Penn State is 3-1 going into its final non-conference game with points of optimism — Hackenberg’s best performance of the young season against San Diego State — and points of concern heading into Army weekend. The Nittany Lions could be without running backs Saquon Barkley and Akeel Lynch this Saturday, perhaps beyond, putting even more strain on Hackenberg and the passing attack.
Hackenberg has made headlines since May as a potential high draft pick, and that trend has continued into the regular season through a rocky start. Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer this week said he was still a “top-five” pick in the draft when he escaped a scheme that might be a poor fit at Penn State. Dilfer compared Hackenberg’s physical tools to those of Hall of Famer Troy Aikman.
Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay took a look at Dilfer’s comments, the Nittany Lions’ key injuries and plenty more in a segment for the Keystone Kickoff Show this week. Check out audio of the show in this post and be sure to check back in to KeystoneSportsNetwork.com for plenty more Penn State podcasts and analysis.