BWI Live: A Penn State football podcast from Blue White Illustrated

There are multiple spinning plates for the Penn State football team this offseason, like every college football team. While the coaching staff is wrapping up the January contact period and junior days, the current Nittany Lions are hard at work preparing for next season. On top of that, the college football landscape is continually changing with NIL, the transfer portal, and more unforeseen changes ahead.To make sense of all of it, the BWI Live crew comes to you live at noon every Monday to talk about this week's Penn State sports topics. Host Thomas Frank Carr, senior editor Nate Bauer, and reporter Dave Eckert cover Penn State football, basketball, and hockey on this week's edition.They'll start with the state of Penn State football in the offseason. Then, they will give what they think are the most impactful facets of the 2022 offseason. Is it a lack of transfers? What about the traditional signing day coming up on Wednesday? Each panelist picks one topic they think is essential and presents their case.After that, they dive into news from the portal and then take your questions. If you'd like to be a part of the show, make sure you join at noon, only on YouTube. They'll answer a variety of topics and give their thoughts on listener opinions.Next, they will get into some predictions for the next season with the help of audience participation. Bauer, Ecker, and T-Frank will each answer the following questions:Penn State will win more games next season if:Penn State will lose more games next season if:Penn State will stay the same next season if:The audience will vote on which answer they like the best, and at the end of the third round, whoever wins the most rounds will be crowned champion of the live show.Finally, they'll discuss Penn State basketball, which plays against Iowa, tonight at 7 pm. The Nittany Lions have not played at home in almost a month and have suffered some tough road losses along the way. Bauer and Eckert will give their thoughts on the last several weeks and how Penn State can bounce back in the next month.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Friday, Penn State football got a win on the recruiting trail, adding to the Class of 2023. Ryan Snyder joins the BWI Daily Edition to tell you about three-star offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh, who committed to the Nittany Lions this week, and how that shapes the class in the future.He and host Thomas Frank Carr discuss the impact of Donkoh, his potential position, and what traits set him apart as a lineman. Snyder details who Penn State beat out for his commitment and some quick highlights about Donkoh off the field. After the breaking news, Snyder and T-Frank discuss the past week in Penn State recruiting, which was full of events inside and outside the organization. They start with Snyder's conversation with Nittany Lion Commit Mathias Barnwell. Next, Snyder details his conversation with "Mega" and how his outlook on where he might play at the next level has changed since he committed. Finally, T-Frank offers some insight about Barnwell's traits and skills that has him excited to watch the future Penn State player during his senior year of high school. From there, the two transition into the other names that have cropped up this week (as of the time or recording) receiving Penn State offers. This week was the final week of the January contract period, so the staff was out on the road investigating their targets. Snyder then mentions that the work is likely not over until the final bell sounds on this open period. Next, they move on to the final rankings for the Class of 2022. On3 finalized their rankings for the upcoming class ahead of the February signing period, so Snyder takes viewers through the names that moved up in the rankings. Dani Dennis-Sutton had a big jump, becoming the highest-rated Penn State's class player. In addition, he highlights several other players moving around in the Top 300, including one Penn State player that had a bigger jump than any other player in the nation. Finally, they get to the list of players arriving in Happy Valley this weekend for the Nittany Lions final junior day. Penn State's coaching staff has stacked this last recruiting day with plenty of high-profile, high-priority talent. Snyder runs down the list, which is heavy with defensive line talent. Then, he singles out some important players and hints at which players he thinks are leaning most towards the Blue and White. The last thing that Snyder and T-Frank discuss is the recruitment of Vega Ioane, an offensive lineman from Washington, in the Class of 2022. Ioane is visiting campus this weekend, and Snyder gives his insight into how important and positive this step is for offensive line coach Phil Trautwein. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

News surfaced yesterday that may benefit Penn State football dramatically. The Nittany Lions are stuck in the toughest division in college football. But reports this week by The Athletic suggest that the conference is considering doing away with divisions entirely. Is that a good idea? Senior Editor Nate Bauer joins the BWI Daily Edition to talk about that and more.He and host Thomas Frank Carr start with Bauer's article yesterday on realignment. On top of the Big Ten ramifications, the conference is also considering dropping a conference game and adding in a scheduled ACC and PAC 12 game each year. How would that work? They talk about the realities of the college football landscape, what the future holds for college sports, and how football and basketball are driving change that replaces old notions.Their focus is obviously on how Penn State can benefit from this change and how tenuous