I’m honored to announce that I’ll be continuing my coverage of Penn State football next season as the football editor for The
@DailyCollegian
. I’ll be working alongside
@LAlenstein
,
@official_aveee
and
@lexieleigh28
to provide coverage all season long. Big things coming 🔜
No. 11 Oregon State
Record: 8-2
Losses: No. 17 Arizona, unranked Washington State
Best win: No. 22 Utah
FPI: 18
Strength of schedule: 88
Strength of record: 24
No. 12 Penn State
Record: 8-2
Losses: No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan
Best win: No. 16 Iowa
FPI: 5
SOS: 16
SOR: 13
Active Big Ten coaches with the most wins against Ohio State and Michigan:
Kirk Ferentz: 9
James Franklin: 4
Jim Harbaugh: 2
Ryan Day: 1
Tom Allen: 1
Everyone else: 0
In the last 10 seasons:
James Franklin: 4
Kirk Ferentz: 2
Jim Harbaugh: 2
Ryan Day: 1
Tom Allen: 1
James Franklin said the team wasn’t blasting music at practice today like they usually do because he wanted them prepared for the environment at Northwestern. The Wildcats are averaging 17,500 fans at Ryan Field this season
Penn State against Ole Miss:
CB1: opt out
CB2: opt out
DE1: opt out
OT1: opt out
DE2: limited snaps
TE1: limited snaps
WR1: limited snaps
LB1: injured
LB4: injured
I’ve always hated the term “meaningless bowl game” but that kind of felt like one
James Franklin on scheduling weak nonconference opponents:
"There's a team in this conference that's buying out a ton of game contracts to go in another direction."
He added that "you gotta do whatever you possibly can to give yourself a chance to be undefeated."
Penn State is allowing the fewest yards per game in the country, and it’s not particularly close.
The Nittany Lions are giving up 40 fewer yards per contest than Michigan, the next best team, and have a very good argument to be the best defense in college football this season
Penn State has now secured transfer commitments from:
5-star WR Julian Fleming
5-star OT Nolan Rucci
5-star CB A.J. Harris
K Chase Meyer
Not only are they some of the top portal targets this cycle, they also fill arguably the Nittany Lions’ four biggest positional needs
Fewest rushing yards allowed in a game by Penn State since 1948:
1. -49, Maryland, 2023
2. -35, Michigan State, 2023
3. -32, Holy Cross, 1954
4. -32, Maryland, 1978
5. -17, Pitt, 1968
The Manny Diaz effect
Penn State’s last four starting tight ends are now in the NFL:
Mike Gesicki: 2018 Round 2, Pick 42
Pat Freiermuth: 2021 Round 2, Pick 55
Brenton Strange: 2023 Round 2, Pick 61
Theo Johnson: 2024 Round 4, Pick 107
Tyler Warren will be there next year
Ja’Juan Seider on his coaching future and loyalty to Penn State:
“People say lateral moves, well most of them are below Penn State. Unless you go to Ohio State or Michigan, which, I don’t see that. I wanna beat their ass.“
This probably isn’t what Penn State fans want to hear, but losing by one score on the road against the No. 3 team in the country is one of the best losses you can have from a resume standpoint. If the team runs the table it can still put itself in the playoff conversation
Penn State is in the mix for some big portal targets this cycle:
5-star WR Julian Fleming from Ohio State (committed)
5-star OL Nolan Rucci from Wisconsin
5-star CB Tony Grimes from UNC/Texas A&M
4-star WR A.J. Harris from Georgia
4-star WR Bryson Rodgers from Ohio State
Penn State’s Adisa Isaac hasn’t decided whether he’ll return for another season, but he will be participating in the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss.
“As a captain, it's my duty to finish what I started. Me personally, it wouldn’t have been right to just leave.”
Penn State has five players in the top 100 of ESPN’s best available draft prospects:
No. 4 Olu Fashanu
No. 23 Chop Robinson
No. 33 Kalen King
No. 50 Adisa Isaac
No. 86 Theo Johnson
Since James Franklin took over, Penn State has had the sixth-best record in the country against the spread and the best in the Big Ten
Via
@MatchupTracker
Daequan Hardy on Dante Cephas:
“It's kind of hard when you transfer in from a lower school to upper school. I feel like he has a lot more left in the tank. I feel like next year probably a better year for everyone to see.”
Sounds like Cephas will return to Penn State in 2024
Phil Trautwein was hired as Penn State's offensive line coach ahead of the 2020 season.
Penn State sacks allowed per game:
2020: 3.11
2021: 2.62
2022: 1.62
2023: 1.23
Penn State running back recruiting:
4⭐️ Messiah Mickens (2026)
4⭐️ Alvin Henderson (2025)
4⭐️ Kiandrea Barker (2025)
4⭐️ Tiqwai Hayes (2025)
4⭐️ Quinton Martin Jr. (2024)
4⭐️ Corey Smith (2024)
4⭐️ London Montgomery (2023)
5⭐️ Nick Singleton (2022)
4⭐️ Kaytron Allen (2022)
CBS’ draft prospect rankings for Penn State players:
No. 3 Olu Fashanu
No. 11 Chop Robinson
No. 23 Kalen King
No. 73 Adisa Isaac
No. 98 Curtis Jacobs
No. 209 Theo Johnson
Drew Allar on Harrison Wallace III:
“Having Tre back is something that the offense needs. He’s a very consistent receiver, he’s a very explosive receiver vertically and he brings a great work ethic to that room.”
