diego State with a little momentum on its side. The Nittany Lions are working on a two-game winning streak, the second of which came in impressive fashion with a dominant 28-3 win over Rutgers last weekend. A return to non-conference plays features a date with the Aztecs, who travel across the country to play their first ever…

KSN Podcast: Interview with Penn State great, BTN analyst Matt Millen

September 25, 2015

Former Penn State great and current Big Ten Network analyst had a front row seat for running back Saquon Barkley’s breakout performance in last Saturday night’s win over Rutgers. Millen is also from the same hometown as Barkley (Whitehall, Pa.) and has inside information about the freshman’s rise to prominence. The analyst is a big believer in Barkley’s abilities. Millen’s admiration for “Say-Say” came through as he called the Penn…

KSN Podcast: ‘Tucker’s Tape’ looks at Saquon Barkley’s impact on Penn State’s offense

September 25, 2015

Penn State’s offense has shown new purpose early in the 2015 season with better offensive line play and the emergence of freshman running back Saquon Barkley as a true weapon out of the backfield. Those two developments were big keys in the Nittany Lions’ 28-3 win over Rutgers last Saturday night and could be building blocks moving forward, as well. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg has more help than at any previous…

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