Penn State category, Page 8
First Call: Wondering about Beanie Bishop; Jerry Jones says Micah Parsons’ agent told him to ‘stick it’
Friday’s “First Call” examines an odd omission from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason game in Carolina. Things are tense between Micah Parsons and the Cowboys. Ke’Bryan Hayes is heating up with the Reds. Also, the Pirates and Rockies clash in a meeting of … well, um, they are meeting. And there...
Why a Penn State veteran starter could be switching positions in 2025: ‘You have to be versatile’
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State has a poster of the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s best offensive line unit each year, plastered in the group’s meeting room. Position coach Phil Trautwein and his pupils strongly believe they can be the best in the country in 2025. That’s born...
At Linebacker U, Dan Connor says a Penn State vet ‘looks incredible,’ another has taken ‘huge steps’
Penn State’s current group of linebackers is coached by the program’s all-time leader in tackles. Dan Connor produced 419 of them during his four seasons in State College. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, one of the sport’s elite minds, is also keeping close tabs on the position as it moves on...
Penn State’s Pat Kraft offers Beaver Stadium renovation update
STATE COLLEGE — “Let’s talk about the west side.” With that, Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft on Tuesday discussed at length what has transpired at Beaver Stadium since early January. James Franklin’s Nittany Lions open their season Aug. 30 against Nevada in State College. Penn State kicked off its...
Imani Christian 4-star DB Gabe Jenkins commits to Penn State
Penn State already had a commitment from one talented Imani Christian defensive back, and now the Nittany Lions have another. Junior cornerback Gabriel Jenkins announced his commitment to Penn State on Monday, joining teammate David Davis, a senior who committed there in March. Another former Imani Christian standout, linebacker Dayshaun...
Texas, Penn State each place 3 players on AP preseason All-America 1st team; 2 from Pitt honored
Texas and Penn State, the top two teams in The Associated Press preseason Top 25, each had three players selected for the preseason AP All-America team announced Monday. No. 1 Texas had one player from each level of its defense on the first team: edge rusher Colin Simmons, linebacker Anthony...
Can Penn State WR Kyron Hudson take another step forward?
Penn State vet Kyron Hudson is entering Year 5 in college. The Nittany Lions expect his final season to be his best one. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound wideout made 13 starts for USC the last two years, producing a combined 55 catches for 651 yards and five touchdowns. Hudson caught a...
Penn State’s QB coach pleased with ongoing backup competition
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State is one of the nation’s most veteran teams, a big reason the Nittany Lions are ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 heading into the season. The quarterback position, manned by third-year starter Drew Allar, is a big part of that. There are...
Big Ten preview: No. 2 Penn State primed to make run at first conference title since 2016; Ohio St, Oregon in hunt again
The stage is set for Penn State, and now the question is whether the second-ranked Nittany Lions will capitalize. While defending national champion Ohio State, defending Big Ten champ Oregon and heavyweight Michigan are breaking in new quarterbacks, Penn State goes into the season with three-year starter Drew Allar, a...
Former 5-star recruit J’ven Williams stays patient, awaits chance to make impact along Penn State offensive line
It’s become commonplace for five-star recruits to enter the transfer portal a year or two after signing with their original schools. Just take a look at the 2023 recruiting class. Eleven out of 247 Sports’ top 25 high school prospects in that cycle have transferred. Some players — star safety...
3 Penn State freshmen vying for early playing time
STATE COLLEGE — Every great team needs young players to step up. If Penn State is to reach its national championship hopes, some freshmen will have to produce. James Franklin, at Tuesday night’s practice, named three players who are pushing for playing time midway through fall camp: cornerback Daryus Dixson...
From last-minute recruit to preseason All-American, Penn State happy to have Vega Ioane
Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class was among the best in the country. Abdul Carter developed into a top-five NFL draft pick. Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and Dani Dennis-Sutton are big reasons why Penn State is a national title contender this year. All were blue-chip prospects, expected to take...
Texas is No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25 for 1st time, edging Penn State, Ohio State
For the first time, Texas will open a college football season ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25. The Longhorns hardly have a mandate in the poll released Monday: They edged out Penn State by just five points in the closest preseason vote since 1998. Texas received 25...
