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Giger: PSU benefits from Rahne’s departure

Old Dominion did Penn State a big favor, and gave Nittany Lion fans an early Christmas present. That may sound harsh, but let’s be clear about one thing: Losing offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne is addition by subtraction for Penn State’s offense. Rahne is a good guy. A family man. A good representative of Penn State. I wish him nothing but the best as he takes over as Old Dominion’s head coach, and this is a wonderful opportunity for his career. But the hard truth is that Rahne was in over his head as the Lions’ offensive coordinator. He was average at best while holding ...

Giger: Facts simply don’t back up Penn State’s Rose Bowl snub

It takes just two words to explain Penn State getting snubbed for the Rose Bowl. 1. Bogus 2. Illinois This really isn’t complicated, and anyone who tells you otherwise is fooling themselves. That goes for the College Football Playoff selection committee, which botched this thing. It’s simple math, really. I know, I know, most Americans hate math, but this is REALLY easy math. Here we go: n Which number is higher: 3 or 2? Wisconsin (10-3) has three losses. Penn State (10-2) has two. n Which number is higher: 11 or 13 (or 31)? Penn State lost at Ohio State, one of the toughest ...

Saturday hunts change Thanksgiving

Pennsylvania’s firearm deer season is underway, though with a significant change from recent decades. Hunters took to the woods the Saturday after Thanksgiving rather than Monday, for the first time since 1963. The change was implemented to increase the number of hunters enjoying the season, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission officials after the decision was made this past spring. Saturday offers fewer work and school conflicts, so logically, an extra Saturday means more hunters, and more successful hunts. It also means re-arranging the holiday weekend. For many, ...

Raise a drumstick to Nittany Lions’ history

I’m thankful for Penn State’s history. Yes, the Nittany Lions have a present to feel very good about and a bright future, too, as the program has a chance to be in the College Football Playoff next year. But on this Thanksgiving Day, it’s cool that we as Penn State followers — be it as fans or media — have a past to be celebrated. Consider that since 1950 — 70 seasons — the football program has been led by just four coaches — Rip Engle, Joe Paterno, Bill O’Brien and James Franklin. None have had to be fired because the job was too big for them. We know the ...

PSU always relevant on the national stage

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Penn State, and yet with a little bit of help, the Nittany Lions could be heading to the Rose Bowl. That’s certainly what you would call something to be thankful for. There are so many things that Penn State football fans can be thankful for, but mostly it’s this: Your team is definitely one of the “haves” of college football, and there are so, so many “have not” programs that have never and will never be able to enjoy such a life of luxury in the sport. Every Penn State game is on national TV. It’s been that way for ...

Giger: Shorter in transfer portal bad look for Lions

The long and short of it is, Justin Shorter’s development and production at Penn State have been terribly disappointing. The how and why are debatable. Who’s to blame is debatable. What’s not debatable, though, is that Shorter is unhappy and apparently wants to leave Penn State. The receiver entered the transfer portal Tuesday, according to published reports, and if you think about it, that should not come as a surprise. Shorter, a great physical specimen at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, came to PSU as an elite five-star recruit. According to 247Sports, of the hundreds and hundred ...