the future is for conferences that want to play by old rules. They discuss the role television plays for game selection and how organizations that think outside the box have an advantage. Finally, T-Frank asks how far away these potential changes are and when fans might see a positive or negative effect from said changes.Next, they take questions from viewers of the show. Questions each Thursday are solicited from either the Lions Den message forum or Twitter.They start with a question about special teams and how it might change with the loss of several key players and coaches on Penn State's third unit this offseason. Can Penn State rebound? Nate and T-Frank discuss.Next up is a question about Penn State's current weight lifting situation with the main lifting area under renovation. Is it hindering development?After that, several listeners want to know just how soon and how effective Penn State's three five-star players can be in their first year on campus. From there, they discuss the portal, pears, dad jeans, and recruiting.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're deep into the offseason for Penn State football, and there are some things we're not going to find out yet, if ever. That's what host Thomas Frank Carr has been thinking about and what he shares with you on the BWI Daily Edition.What will Penn State football look like next season with an offseason of changes behind them and more ahead? T-Frank has put together a list of five questions he wishes he had the truth about right now regarding the Penn State football team. He starts at five and asks a question that he's posed many times on the show. How will Manny Diaz alter the Penn State defense? We know that head coach James Franklin went out to find a coach who runs a similar scheme, but subtle differences can change quite a bit. So he gets into some of his questions about how Diaz could put his stamp on Penn State's defense. The next question deals with the hottest topic for Penn State fans; quarterback. No, not incoming freshmen Drew Allar or Beau Pribula. He looks squarely at redshirt freshman Christian Veilleux and wonders one particular question. Third, on the list of questions, he wants answers about the health of two key players. Penn State's roster projections hinge on one defensive and one offensive lineman. Becuase Penn State doesn't divulge injury information, all timelines about a return to play are conjecture. The second most important question that T-Frank would like answered is one he wants to know the most. How does the Nittany Lions staff feel about one of their starters from last season? Knowing their honest evaluation would give insight into how Penn State wants to build its line and how things could shake out next year. Finally, the most critical question to which nobody knows the answer comes from the transfer portal. Will Penn State get more additions this spring? What positions will they play? Even the Nittany Lions staff don't know the answer, but it's the most critical factor in how next season will go. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football is still finding ways to add players during the winter season, but things have finally settled on the roster churn from the end of 2021. Senior Editor Nate Bauer took a look at what transpired and the multiple layers of complexity to it. Bauer joins the BWI Daily Edition to talk about what he wrote and how Penn State chose to navigate the COVID exemptions for seniors and super seniors this past year. With four different groups of seniors making decisions about their status with the team, The need for practicality and organization was critical. So how did head coach James Franklin navigate this? Bauer and host Thomas Frank Carr look at the players that stayed and left to find the clues. Next, they discuss a minor addition to the program, walk-on receiver Jake Spencer. The former Colgate wideout spent two seasons with his former program and now joins Penn State for the 2022 season. T-Frank took a quick look at his bio and his high school tape to get a sense of where he’ll help Penn State as a depth player and what skills made him a target as a walk-on. After that, they take a look at Penn State’s linebacker situation for next season. Franklin made news at the bowl game when he said that safety Jonathan Sutherland would be playing linebacker in the game and going forward. After initially rejecting the idea, T-Frank has come around on the notion of the sixth-year defender moving closer to the line of scrimmage. He does have some caveats, though. T-Frank talks Bauer through how defenses can use personnel and how Sutherland fits into that picture. Finally, they wrap up discussing Penn State basketball’s frustrating slog through January. They’ve lost two after starting the month 2-2, with a canceled game in between. How much did losing that game hurt? Bauer highlights that, explains what happened in the Nittany Lions’ loss to Iowa and how the team needs to play to win games. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Blue-White Illustrated recruiting insider Ryan Snyder and reporter Greg Pickel are back with a new episode of the BWI Penn State Recruiting podcast.The show starts with a look back at the Lions' most recent junior day in State College. From there, the pair move on to the latest updates on Cornell transfer and offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad, who was in State College last weekend.After that, the duo moves on to a closer look at the final On300 rankings for the Class of 2022. They close out the show by previewing the massive visit weekend that will close out the January contact period, as well as a potential 2022 official visitor.