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Neil Rudel

Expansion leaves a green footprint

Of the Big Ten’s five expansions over the last 70 years — Michigan State in 1950, Penn State in 1990, Nebraska in 2011, Maryland and Rutgers in 2014 — Thursday’s blockbuster announcement that Southern Cal and UCLA would join the league starting in 2024 is the biggest. It converts the league from a midwestern base with eastern cherry picking to a coast-to-coast footprint that snagged the Los Angeles market and the west’s best two brands while, intentional or not, torpedoed the Pac-12. An obvious counter to the SEC’s poaching of Texas and Oklahoma, the Big Ten has further ...

Is Franklin’s stance falling on deaf ears?

UNIVERSITY PARK — Without mentioning names — hint, hint — there have been some former Penn State football coaches known to snap at the media every now and then. James Franklin, for the most part, hasn’t been one of them. In fact, at least in the press conferences I’ve attended over Franklin’s soon-to-be nine-year tenure, I’ve only heard him raise his voice twice — when Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz accused Penn State of faking injuries last year and Wednesday when Franklin was glued on the topic of NIL. From the beginning, Franklin has wanted Penn State to be “bold and ...

NCAA must manage NIL — and fast

Some recent news items in sports worthy of comment while praying for the families in Texas and wishing our nation’s leaders can better protect our children: ITEM: NIL hits home. Pitt standout receiver Jordan Addison, the 2021 recipient of the Fred Biletnikoff award, has officially transferred to USC amid reports that he’ll be paid in the neighborhood of $2 million via the Name, Image and Likeness rule. There were allegations of tampering, and Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi had several contentious conversations expressing as much with new Southern Cal coach Lincoln Riley. This is ...

Altoona boys basketball search: Up, up and away

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com There have been special occasions over the years that have merited use of the Mirror helicopter to help me get a better view of the area sports landscape. Sometimes the trips have been to observe high-level coaching searches, mainly involving Altoona Area High School but Penn State, too, but it’s also fun just to take a spin on a nice day. With the price of gas these days, excursions are limited, but they’re still necessary since: 1) They keep the propellers from getting rusty; 2) Altoona is searching for a new boys basketball coach. ...

Pinegar aims to finish career ‘right way’

UNIVERSITY PARK — In an age where too many college athletes respond to adversity by racing to the transfer portal, may I present Jake Pinegar. Penn State’s placekicker for the better part of three years (2018-20), Pinegar was beaten out by Jordan Stout in 2021 and forced to watch virtually the entire season from the sidelines. Now Stout, whose big leg was also a punting and kickoff weapon, is gone, awaiting this week’s NFL Draft as “probably the highest-drafted specialist,” James Franklin said. Pinegar, who led the Big Ten in scoring as a freshman with 101 points, ...

Strittmatter helped build foundation at Penn State

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com On one hand, Mag Strittmatter is thrilled that collegiate sports is celebrating the 50-year anniversary of Title IX. On the other hand, she can’t believe a half century has passed since she became Penn State’s first female scholarship ...