The fans have spoken again this week and again provided a gauntlet of questions on all kinds of topics for Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay. Penn State football topics again occupy most of this week’s Keystone Kickoff segment, including their hypothetical responses to Anthony Zettel’s tree tackle and what changes they would make to oft-criticized offensive coordinator John Donovan’s playbook. The guys also touch on their favorite stadiums, both…
KSN Podcast: Danny Dalton and Alex Gellerstedt’s impact on Penn State’s 2016 recruiting class
Penn State pushed its 2016 recruiting class to eight verbal commitments over the last week with pledges from Marshfield (Mass.) tight end Danny Dalton and Coffman (Ohio) offensive tackle Alex Gellerstedt. Both are quality additions to the class who could set the stage for a hot streak with plenty more high-profile recruits looking like Penn State “leans.” In addition to their potential on the field, both Dalton and Gellerstedt represent strategic…
KSN Podcast: Penn State news and notes on Da’Quan Davis, Kevin Reihner, more
Penn State’s training camp might be weeks away, but the program had no shortage of news this week. Coach James Franklin wrapped up the Coaches Caravan with stops in the Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre, and this week he gave insights into his roster and overall scholarship picture. Franklin also made official the transfer of former Stanford offensive lineman Kevin Reihner and dismissed cornerback Da’Quan Davis from the team for a…
KSN Podcast: Penn State position priorities, primary targets on the recruiting trail
Penn State is shifting the momentum on the recruiting trail with reassurances from two prospects, LaVert Hill and Miles Sanders, who were previously viewed as shaky commitments. The Nittany Lions are also within arm’s reach for a number of blue-chip prospects and could begin surging toward the summer if momentum continues in the right direction. Andrew P. Shay and Dustin Hockensmith talked about the latest on the recruiting front, the…
KSN Podcast: Penn State return candidates, John Donovan’s offense, other fan questions
Fan questions went well beyond Penn State football topics this week, branching out to the New England Patriots and Deflategate and ranking the best postseason sports to watch. Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay did give their best guesses on who the Nittany Lions’ kick returners would be this season and chose a drinking buddy between current and former coaches James Franklin, Bill O’Brien and Joe Paterno. And the segment…
KSN Podcast: Penn State football news from Fran Fisher to Lavert Hill and Michal Menet
The latest Penn State football news centers largely around the passing of Fran Fisher, the revered former broadcaster and administrator who was a fixture at Nittany Lions games and practices. But Penn State was also active on the recruiting trail and announced this week that the Nov. 21 Michigan game would be the team’s annual “White Out.” There are threats on the recruiting front with rumors of commits Lavert Hill…
KSN Podcast: Rich Scarcella remembers longtime Penn State broadcaster Fran Fisher
Penn State lost a beloved member of its community on Thursday in Fran Fisher, the longtime radio voice of the Nittany Lions, who died at age 91. Fans and former colleagues, as well as coaches, former players and Penn State administrators mourned the loss of Fisher while praising his many gifts as a broadcaster, as well as a friend. Veteran beat reporter Rich Scarcella of the Reading Eagle has been…
KSN Podcast: A look at Christian Hackenberg and the NFL draft, Miles Sanders and more
Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg has dominated headlines in the aftermath of the 2015 NFL draft. The rising junior ranks among the best prospects in the nation in 2016 and is being recognized as a high first-round talent in a number of “way-too-early” NFL mock drafts. Hackenberg is one of three potential first-round quarterbacks in the Big Ten, joining Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Ohio State’s Cardale Jones in that…
KSN Podcast: Fan questions from Christian Hackenberg to James Franklin and more
Penn State is getting closer and closer to fielding a deep, experienced and talented football team going into coach James Franklin’s second season. Improvements can be found in many troublesome areas, thanks in large part to two high-impact recruiting classes that have begun to reshape a depth chart that was ravaged by sanctions. But plenty of questions do remain, both about the state of the current team and the future…
KSN Podcast: Reviewing Penn State’s NFL draft picks and undrafted free agents
Penn State saw three of its upperclassmen drafted and a handful of others sign as free agents at the conclusion of the 2015 NFL draft. Offensive tackle Donovan Smith, a second-round pick, led the way and was joined by fifth-rounders Adrian Amos and Jesse James. Deion Barnes, Miles Dieffenbach, Sam Ficken, Mike Hull and C.J. Olaniyan are also getting their shots with rookie tryouts. Another big area of debate surrounding…
KSN Podcast: Talking Penn State football with FOX 43’s Todd Sadowski
Penn State has found stability after three full seasons of NCAA sanctions. The road to this point has been bumpy while bridging coaching staffs led by Joe Paterno, Bill O’Brien and James Franklin, and it has included two interim coaches. The roster has almost fully turned over, and NCAA sanctions are in the rearview mirror. Much has changed in Happy Valley, but a new sense of calm and hope has…
KSN Podcast: Penn State’s place in the Big Ten East division with Tom Dienhart
With Urban Meyer and Ohio State leading the charge, the Big Ten East has quickly blossomed into one of the most competitive divisions in college football. Michigan State is firmly in the mix for a division title, while Michigan and Penn State are both on the upswing after brief down periods. Star power in the coaching ranks has reached new levels with Urban Meyer, Mark Dantonio, Jim Harbaugh and James…
KSN Podcast: Penn State fan questions, from Christian Hackenberg to Donovan Smith and more
Penn State has all kinds of questions going into the 2015 season, so it’s only natural that fans have a platform to ask their own. The Keystone Sports Network crew fielded listener questions this week and posed them Bob Flounders and Andrew P. Shay for their expert analysis. They ranged from Christian Hackenberg to Herb Hand to Kyle Carter and plenty more. Flounders and Shay took on eight issues this…
KSN Podcast: James Franklin’s first pitch, Von Walker’s scholarship and more news
Penn State wrapped up its spring practice session last month and shifted its focus to the recruiting trail and other locations as the program heads toward the summer. James Franklin has been spotted at Yankee Stadium and soon kicks off his annual Coaches Caravan tour. Franklin made a splash with a hard first-pitch strike between a Yankees-Rays game, which was surely no accident, given the coach’s attention to every detail….
KSN Podcast: Talking all things Penn State with Fight On State’s Mark Brennan
Penn State has made headlines this month for all kinds of reasons, not the least of which being the Blue-White game and continued success on the recruiting trail. But coach James Franklin is also back in the news as the notion of satellite camps is more scrutinized than ever. With Jim Harbaugh taking his camps show on the road virtually anywhere, coaches from the ACC and SEC have renewed their…
KSN Podcast: Reviewing Penn State’s Blue-White spring scrimmage
Penn State wrapped up its spring practice session on April 18 with its Blue-White spring scrimmage. The Blue team took home a 17-7 win led by a majority of the Nittany Lions’ first-team offense and defense. Christian Hackenberg saw more action than planned and completed 17 of 29 passes for 180 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Wide receiver Saeed Blacknall and running back Nick Scott also garnered attention…