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State hosted various players over the weekend during its second junior day. Several interesting names were on hand despite lacking a depth of high-end recruits showing up on campus. With that in mind, Greg Pickel of Blue White Illustrated joins the Daily Edition to discuss those that stood out. They start with one of the most important names of the weekend, Cornell offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad. While he's not a prospect in the traditional sense, Penn State is recruiting him hard out of the transfer portal. He visited the Nittany Lions this weekend, and Pickel has his thoughts on the situation. The next player that stood out to Pickel was Georiga native Dee Crayton. Pickel shares some of what the four-star linebacker prospect had to say after his visit. Crayton was impressed by several aspects of the weekend, which should bode well for Penn State. Pickel then points out an interesting part of Crayton's recruitment that will be worth monitoring going forward. The next topic they discuss deals with recruiting, but not junior day. Four-star offensive lineman Jven Williams updated his recruitment, which Pickel details on the show. They also talk about his importance to the in-state recruiting effort and where Penn State might stand in Williams' pecking order of schools. They also explain how On3's RPM, or Recruiting Prediction Machine, works and why the Nittany Lions are a favorite right now. Finally, there are key events that fans should know about that shape the recruiting process, which are a factor in the prediction. The final piece of recruiting news they discuss is Dani Dennis-Sutton's ranking for On3. On3's recruiting expert Charles Power gave Dennis-Sutton his fifth star this week, making it three for Penn State in the Class of 2023. Pickel and T-Frank discuss Dennis-Sutton's senior year and some of the factors that led to his late rise up the rankings. Finally, Pickel fills T-Frank in on the Penn State wrestling team's exploits over the weekend. The Nittany Lions dominated third-ranked Michigan and then took care of business against Michigan State on Sunday, sweeping their road schedule this past weekend. Who stood out? Why did Penn State handle Michigan in such a fashion? First, they discuss those topics and then comment on how dangerous head coach Cael Sanderson's squad is after the intermission. Next, they discuss some critical moments of the weekend and then look at the team with a big-picture view. Lastly, Pickel gives fans a heads up on what's coming up from the team and him this week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football is in full offseason mode, with winter workouts and junior day dominating the news over the past week. The program is still in a holding pattern with transfers, but that doesn't mean things are at a standstill. The BWI Live crew is back today to discuss Nittany Lions football topics and relevant content about Penn State sports.After all of the change in December, is Penn State trending Up? Down? Or have they weathered the storm to stand neutral. Senior Editor Nate Bauer, Reporter Dave Eckert and host Thomas Frank Carr give you their thoughts on the matter and discuss how head coach James Franklin has managed this offseason so far. They'll also discuss the Divisional Round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs. Several former Penn State players played vital roles for playoff teams, and the guys will discuss their participation this past weekend. After that, they'll discuss the lessons and nuggets Penn State fans can take from the Chief's 42-36 victory over the Buffalo Bills in what some are calling the greatest playoff game ever. What should we take away from the game about coaching decisions, clock management, and playcalling from the end of that game? Then, the guys will discuss and compare how James Franklin performed those tasks in those moments. They will also take your questions and discuss topics you want to hear about during the show! Penn State basketball began the month strong, going 2-2 in conference play after a COVID stymied end to the fall semester. Now, where does the team stand after another COVID postponement and two losses? Bauer and Eckert give you their thoughts on the team as we finish out January and head into the February home stretch. Blue-White Illustrated podcast/video schedule:MondayBWI LiveBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrTuesdayRecruiting podcast with Ryan Snyder and Greg PickelBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrWednesdayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrThursdayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrFridayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank Carr Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While the current Penn State Nittany Lions are hard at work in the weight room, the coaching staff is busy trying to secure the program's future. Midway through the January open period, Penn State hosts its next junior day tomorrow. So, recruiting insider Ryan Snyder joins the BWI Daily Edition to cover a wide range of recruiting topics. They start with the second junior day coming up on Saturday in Happy Valley. As always, the weekend is more than the name implies because Penn State is mostly hosting run-on candidates this weekend. That being said, Snyder has a list of names attending this weekend that fans should know. Check out the episode to get the full list. After bringing up several names attending this weekend and how they fit at Penn State, the two move on to coaching travel during the open period. Snyder fills Penn State fans in on where the coaching staff has been this week and what recruits they visit. A few eye-opening visits and situations are fascinating, including with tackle prospect Cole Surber. Hear what has