ESPN's updated rankings now have six Penn State players in the top 100 best available prospects
No. 7 Olu Fashanu
No. 24 Chop Robinson
No. 59 Kalen King
No. 75 Adisa Isaac
No. 84 Theo Johnson
No. 97 Curtis Jacobs
Let’s look at the job Brian Kelly did rebuilding the secondary
• Mekhi Garner is the top graded CB in the SEC
• Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Colby Richardson have only allowed 11 combined catches
• At nickel, Jay Ward and Greg Brooks have made big plays in big moments
Mystery solved: they’re winterizing the pipes to be able to host games in the winter. It would allow Penn State to host a playoff game at Beaver Stadium should it finish No. 5-8 in the CFP rankings
Andy Kotelnicki was hired by Kansas in 2021.
Kansas points per game:
2020: 16.0
2021: 20.9
2022: 35.2
2023: 33.9
Kansas yards per game:
2020: 259.2
2021: 324.3
2022: 437.9
2023: 434.0
The Jayhawks' 7.0 yards per play in 2022 was second nationally and best in school history
Doesn't matter that it's an 11 a.m. kickoff. Tiger fans gonna put a little coffee in their whiskey and bring Death Valley to life.
Tennessee hasn't faced a defense like this before. No fly zone is in effect on Saturday.
LSU +3 is a lock 🔒
For all the ups and downs, Drew Allar finished with one of the best statistical seasons in Penn State history.
- No. 3 in single-season passing TDs
- No. 6 in single-season completions
- No. 9 in single-season completion %
- No. 12 in single-season passing yards
Caleb Williams hints at a potential NFL reunion with high school teammate Olu Fashanu.
“If I was able to choose … I’d probably go Olu Fashanu because I know he’d put his life on the line for me.”
The Bears have the No. 1 and No. 9 picks in the draft
Penn State has secured transfer commitments from three former 5-star recruits in Julian Fleming, Nolan Rucci and A.J. Harris this month.
The Nittany Lions only had three 5-stars on the roster before this (Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, Dani Dennis-Sutton).
Not a bad start to 2024
Penn State’s tight end room in 2024:
Tyler Warren (redshirt senior)
Khalil Dinkins (redshirt junior)
Jerry Cross (redshirt sophomore)
Andrew Rappleyea (redshirt freshman)
Joey Schlaffer (redshirt freshman)
Luke Reynolds (freshman)
BREAKING: The Penn State Board of Trustees has voted to approve the proposed $700 million renovations to Beaver Stadium, with only trustees Anthony Lubrano and Barry Fenchak opposing the decision
“You can't tell me that it's good for the student-athletes to transfer three, four times. Every time you transfer the likelihood of graduating goes down. I don’t think that’s in anybody’s best interest.”
-James Franklin
Penn State's 2025 schedule:
8/30: Nevada
9/6: FIU
9/13: Villanova
Vs. Indiana
Vs. Nebraska
Vs. Northwestern
Vs. Oregon
at Ohio State
at UCLA
at Iowa
at Michigan State
at Rutgers
Every Big Ten team’s point differential against Ohio State over the last 10 games:
Michigan: -8.8
Penn State: -8.8
Iowa: -11.5
Wisconsin: -15.2
Purdue: -16.3
MSU: -20.7
Illinois: -21.3
Minnesota: -21.8
Indiana: -25.1
Minnesota: -28.1
NW: -28.1
Maryland: -33.1
Rutgers: -42.1
Penn State commit
@Quintonanthony_
scored a 92-yard touchdown run en route to a state championship with Belle Vernon yesterday. The top-ranked recruit in Pennsylvania will be in Happy Valley next season 👀
Penn State’s All-Big Ten selections
First-team:
Olu Fashanu
Chop Robinson
Adisa Isaac
Abdul Carter
Second-team:
Kalen King
Hunter Nourzad
Kaytron Allen
Alex Felkins
Third-team:
Dani Dennis-Sutton
Johnny Dixon
Daequan Hardy
Nick Singleton
Tyler Warren
Another good week for Penn State's resume:
West Virginia beat BYU 37-7
Illinois beat Minnesota 27-26
Iowa beat Northwestern 10-7
UMass beat Merrimack 31-21
Ohio State beat Rutgers 35-16
Indiana beat Wisconsin 21-14
Previous opponents are 40-24 not including Penn State games
Drew Allar’s biggest takeaway from Andy Kotelnicki:
“I just realized how much stress you can really put on a defense pre-snap with all the movements, motions and things of that nature.”
Drew Allar connects with Dante Cephas on a deep ball at practice. Cephas had six catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns against Maryland last weekend.
