FOOTBALL

Penn State’s offensive outlook right now: ‘We can’t throw enough’

Penn State’s passing attack is going to look a bit different this fall.

Published

2 months ago

April 17, 2023

Chris Mangum

Penn State Blue/White game; April 15th, 2023. Credit: Gracie Carella//Basic Blues Nation

Last year, Penn State’s running backs shined during the Nittany Lions’ 11-2 campaign, which concluded with a Rose Bowl victory on January 2nd. Now, heading into the Drew Allar era, James Franklin is making a few offensive adjustments to meet his team’s strengths. Following Penn State’s Blue/White game, Coach Franklin emphasized multiple times that Penn State football cannot throw the ball enough times this year. In year one of the Drew Allar era, we could see the Penn State passing game take a massive leap forward.

Penn State football looking to throw the ball more in 2023

Sean Clifford was a good quarterback during his four years as a starter in the Blue in White. Not excellent, not terrible, just good. He never held Penn State football back, though he never excelled enough to propel the Nittany Lions through their glass ceiling; in other words, Clifford was as good as the team around him, never better, never worse. Now, in 2023, fans are hoping that rising sophomore sensation Drew Allar can be the one that finally carries the Penn State passing game to prominence and help lead the Lions back to the promised land.

Despite a slow start in Saturday’s spring game, Allar eventually settled in and made great plays with his legs and arm. There is clearly still some work to do — he looked rough at times — though Allar most definitely has the talent and is capable of doing great things in Happy Valley. Behind Allar is fellow rising sophomore Beau Pribula, a highly-touted recruit who brings a separate skillet to the table for Penn State with his speed and agility. I suspect Penn State will use both quarterbacks this fall, though Drew Allar will most likely get the starting nod in Week 1 against West Virginia.

Regardless of who starts at quarterback, head coach James Franklin emphasizes that the Penn State passing game is a focal point in his offense this year and that Penn State football cannot throw the ball enough with its two talented quarterbacks.

Nittany Lions’ air attack looking to take the next step with Drew Allar at quarterback

Following the Blue/White game on Saturday, James Franklin expressed to the media that Penn State football is looking to throw the football a lot during summer and perhaps the fall as well.

“We can’t throw enough,” James Franklin said. “Our quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, we cannot throw enough all summer … I think having Holuba open all summer to throw is going to be valuable for us.”

Following his emphasis on the Penn State passing game, Franklin also commented on the incredible physical ability of sophomore quarterback Drew Allar, though he emphasized that chemistry needs to be built in the passing game.

“That’s what I was talking about earlier when I said ‘we can’t throw enough.’ We need more wideouts to compete at a high level … we need six guys that we feel like we can win the Big Ten with,” Franklin said. “[We] just can’t throw enough to build that consistency and that chemistry — in a lot of ways like Sean [Clifford] and Jahan [Dotson] had a couple of years ago. They gotta build that chemistry, but they gotta build it with multiple guys. Between our tight ends and our receivers, we can be pretty effective.”

Throughout the remainder of Penn State’s offseason, the Nittany Lions will be throwing the ball quite a bit as they prepare for year one of a new era in State College: the Drew Allar era.

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FOOTBALL

BREAKING: 2024 and 2025 Big Ten schedules released

Penn State football has just learned which Big Ten opponents it will face under the new scheduling format.

Published

3 hours ago

June 8, 2023

Matt Thomas

2024 and 2025 Big Ten schedules, Penn State Football

Jan 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley (26) is defended by USC Trojans defensive back Ajene Harris (27) in the second quarter during the 103rd Rose Bowl at Rose Bowl. USC defeated Penn State 52-49 in the highest scoring game in Rose Bowl history. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday afternoon, the 2024 and 2025 Big Ten schedules for football were announced. The announcement is notable given the addition of two new teams, USC and UCLA, to the conference. In a significant move for Nittany Lions fans, Penn State football will host USC in Beaver Stadium next fall, followed by UCLA in 2025.

Penn State football gets favorable Big Ten matchups in 2024

Penn State football will face a series of monster Big Ten opponents at home in 2025, including Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, and USC. The schedule also features several favorable road matchups, such as Indiana, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin.

The 2025 schedule will present a challenge for Nittany Lions

While the 2024 schedule shakes out favorably for Penn State football, 2025 will be much more difficult. The Nittany Lions will host Illinois, Minnesota, and Rutgers in the 2025 season. However, the road slate will feature extremely difficult tests. Penn State will have to travel to several challenging venues, including Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, and USC.

Other notable features of the new 2024 and 2025 Big Ten schedules

As has been reported by several different outlets this afternoon, Penn State is not included in one of the protected rivalry games kept by the Big Ten. We are already seeing the impacts of this feature firsthand. Penn State will not play the Michigan Wolverines next season, nor will the Nittany Lions play the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2025.

While this means that James Franklin and Penn State will no longer face the gauntlet of the Big Ten East, that does not mean the schedule gets easier by any means. The 2025 road schedule is nothing short of daunting, with games at Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, and USC.