Penn State to benefit from depth along offensive line
This is Year 6 for Penn State veteran Nick Dawkins. A standout at Parkland High School in the Lehigh Valley, Dawkins was part of the 2020 PSU recruiting class that also included Olu Fashanu, Tyler Warren, Curtis Jacobs, Parker Washington, Ji’Ayir Brown, Theo Johnson and current Nittany Lions edge rusher...
‘You’re never satisfied’: Penn State keeps pushing star running backs
When Stan Drayton replaced Ja’Juan Seider as Penn State’s running backs coach, he had a refreshing answer when asked about overseeing the continued development of 1,000-yard backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Drayton, who previously coached Ezekiel Elliott, Bijan Robinson and Brian Westbrook at the college level, said he wanted...
Penn State has installed Jim Knowles’ defense at ‘rapid pace,’ with a few big changes coming
STATE COLLEGE — Jim Knowles has quickly made his presence known at Penn State. He carries a calm, quiet demeanor as he observes practices, noting everything he likes and doesn’t to pass it on to his position coaches. But when he wants to command a room, he can do so...
Pitt, Penn State players picked for Sporting News preseason All-American team
Football players from Pitt and Penn State continue to be recognized among the best in the nation as the 2025 season inches closer. Members of the Panthers and Nittany Lions were picked for the Sporting News Preseason All-American team released Wednesday. Pitt redshirt junior linebacker Kyle Louis and senior running...
Penn State’s high-stakes backup QB competition could shape program’s future
Drew Allar has one year left at Penn State, and it’s a pretty big year. The Nittany Lions are among the favorites to win the national title, and Allar, one of the best and most experienced quarterbacks in the country, is a primary reason why they’re held in such high...
Penn State’s Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen named among nation’s best running backs
Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are both within reach of the Penn State all-time rushing record entering their senior seasons. Their careers to this point have earned them strong reputations nationally, as both earned spots on the Doak Walker Award watch list Tuesday. Semifinalists and finalists for the nation’s top...
Transfer WR Trebor Pena explains why he chose Penn State
Trebor Pena described his brief recruitment as “pretty stressful.” Such is life in the transfer portal. Pena, the former Syracuse wide receiver, fielded calls from coaches across the country over the course of 10 days in April. By that point, most rosters were set. But some of the biggest teams...
Penn State’s Drew Allar, Nick Singleton named national player of the year candidates
Penn State’s recognition on national preseason watch lists continued Monday after a brief weekend hiatus. Senior quarterback Drew Allar and senior running back Nick Singleton earned spots on the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list. Penn State was one of six schools (Arizona State, Clemson, Ohio State, Oregon,...
Why Year 2 with Andy Kotelnicki can make ‘enormous difference’ in Penn State’s offense
STATE COLLEGE — The difference is three plays, in Andy Kotelnicki’s mind. Had Penn State executed one more successful play in any of its three losses in 2024, it could have marked the difference in a national championship appearance, a Big Ten Championship or an undefeated regular season. To reach...
Penn State coach Franklin believes team has depth at tight end to ease loss of Warren
STATE COLLEGE — Few saw Tyler Warren’s 2025 season coming. Warren was outstanding in Penn State’s final game of 2023, catching 127 yards worth of passes in the Nittany Lions’ Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss. But Warren’s 2024 numbers were almost unbelievable, which explains why the All-American was picked...
Penn State’s James Franklin has high praise for players, coaches
STATE COLLEGE — James Franklin reiterated Saturday a point he made at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas not long ago: He thinks, between players and coaches, that the 2025 team is his best personnel in 12 years at Penn State. We got our first full-blown look at that...
Penn State’s James Franklin could see Pitt back on Lions’ schedule, but there’s a catch
Penn State’s 2025 nonconference schedule is, well, non-threatening. James Franklin’s Nittany Lions open their season with home games against Nevada (Aug. 30), Florida International (Sept. 6) and Villanova (Sept. 13). Big Ten teams all play nine conference games. Not all major conferences do. The SEC doesn’t, and neither does the...