gone down with his recruitment and what that might mean for Penn State.Head coach James Franklin was on the road too, visiting several places, including a basketball game between crucial recruit for the Class of 2023, Rodney Gallagher and 2024 phenom Quinton Martin. Finally, the pair discuss the recruitment of Vega Ioane. The four-star offensive lineman from Washington is a recent offer, and since their last conversation, Snyder has gotten more information on Penn State's plan for recruiting Ioane. MondayBWI LiveBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrTuesdayRecruiting podcast with Ryan Snyder and Greg PickelBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrWednesdayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrThursdayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrFridayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank Carr Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football started winter workouts this week, and several players are already drawing praise for their performance. Host Thoma Frank Carr and senior Editor for Blue White Illustrated, Nate Bauer, discuss that and more on the show.They start by discussing praise from new strength and conditioning coordinator Chuck Losey for Clifford’s work during the speed session of winter workouts. Losey mentioned Clifford’s training app and how the sixth-year senior is performing at a standout level in a Tweet from earlier in the week. Bauer and T-Frank discuss the merits of this praise and how it may seem familiar to Penn State fans. However, they also explain why it’s still valid and essential. After that, T-Frank explains why it also makes an uphill task for the young quarterbacks to unseat Clifford as the starter.From there, they discuss Penn State running back Nick Singleton’s newest award and how his presence along with the development of some other young offensive players could infuse hope in fans for next season. Does Bauer agree? T-Frank singles out two players that can change the trajectory of the Penn State running game for their unique skills.Next, they discuss a social media post from sports personality Taylor Rooks. Rooks commented on Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. earlier this week, which resonated with Penn State football players.Does situation determine everything in football? The guys debate the merits of her comments and then give examples of both positive and negative situations that affected Penn State players last season. T-Fank cautions about applying this thought liberally to football for an important reason.Finally, they look at the players that are participants in the 2022 Senior Bowl as of recording. While more are still expected to come, T-Frank and Nate discuss which players have the most to gain from their participation in the week of practices, culminating in the Senior Bowl game on February 5th.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rosters constantly churn in college football, but this week, we have a better idea of what Penn State football will look like next fall. With that in mind, the host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, thinks that Penn State's passing attack can be different and better in 2022. Transfer Mitchell Tinsley changes aspects of the Nittany Lion passing attack that can alter how they generate explosive plays.Before that, T-Frank sets the scene by talking about the Penn State offensive line. With the significant change up front comes considerable uncertainty. He addresses what that future could look like and uses a recent memory to remind fans that things don't always work out the way you expect. He does this to temper expectations both ways about how that unit will perform next season.Secondarily, he reminds viewers of Sean Clifford's playing style. Unfortunately, Clifford's abilities aren't the perfect fit for how offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich wants to win. Still, the sixth-year quarterback had operated the offense effectively before injuries marred the second half of last year.T-Frank thinks the skill players Penn State has amassed with that in mind. he thinks they can win differently from last year's group, which can take the pressure off of Clifford while still generating big plays through the passing game. First, T-Frank explains how broken tackles by receivers have different values depending on where and how they happen and then shows Penn State's productivity from last season. After that, he shows how Tinsley fits into the picture. His skills differ from former receiver Jahan Dotson, and his playstyle could potentially fit better with Clifford.With a few tweaks to receiver Parker Washington's usage and improved play from the tight ends, Penn State's passing attack has a chance to be dangerous next season.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football gave clarity to their roster a week after starting the spring semester. Sixteen players left the roster as of Monday, and while there were no shocking subtractions, they do leave an impact in their absence. That's what host Thomas Frank Carr and senior Editor Nate Bauer of Blue White illustrated discuss today on the show.They start with a player who had a frustrating end to a solid career in center Mike Miranda. While some fans may be happy to see the end of Mirdana after struggling last season, Bauer notes that he did leave an impact by his play and presence on the field for Penn State. T-Frank explains how the once-promising interior lineman found himself consistently performing under expectations in his final season. He notes that while Miranda didn't change as a player, the cast around him and his position switch hampered his production.From there, they discuss another name that is more curious than anything