KSN Podcast: Talking Pinstripe Bowl, Penn State season-in-review with StateCollege.com’s Ben Jones

December 10, 2014

Penn State started the 2014 season overseas in Dublin, Ireland, where the Nittany Lions played at Gaelic football stadium in the Croke Park Classic. Now they’ll finish it on a baseball field at Yankee Stadium, a bizarre start and finish that brought a bit of symmetry to James Franklin’s first season. That fact wasn’t lost on StateCollege.com beat writer Ben Jones, who said he saw potential in the Pinstripe Bowl…

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KSN Podcast: An interview with 2016 Penn State QB recruit Jake Zembiec

December 10, 2014

On the same day its 2014 regular season ended, Penn State got a big boost to its recruiting efforts when 2016 quarterback Jake Zembiec gave his verbal commitment to the program. Zembiec, a four-star prospect from Aquinas Institute in Rochester, N.Y., became the third verbal pledge in the Nittany Lions’ class and represented a key cog in the future competition for Christian Hackenberg’ successor. Zembiec checks in at 6-2 and…

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KSN Podcast: Interview with 4-star Penn State OL recruit Steven Gonzalez

December 9, 2014

Penn State has just one interior lineman in its lauded 2015 recruiting class in Steven Gonzalez, a four-star guard from Union City (N.J.) High School. The 6-3, 305-pound prospect said he is 100 percent committed to the Nittany Lions and doing his part to lure other big-time offensive linemen from both the 2015 and 2016 recruiting classes. Gonzalez said James Franklin made all the difference when he gave his verbal…

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KSN Podcast: Recruiting breakdown: How Garrett Taylor can impact the cornerback depth chart

December 3, 2014

Penn State landed four-star cornerback Garrett Taylor over the weekend, as he committed the day after taking an official visit for the Michigan State game. While still considering LSU, Ohio State and Virginia Tech, Taylor swiftly pledged to James Franklin and gave him a big, versatile cornerback who is both talented and aggressive. Taylor’s winding recruitment ended in Happy Valley after first beginning with a commitment to Brady Hoke and…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State recruiting update: Garrett Taylor and Jake Zembiec commitments

December 3, 2014

Penn State’s recruiting efforts are picking up this week after the team wrapped up its 2014 season with a 34-10 loss to Michigan State. Scholarship offers are being extended, and commits are entering the fold, most recently from four-star cornerback Garrett Taylor and four-star 2016 quarterback Jake Zembiec. Commitments from both players carry extra significance for James Franklin, who got the big cornerback he desires in Taylor and a potential…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State-Michigan State review: Spartans set early tone, dominate Nittany Lions

December 2, 2014

Penn State got off to an ominous start in its regular season finale against Michigan State and trailed throughout in a 34-10 setback at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions surrendered a 90-yard return touchdown to. R.J. Shelton on the opening kickoff and did little to reverse the early momentum before eventually being worn down by the 10th-ranked Spartans. Given its offensive struggles and the inevitability of Michigan State’s high-powered offense…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State-Michigan State preview: Can the Nittany Lions make season-ending statement?

November 26, 2014

Penn State wraps up its regular season and gets its last shot at a signature win when Michigan State comes to Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The Nittany Lions (6-5, 2-5) are 11.5-point underdogs for a Senior Day clash against a Spartans team that had national title aspirations shot down by Ohio State three weeks ago. Penn State has trudged through the middle part of the season with losses in five…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State recruiting news and notes with Scout.com analyst Brian Dohn

November 25, 2014

Penn State saw its third de-commitment in the 2015 recruiting cycle last week, this time in four-star defensive tackle Adam McLean. Coach James Franklin is left with no interior defensive linemen in the class with less than 10 weeks before National Signing Day. Scout.com national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn joined Dustin Hockensmith and Andrew P. Shay on the Keystone Sports Network podcast this week to talk about McLean, Jarvis Miller,…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State recruiting: James Franklin’s next moves after Adam McLean de-commits

November 25, 2014

Penn State is down to just one interior lineman — offensive guard Steven Gonzalez — in its nationally acclaimed 2015 recruiting class, which presents an interesting storyline to watch between now and National Signing Day. James Franklin suffered another setback on the recruiting trail last week when four-star defensive tackle Adam McLean announced his de-commitment from the program. On the heels of McLean’s de-commitment, Franklin extended a scholarship offer to…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State-Illinois review: Same issues linger in Nittany Lions’ ugly 16-14 loss

November 25, 2014

Penn State’s season sunk to a new low on the road at Illinois, suffering a 16-14 setback that again showed glaring offensive issues surrounding Christian Hackenberg and the Nittany Lions’ passing attack. The offense generated just 265 total yards against an Illini defense that entered the weekend having the Big Ten’s worst scoring defense. Penn State took a 14-10 lead early in the fourth quarter but surrendered a pair of…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State quarterback recruits and the addition of Tommy Stevens

November 20, 2014

Penn State continues to build depth in key areas as the program recovers from heavy NCAA sanctions that were imposed in 2012 and lifted completely earlier this fall. The offensive line is facing its challenges now, and the same could be said about a young group of receivers that includes talented freshmen Saeed Blacknall, Chris Godwin, DaeSean Hamilton and DeAndre Thompkins. The Nittany Lions’ quarterback depth chart is less ominous…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State-Temple review: Improved O-line play, Akeel Lynch big factors in PSU win

November 19, 2014

Penn State secured its postseason eligibility and made a statement against intrastate rival Temple with a 30-13 win that featured a season-best rushing performance. The Nittany Lions set a new season-high with 254 rushing yards and forced five turnovers to win their second straight game in advance of Saturday’s road trip to Illinois. The Penn State offense finished with a season-high 254 rushing yards behind big efforts from Akeel Lynch…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State-Temple preview: Nittany Lions favored to win big, clinch bowl eligibility

November 13, 2014

Penn State wraps up its non-conference schedule at Beaver Stadium this weekend against intrastate rival Temple in a noon kickoff at Beaver Stadium. The Owls and Nittany Lions both carry 5-4 records into the contest, making it a key week for both teams as they look to secure postseason eligibility. Penn State is 38-3-1 all-time against Temple in a series that dates back to the 1931 season. The Nittany Lions…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State recruiting update: Breaking down the Nittany Lions’ most important commits

November 12, 2014

Penn State is starting to create new momentum in its 2015 recruiting class with leads on a number of blue-chip recruits and a recent commitment from three-star quarterback Tommy Stevens. The Nittany Lions have now secured 19 verbal commitments to date and lay claim to a class that ranks No. 9 nationally by Scout.com. Coach James Franklin’s first full class at Penn State is positioned to help in a number…

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KSN Podcast: Penn State-Indiana review: Nittany Lions knocking on the door for bowl eligibility

November 11, 2014

Penn State got back into the win column in Bloomington over the weekend, snapping a run of four straight losses with a 13-7 victory over the struggling Hoosiers. The result was different, but it was more of the same for the Nittany Lions with another strong defensive effort and continued struggles to score points. Penn State managed to keep the nation’s rushing leader, Tevin Coleman, under wraps and kept the…

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