Penn State kicks off a five-game home stand at Beaver Stadium Saturday afternoon when it hosts Buffalo. The Bulls are coming off a 51-14 win over Albany in their season opener, and they enter the weekend as 20-point underdogs. While there’s a chance for early tense moments, the focus will largely be on the Nittany Lions themselves and how they address lingering issues. All eyes will be on Penn State’s…
Penn State looks to bounce back from an ugly 27-10 loss to Temple with a friendly matchup against visiting Buffalo. Coming off that loss, coach James Franklin vowed to get more involved in the offensive play-calling and experiment with an offensive line that surrendered 10 sacks on quarterback Christian Hackenberg. He was also forced to find a long-term solution at linebacker after starter Nyeem Wartman-White was lost for the season…
While Penn State fell flat in its season-opening loss to Temple, the rest of the Big Ten East division showed promise for huge dividends. Michigan State got on the board with a Week 1 win in advance of Saturday’s clash with Oregon. Ohio State was impressive in throttling Virginia Tech in the second half, and Michigan was highly competitive in the face of roster limitations in a loss to Utah….
Penn State’s offensive line surrendered 10 sacks and contributed to a sputtering second-half offense in a 27-10 road loss to Temple last weekend. The unit had many of the same problems that plagued it last season, and coaches and linemen cited communication issues for their breakdowns against the Owls. And there were many as the Nittany Lions managed just 52 yards and zero points in the final 51 minutes of…
Penn State is getting one of the best offensive tackle recruits in the country in Exeter Township’s Michal Menet, a 6-5, 270-pound dynamo at one of the Nittany Lions’ biggest area of needs. Bob Flounders and Jim Galanti break down Menet’s game and what he brings to the table for Penn State in 2016 and beyond. Check out audio of the show in this post and be sure to check back…
Penn State was beaten by Temple for the first time since 1941, allowing 10 sacks and struggling mightily in a 27-10 loss at Lincoln Financial Field. Bob Flounders joined Jim Galanti on the Keystone Sports Network to recap a rough day in Philadelphia and what it means for the Lions moving forward. Check out audio of the show in this post and be sure to check back in to KeystoneSportsNetwork.com for plenty…
Temple’s defense returns 10 starters this season from a group that ranked among the best in the country in scoring (No. 4, 17.5 ppg), red-zone (No. 8, 0.727), passing (No. 13, 186.9 ypg) and total defense (No. 24, 347.1 ypg). The Owls are a formidable test in the season opener for a Nittany Lions offense that struggled run or pass with any consistency last season. Former NFL offensive lineman Ross…
Bob Flounders’ look at Penn State’s 25 most valuable players wraps up in time for the Nittany Lions’ season opener at Temple with Nos. 1-5 on the list. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg took his rightful place as the player who can most impact Penn State’s season, but the other four key contributors are on the defensive side of the ball, highlighted by Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel. Flounders shed light on…
Penn State kicks off its season against Temple in the latest in an intrastate rivalry series that has been dominated by the Nittany Lions to the tune of 39 straight wins. The Owls enter the matchup at Lincoln Financial Field as seven-point underdogs but return plenty of experience, including 10 starters on a defense that ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring defense last season. Penn State has its hands full…
Penn State made final adjustments to its depth chart in advance of Saturday’s Temple game, and at least one big name was absent. Tight end Adam Breneman’s future appears to be in question as he continues to battle injuries, leaving just Mike Gesicki, Brent Wilkerson and Kyle Carter at the tight end position along with true freshmen Nick Bowers and Jonathan Holland. Wide receiver Chris Godwin and kicker Joey Julius…
Penn State has arguably the most polarizing prospect for the 2016 NFL draft in rising junior quarterback Christian Hackenberg, a player with immense physical skills but who comes off a subpar sophomore season. The Nittany Lions also might have a gem in defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, a former defensive end whose unique game is based on quickness and penetration. Hackenberg and Zettel were both listed among the top 32 prospects in the…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…