Of course, we do not have the scheduled dates for any of these games yet, so the timings of these matchups will also greatly influence the strength of the schedule for the Nittany Lions.

Please note: This is a breaking news story. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

FOOTBALL

Penn State football: James Franklin thinks PSU may have the best defensive line in the nation

According to James Franklin, the Penn State football defensive line is coming together nicely thus far.

Published

6 hours ago

June 8, 2023

Chris Mangum

Penn State football defensive line, James Franklin, defensive tackles

Nov 5, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Dvon Ellies (91) celebrates with Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Coziah Izzard (99) after a sack during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Earlier today, head coach James Franklin had a chance to speak with the media for around 30 minutes at the Lasch Football Building in State College, PA. There, Franklin expressed his excitement about the Penn State football defensive line — specifically the defensive tackles — which he claims may be the best in the nation. Since last year’s crushing 41-17 loss to Michigan, the D-tackle position has been in question for Penn State, so this is great news for the Blue and White.

Penn State football defensive line is resolving questions with defensive tackles this spring

The Penn State football defensive line is looking like one of the best in the country right now — from the defensive ends to the interior of the D-line, the Nittany Lions are looking to make waves on defense and push for a Big Ten title this fall.

Following the Blue/White spring game at Beaver Stadium in April, James Franklin pointed out a major area of need for his Nittany Lions: more depth and experience at defensive tackle. Considering the loss of long-time star defensive tackle PJ Mustipher from the 2022 squad, Franklin’s concern appeared to be justified. However, today his message was different heading into summer camp.

“Probably the position I am most excited about right now, for a lot of different reasons, is defensive tackle,” head coach James Franklin said earlier today. “… We got a chance to have, I think, one of the best D-lines in the country — from a depth and talent standpoint — but also a size standpoint … right now that’s a position group that I am really excited about, that I think has a chance to take us to the next level on defense.”

2023 D-line, especially defensive tackles, could make or break the Nittany Lions’ season

A season ago, the Penn State football defensive line left many wondering how it would pan out down the road. Now, Franklin says that these questions are starting to be resolved.

“We’ve got a chance (to have a great defensive tackle group), we just gotta back it up with the work right now,” Franklin explained.

There have been a few notable names turning heads along the Penn State football defensive line this spring. One of the most talked-about rising stars is sophomore tackle Zane Durant, who has consistently been mentioned as a potential breakout player for the 2023 season. Additionally, players like Hakeem Beamon and Dvon Ellies were mentioned today as potential stars in the making.

“Zane Durant is bigger and stronger than he’s been,” Franklin said. “Hakeem [Beamon] is bigger than he has been in a long time.”

If this year’s Penn State football defensive line can step up and make a significant impact this fall, the Nittany Lions will have their best opportunity in quite some time to challenge the powerhouses of the Big Ten East, Michigan and Ohio State. It could pave the way for them to claim the program’s first Big Ten title since the 2016 season.

FOOTBALL

New Penn State football transfer portal addition earns major recognition

A new Penn State football transfer portal addition is turning heads nationally.

Published

10 hours ago

June 8, 2023

Chris Mangum

Penn State football transfer portal addition, Dante Cephas

The Blue and White are heading into a season filled with high expectations and many unknowns. While the Nittany Lions appear strong on paper, there are still a few areas they need to address. However, new Penn State football transfer portal addition Dante Cephas has already made a strong impression and caught the attention of CBS Sports. The network recently released a list of impactful transfers in the Big Ten, and James Franklin’s newest wide receiver made the cut alongside some of the conference’s best.

New Penn State football transfer portal addition gearing up for monster season in the Blue and White this fall

Cephas is expected to make a significant impact for Penn State football in his first season with the Nittany Lions; he stood out at the MAC level while playing for the Kent State Golden Flashes in the past few seasons, and is expected to do more of the same in the Blue and White this year. With his proven talent and valuable experience, the team will rely on him to become one of Drew Allar’s favorite targets this fall.

As a big-bodied wideout, Cephas possesses the necessary tools and demonstrated ability to be a major offensive threat for Penn State football. A recent CBS Sports article, which highlights the most impactful transfer moves in the Big Ten, predicts great things for Cephas during his time in Happy Valley.

“If you’re a fan of MACtion, you’re already familiar with Dante Cephas,” wrote Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports. “If you’re not, you’ll learn quickly. Cephas was the star of a Kent State offense that moved quickly and put up points even faster. In 28 games with the Golden Flashes, Cephas caught 145 passes for 2,139 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Nittany Lions need to replace the production of Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, and Cephus and KeAndre Lambert-Smith should prove to be popular targets of new starting QB Drew Allar.”

Dante Cephas a player to watch for the Nittany Lions

In 2023, Dante Cephas, the new addition to Penn State football through the transfer portal, will need to step up and become one of the top targets in the Big Ten. His performance is crucial for the Penn State offense to reach its full potential and compete for the Big Ten title, a College Football Playoff spot, and more.