Penn State is on a big-time roll in its 2016 recruiting class with four new commitments in a span of six days. Punter Blake Gillkin and defensive tackles Christian Colon, Michael Dwumfour and Ellison Jordan all gave their verbal pledges this week, bringing the class total to 14. While Colon and Jordan committed late in the week — and after the podcast in this post was recorded — Gillikin and…
KSN Podcast: Fan questions from Penn State’s James Franklin to impact freshmen and more
The fan questions segment on the Keystone Kickoff Show focused largely on hot button issues at Penn State but also stuck with current events in asking about LeBron James’ likely position if he were to move from basketball to football. Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay talked about how to define success for James Franklin in his second season, which positions best lend themselves to early success for freshmen, where…
KSN Podcast: Interview with FOXSports.com college football writer Bruce Feldman
Few national college football writers produce the same timely, quality information as FOXSports.com’s Bruce Feldman. Penn State faithful have gotten glimpses of his deep connections in the college football community when Feldman broke news of James Franklin’s hiring and the push to retain defensive coordinator Bob Shoop last winter. Feldman has also intensely studied two key areas for the Penn State program, writing “The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks,”…
KSN Podcast: Evaluating Penn State’s incoming 2015 freshman class
Penn State welcomes 22 freshmen to campus at the end of the month, a group that joins January enrollees Sterling Jenkins, Paris Palmer and Tommy Stevens. The crop of 2015 recruits is a key part of Penn State’s present and future as coach James Franklin finally pushes toward the NCAA scholarship limit of 85 after three years of sanctions. Because of an inherently flawed roster that is still both inexperienced…
KSN Podcast: Looking at Jake Zembiec at the Elite 11, updated recruiting rankings and more
Penn State has an impressive collection of commitments in its 2016 recruiting class with three top-50 players overall and seven players mentioned in 247 Sports’ updated national rankings. Offensive tackle Michal Menet (No. 35) leads the way, followed by defensive end Shane Simmons (No. 39) and running back Miles Sanders (No. 49). Quarterback Jake Zembiec is also a prospect on the rise, cracking the Top 247 at No. 219 after…
KSN Podcast: Fan questions from Larry Johnson to recruiting and plenty more
This week’s fan questions segment covered a range of Penn State football issues from recruiting to the offensive line and former PSU assistant Larry Johnson. The Nittany Lions’ recruiting efforts have centered on the O-line with back-to-back verbal commitments from four-star prospect Michal Menet and three-star Will Fries. Penn State continues to add high-upside talents to an offensive line that struggled in 2015. At what point can the coaching staff…
KSN Podcast: Interview with 2015 Penn State recruit Ryan Buchholz
Penn State is getting a player with a massive frame and high upside in Great Valley defensive end Ryan Buchholz, a 6-6, 255-pound prospect who checked in at No. 129 in 247 Sports’ national player rankings. Buchholz is a key figure along a defensive line that could be faced with a rebuilding project when star tackles Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel both take their shot at the NFL. The depth…
KSN Podcast: The latest on Will Fries, the future of Penn State’s D-line and more news
Penn State is on a roll in the 2016 recruiting class, particularly along the offensive line where three-star lineman Will Fries joined Michal Menet, Connor McGovern and Alex Gellerstedt. With four linemen in the mix, the Nittany Lions might be set at the position in the ’16 class as coach James Franklin continues to stockpile young talent in the trenches. Menet could go down as the best offensive line prospect…
KSN Podcast: Interview with Penn State great Kyle Brady
Former Penn State tight end Kyle Brady had a front row seat for the All-America career of quarterback Kerry Collins as his teammate on a 1994 team that went 12-0 and beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Both players were part of a star-studded Nittany Lions offense that included running back Ki-Jana Carter and wide receiver Bobby Engram. Brady, Collins and Carter were all first-round draft picks; Engram was a…
KSN Podcast: Fan questions from national title predictions to Penn State RBs and more
This week’s fan questions segment kicked off with a heavy question about Ohio State’s national title chances and prompted Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay for questions about running back depth, offensive line improvements and more. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Penn State fan questions segment without bringing up John Donovan, and the gang delivered again. Check out audio from the Keystone Kickoff Show in this post and be…
KSN Podcast: Interview with 2015 Penn State recruit Juwan Johnson
Penn State’s incoming freshman class is just weeks away from arriving on campus and has a chance to make an immediate impact on the roster. The Nittany Lions are still recovering from NCAA sanctions and the 25 members of the ’15 class help restore the roster to nearly full strength. Coach James Franklin is back in the 80s with his scholarship count after the NCAA rolled back all remaining sanctions…
KSN Podcast: How Michal Menet impacts Penn State offensive line plans
Penn State has verbal commitments from three offensive linemen in its 2016 recruiting class, perhaps none as gifted as Exeter High School offensive tackle Michal Menet. Expert opinion might vary on his future position for the Nittany Lions, but a consensus has emerged: Menet is a high-upside lineman and a must-get target who can anchor the line for years to come. Menet stands at 6-5, 270 pounds as he prepares…
KSN Podcast: Penn State recruiting, College Football Hall of Fame and more news
While Penn State could potential send two of its all-time greats, Kerry Collins and Steve Wisniewski, to the College Football Hall of Fame, the program continues to look ahead to its 2016 recruiting class. That group grew by one with the commitment of Michal Menet and got recognition from Rivals and ESPN over the course of the last week. Miles Sanders (No. 55), Shane Simmons (No. 64) and Menet (No….
KSN Podcast: Fan questions from Penn State’s win total to most critical players in 2015
This week’s fan questions covered a range of topics, from Penn State’s 2015 projected win total to the pecking order in the passing attack to the Nittany Lions’ most irreplaceable players. The over/under for Penn State wins in 2015 was set at 7.5 by 5 Dimes, a number that speaks to how much uncertainty the Nittany Lions face, even with a manageable, some might say easy, early-season schedule. Bob Flounders…
KSN Podcast: Settling the Christian Hackenberg debate with Lee Hudnell
Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg’s 2016 NFL draft stock has been widely analyzed and debated already, with nearly 11 months before a single pick is made. Hackenberg comes off a disappointing sophomore season plagued by offensive line troubles, sacks, young wide receivers and a stifled rushing attack. His numbers (2,977 yards, 12 TDs, 15 INTs) reflected a wide array of struggles. So, why is it that Hackenberg is being pegged…
KSN Podcast: Breaking down Michal Menet’s commitment to Penn State
Penn State got big news over the weekend when four-star offensive lineman Michal Menet picked the Nittany Lions over Duke with a live announcement from Exeter High School Friday afternoon. The athletic, versatile lineman is the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 37 player in the country, according to 247sports.com’s composite rankings. Menet has gotten serious interest from a number of high-profile programs with recent offers from Alabama,…