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Neil Rudel

Ex-teammates, SFU salute legend Porter

LORETTO — Health reasons precluded Kevin Porter from being present for the night in his honor, but a couple dozen players from Saint Francis’ Golden Era did their best to represent him. “Kevin was our guy,” former teammate and close friend Art Hunter said Thursday afternoon during a ...

Knowles aims to help PSU ‘close gap’

UNIVERSITY PARK — Jim Knowles arrives as the nation’s highest paid assistant coach at $9.3 million — $3.1 annually for three years — but he was quick to point out Tuesday that he grew to this pinnacle from humble roots. The Nittany Lions’ new defensive coordinator was a ...

PSU all in with hiring of Knowles

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com When it comes to recruiting, James Franklin rarely takes a backseat. He proved that again Sunday when he lured Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, to Penn State. Of course, money helped. Franklin has often talked about being ...

Retention gets Lions quick start on ’25

Some followup notes from the 2024 season while looking ahead at 2025: n This week has proven, once again, James Franklin is better off the field than he is on it. Fresh from another come-from-ahead loss in a big game, this one to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal, the ...

Franklin can’t seem to escape disappointment

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — It’s difficult to get to within a field goal of playing for the national championship and still consider this a disappointing season. So I won’t do that. But certainly, Thursday night brought a disappointing ending to a memorable year, and the disappointment is ...

Penn State-ND: Stakes can’t be higher

Some post-Fiesta Bowl/pre-Orange Bowl notes awaiting the star-studded final four: n Thursday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal between Penn State and Notre Dame will break a tie in the series currently tied at 9-9-1. And what a reward the winner will get: A berth in the national ...