Penn State will go against the best pass defense in the country in Michigan on Saturday
Two of Penn State's transfer commitments would be among the highest-ranked recruits to ever play at Penn State:
1. Derrick Williams
2. Micah Parsons
3. Julian Fleming*
4. Justin Shorter
5. Dan Connor
6. Justin King
7. Anthony Morelli
8. Christian Hackenberg
9. Nolan Rucci*
"We don't tell (players) what they want to hear. We're an under-promise, over-deliver program. That's been a big part of our success. We don't pressure guys or try to convince guys by selling them on a dream and not reality."
-James Franklin
“I’m a Penn State guy, this family means a lot to me and I felt like there was still more left to do here. That’s where I want to be.”
- Tyler Warren on returning to Penn State
Georgia transfer cornerback A.J. Harris has committed to Penn State, per
@PennStateOn3
. The former 5-star recruit from the class of 2023 spent just one season with the Bulldogs
So far:
Saquon Barkley
➡️ Eagles
⏰ 3 years
💰37.75 million
Yetur Gross-Matos
➡️ 49ers
⏰ 2 years
💰19 million
DaQuan Jones
➡️ Bills
⏰ 2 years
Mike Gesicki
➡️ Bengals
⏰ 1 year
💰 3.25 million
Blake Gillikin
➡️ Cardinals
⏰ 2 years
Penn State cornerbacks Kalen King and Johnny Dixon will both play for the National Team at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. They’ll work with Vikings DB coach Mike Hutchings
The NFL's prospect grades for Penn State players
9. Chop Robinson
20. Olu Fashanu
60. Hunter Nourzad
77. Adisa Isaac
79. Caedan Wallace
118. Theo Johnson
195. Curtis Jacobs
218. Johnny Dixon
267. Daequan Hardy
307. Kalen King
398. Keaton Ellis
Wide receiver Bryson Rodgers is entering the transfer portal after one season at Ohio State. The former 4-star recruit took an unofficial visit to Penn State during his initial recruitment
Ty Howle on Tyler Warren coming back in 2024:
“Obviously excited to have him back. Not just because of his talent and all those things but from a leadership standpoint.”
“(Rojas) is a natural leader. He's always in the front of the pack when we do conditioning, never afraid to say ‘let's go, let's do this, we got this.’ Like, linebacker shit. He's very smart, knows the system. He's also one of the fastest guys we have here.”
-
@Mason42Robinson
I want to thank everyone at The
@DailyCollegian
who gave me an opportunity to cover Penn State football this season and those who worked alongside me. Hopefully everyone enjoyed our coverage as much as we enjoyed covering the team, and thanks to everyone who followed along
From re-emerging on the national stage to helping in the recruitment of Saquon Barkley, Penn State’s miraculous four-overtime win over Michigan in 2013 changed the trajectory of a program recovering from heavy sanctions
Drew Allar on Penn State’s wide receivers:
“They’ve definitely made a lot of improvement. They caught a lot of slack and criticism last year, and they put their heads down and worked.”
ESPN's best available draft prospects now include eight Penn State players:
14. Olu Fashanu⬇️7️⃣
26. Chop Robinson⬇️2️⃣
57. Adisa Isaac⬆️1️⃣8️⃣
64. Theo Johnson⬆️2️⃣0️⃣
102. Curtis Jacobs⬇️5️⃣
114. Hunter Nourzad⬆️ (Unranked)
221. Kalen King⬇️1️⃣6️⃣2️⃣
237. Daequan Hardy⬆️ (Unranked)
The transfer portal closed last night and won’t open again until after next season.
Penn State lost four players:
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith
- WR Malick Meiga
- DL Jordan van den Berg
- DL Davon Townley
KLS was the only one with starting experience. Pretty good retention rate
KeAndre Lambert-Smith yards per game:
West Virginia: 123
Delaware: 74
Illinois: 23
Iowa: 66
Northwestern: 86
UMass: 30
Ohio State: 52
Indiana: 96
Maryland: 95
Michigan: 6
Rutgers: 0
Michigan State: 22
Ole Miss: 0
We didn't see him at Penn State's practice on Tuesday
Saquon Barkley showing some love to 5-star running back commit and fellow Pennsylvania native Messiah Mickens. Mickens is a member of the 2026 class and would be the highest-ranked RB to ever play at Penn State if his ranking holds
@HottyToddyTruth
Or Penn State has players going to the NFL this offseason and Ole Miss doesn’t.
“I would expect that we don't have any (opt outs). We're kind of not in one of those years where we really have some first rounders that are coming out.”
- Lane Kiffin
The top Pennsylvania recruits in the 2025 class:
1. Zahir Mathis (Ohio State)
2. Matt Zollers (Missouri)
3. Jabree Wallace-Coleman
4. Andrew Olesh
5. Anthony Sacca (Notre Dame)
6. Maxwell Roy
7. Alex Tatsch (Penn State)
8. Michael Carroll
9. Cameron Smith (Duke)
10. Lex Cyrus