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KSN Podcast: Breaking down Penn State’s most important players, Nos. 6-10

August 29, 2015

Bob Flounders continued his five-part series looking at Penn State’s 25 most important players on this week’s Keystone Kickoff Show. He’s down to Nos. 6-10 on his list, which includes wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton and running back Akeel Lynch. These are players who are central to the Nittany Lions’ plans in 2015. Stay tuned to the Keystone Kickoff Show and KeystoneSportsNetwork.com next week for the final portion of the rankings,…

KSN Podcast: Projecting Penn State football’s top impact newcomers

August 28, 2015

Penn State is building a deeper roster in 2015 as the program reloads after three years of NCAA sanctions. The total scholarship count is back in the 80s and the two-deep is in a good place, but young players still make up an inordinate percentage of the roster. And so it’s no wonder that coach James Franklin expects at least four true freshmen to see the field in 2015. In…

KSN Podcast: Penn State ‘green-light’ freshmen, Paris Palmer’s importance and more

August 28, 2015

Penn State settled a number of looming depth chart issues this week following an open practice on campus Wednesday. Coach James Franklin tipped his hand on the offensive line, broke down his four true freshmen who are most likely to see the field and addressed ongoing “concerns” about the kicking and punting units. Paris Palmer is all but official as the starting left tackle in advance of the team’s season…

KSN Podcast: Breaking down Penn State’s most important players, Nos. 11-15

August 23, 2015

Bob Flounders continued his series looking at Penn State’s most important players for the 2015 season, this week focusing on two key linemen, two playmakers and a breakout candidate in Carl Nassib. This was the third installment of the series and featured the players who ranked Nos. 11-15 on Flounders’ list. Nassib checked in at No. 11, followed by offensive tackle Andrew Nelson, tight end Mike Gesicki, center Angelo Mangiro…

KSN Podcast: Talking Big Ten, PSU football with Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein

August 23, 2015

Penn State embarks on its second season under coach James Franklin with plenty of promise in a loaded Big Ten East division. The Nittany Lions have better depth and talent and nearly a full allotment of scholarships for the first time after being slammed with NCAA sanctions in 2012. But while Penn State improves, so does it competition in defending national champion Ohio State, Michigan under Jim Harbaugh and Michigan…

KSN Podcast: Thoughts on Penn State recruit Karamo Dioubate, training camp observations

August 22, 2015

Penn State entered the midway point of its 2015 training camp with a number of known issues to resolve in advance of the Sept. 5 opener at Temple. The left tackle position and the placekicker battle between Joey Julius and Tyler Davis remain unresolved, but several others look to be in good hands, particularly with the rise of true freshmen John Reid and Saquon Barkley. Junior college transfer Paris Palmer…

KSN Podcast: ‘Tucker’s Tape’ breaks down Penn State’s defensive line

August 22, 2015

Penn State’s defensive line is anchored by one of the best tackle tandems in the nation in Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson. The duo is back in 2015 after wreaking havoc a season ago and is joined by two new starters at defensive end in Garrett Sickels and Carl Nassib. The unit underwent change in the offseason but should be as dominant as ever this season. James Franklin and the…

KSN Podcast: Penn State football interview with Fight On State’s Mark Brennan

August 18, 2015

Penn State is going through its practice reps this summer in search of solutions at a number of key positions, including the left tackle spot and the backup running backs, to name two. The Nittany Lions are hoping for a quick transition from junior college offensive tackle Paris Palmer and holding open an open competition at the running back spot with Akeel Lynch, Mark Allen, Nick Scott and Saquon Barkley…

KSN Podcast: Breaking down Penn State’s most important players, Nos. 16-20

August 18, 2015

Penn State has a deeper roster and more experienced nucleus going into the 2015 season as the program continues to ascend from NCAA sanctions that were levied in 2012. Coach James Franklin has quickly added high-end talent in the 2014 and ’15 classes, but many of those prospects have yet to make an impact on the field. Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay continued a series looking at the most…

KSN Podcast: Penn State O-line developments, the running back depth chart and more

August 17, 2015

The stability and success of Penn State’s offensive line this season goes far beyond just one player, but it wouldn’t hurt the Lions if junior college Paris Palmer acclimates quickly. The 6-7, 300-pounder is off to a slow start in practice while redshirt junior Wendy Laurent has been mentioned by name as turning heads. Could James Franklin be forced to shuffle the deck if Palmer continues to struggle? While that…

KSN Podcast: ‘Tucker’s Tape’ breaks down Penn State’s quarterback depth chart

August 17, 2015

Penn State is putting all the pieces together on a roster that boasts its best depth in years and continues to accumulate high-end recruits at a quick rate. The Nittany Lions are building toward Big Ten contention as the program continues its ascent out of three years of NCAA sanctions. Coach James Franklin’s ability to take the next step depends on how he addresses areas of concern, namely the offensive…

KSN Podcast: Breaking down Penn State’s most important players, Nos. 21-25

August 8, 2015

For Penn State to take a sizable leap forward in 2015, coach James Franklin is relying on more than a few key factors. His team is young and still has depth and experience issues, particularly along the offensive line, but the 2015 season brings optimism that a nearly full roster of scholarship players can take a big step toward being a Big Ten title contender. Christian Hackenberg, Austin Johnson and…

KSN Podcast: ‘Tucker’s Tape’ breaks down offensive linemen on the spot in 2015

August 8, 2015

There’s no escaping the importance of progress on Penn State’s offensive line this season. The offense can only go so far as that group takes it, and the hope is that a season of experience and a full year learning coordinator John Donovan’s offense can lead to big breakthroughs for the likes of Brendan Mahon, Brian Gaia and Angelo Mangiro. A number of scenarios exist for the starting lineup this…

KSN Podcast: Penn State news, from the O-line to Big Ten rivals and more

August 7, 2015

Penn State has kicked off its summer training camp this week and hopes to create momentum in a few key areas. The offensive line is the big issue going into the 2015 season after the unit struggled to protect quarterback Christian Hackenberg and create running lanes a year ago. That group is worth watching to see progress in camp, along with linebackers and running backs, to name a few. Fifth-year senior…

KSN Podcast: Penn State football media day recap with Bob Flounders

August 7, 2015

Penn State held its annual media day in Happy Valley this week, which marked an opportunity to catch up with assistant coaches and players, many of whom for the first time since last season. James Franklin talked about a number of topics in his opening news conference, and coordinators Bob Shoop and John Donovan were available to talk about the team’s offensive and defensive units. After that was a free-for-all…

KSN Podcast: Penn State 2016 recruiting overview and key targets

August 3, 2015

Penn State is set to enter summer camp and turn its focus to the current team, but coach James Franklin is far from finished on the recruiting trail. The Nittany Lions are loaded with talent in their 2016 recruiting class and still have a number of high-profile targets within their reach. Penn State could still add big-time prospects to a class that has consensus top-10 rankings. Franklin has 18 verbal…

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