Penn State’s venture into college football’s new era begins today at a familiar old opponent, West Virginia. There’s no sport that can equal the hype of football – during the week and definitely throughout the offseason as the teams gear up to build on or the erase the memories of a ...
UNIVERSITY PARK — Just in the last couple of years, the list of Ohio State receivers who launched from Columbus to the NFL — mainly in the first round — is staggering. It includes Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, both in 2022, Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023 and Marvin Harrison Jr. this past April. Unfortunately for Julian Fleming, however, it did not include him. The former Southern Columbia High School standout and national high school player all the way back in 2018 kept getting bypassed as the Buckeyes’ top target. He did finish with 79 receptions for 963 yards and seven ...
By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com Is this a make-or-break year for James Franklin? With a contract through 2031, and a team capable of winning double-digit games this fall, you wouldn’t think so. But last week’s verdict in a lawsuit that awarded a fired Penn State team doctor $5.25 million in damages may have dealt Franklin a blow that hangs over him. (Unless, of course, he beats Ohio State, and good luck with that.) Franklin and Penn State were dismissed as defendants in the suit in 2020 due to the statute of limitations, and Franklin was not called to testify. But his ...
The Penn State Board of Trustees this week approved a $700 million renovation to Beaver Stadium with a completion date targeted for the beginning of the 2027 season. Barring a change, at least the Nittany Lions have an old Eastern rival (Syracuse) for the grand ’27 stadium debut and not the usual non-conference treat — a lesser division rent-a-win. Is the price tag too high? Well, that’s way above my pay grade. I know this much: A new stadium came with a projected cost of $2 billion, and the board instead stamped its approval for a renovation by a 26-2 vote. Even the ...
Position: Offensive line Returning starter(s): The Lions will have three key returners with tackle Drew Shelton, and guards Vega Ioane, Sal Wormley, and JB Nelson. Nelson missed part of last season due to injury. Key players lost: Left tackle Olu Fashanu will be a first-round pick in next month’s NFL Draft, and possibly the first offensive lineman taken off the board. … Hunter Nourzad started every game at center and will likely be a third-day pick in the draft. … Caedan Wallace, the starter at right tackle, should also be a late-round selection. Statistically speaking: The ...
Some Penn State related notes while the NFL takes center stage: There is no offseason in college football anymore with personnel movement 12 months a year. One of those moves happened Thursday night when news broke that former Nittany Lion head coach Bill O’Brien would be returning to Beaver Stadium next season — as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. After the NCAA sanctions in 2012, when he went 8-4, was the national coach of the year and posted a two-year record of 15-9 before leaving for the Houston Texans, O’Brien should be credited with saving the Penn State program. ...