in cornerback AJ Lytton. The former Florida State corner came to Penn State late in the transfer process and never found a defense home. But, according to T-Frank, unlike Miranda, Lytton leaves an imprint on Penn State for not playing.Next, they move on to examine the career of receiver Cam Sullivan-Brown. First, Bauer chronicles Sullivan-Brown's snake bit time at Penn State and how he was seemingly just a step away from being a factor for the Nittany Lions offense. After that, T-Frank uses Sullivan-Brown as a cautionary tale for listening to one particular type of quote coming from coaches during the pre-season. Then, he uses that lesson to share his feelings about certain players for next year.They discuss a similar story with defensive tackle Fred Hansard and his unfortunate run at Penn State, marred by injury. This discussion leads them to a larger one about the reality of college football and the hard truths that it presents. From there, they wrap up focusing on the program's future and what Penn State fans can learn from these stories.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State hosted its first January junior day in two years this past weekend. The visit list was stacked with talent, with 10 four-star players making the trip and a little under 20 scholarship players total.Although it didn't lead to any immediate commitments, James Franklin and his Penn State assistants hosted a handful of players who are clearly leaning in PSU's direction. That could prove to be fruitful once spring rolls around and players are able to see their other options.On today's Blue White Illustrated recruiting podcast, Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel look back on Saturday's junior day, highlighting a handful of players that fans need to know moving forward. Offensive offensive tackle prospects Evan Link, from Washington, D.C., and Samson Okunlola, from Brockton, Mass., are among a few they discuss at length.The transfer portal also remains a popular topic, and Penn State stopped in to see two of their top targets Monday. Vanderbilt tackle Tyler Steen and Cornell guard Hunter Nourzad both won't enroll at their next school until the summer, but Penn State put on a full-court press Monday. The guys get into the details on both players, as well the plan for the portal moving forward.They wrap up today's podcast discussing the resumption of the contact period, which began this past Friday, Jan. 14. Franklin and his assistant will be out on the road these next two weeks to meet with players and coaches up and down the East Coast. Ryan gets into a few of the expected stops for Tuesday, which includes a handful of quarterback prospects that offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has interest in.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football's first Junior Day was Saturday in Happy Valley. Hours before the first snowstorm of the season hit the region, head coach James Franklin and his staff hosted dozens of potential commits for The Class of 2023 and beyond. As recruiting insider for Blue White Illustrated Ryan Snyder mentioned last week, the goal is to formally introduce recruits to Penn State and give them the essentials of the program. How did they do at that? What are the biggest takeaways from this past weekend? Reporter Greg Pickel was following the developments this weekend and joined the BWI Daily Edition to give his impressions of Junior Day and give Penn State fans the essentials of what happened over the weekend. Host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, starts by asking Pickel his most significant takeaways from the weekend and his general impressions of what fans should know. Next, they took a look at two players making their way up from Florida, defensive linemen Derrick LeBalanc and John Walker. LeBlanc and Walker are teammates at Osceola high school and were up this weekend to take in the event. While both are important recruits, they each represent something interesting. First, they start with LeBlanc, who had an interesting comment from the weekend that T-Frank thinks is revealing. That leads them to a conversation about Franklin's personality as a coach and the potential disconnect between Penn State fans and their head coach despite commonalities. LeBlanc's comments also lead to a conversation bout name, image, and likeness and Penn State's current progress in that department. Next, they discuss what Walker represents as a prospect. He has a different profile than the players Penn State has recruited at the defensive tackle position in recent years. Should the Nittany Lions target more players like Walker? Pickel gives his thoughts, and T-Frank explains what he's seen from the Nittany Lions' recruiting efforts on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Finally, they wrap up with an update on the Penn State wrestling team. Pickel covered the dual victory over Rutgers for Blue White Illustrated, and he gives his impressions on how head coach Cael Sanderson's new-look lineup fared in their first dual. Is this a championship-level group? Pickel provides his insights into that and more from the weekend. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football has not had nearly as much turnover as anticipated this offseason. The Nittany Lions have had just one transfer into the program and a handful left. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to come that hasn’t been announced. Yet as it stands, Penn State enters the second week of the spring semester with their roster seemingly set. So how should Penn State fans feel about what head coach James Franklin and his staff have done so far? Do they have to make any changes before the spring? The BWI Live crew will talk about that and more today at noon. Host Thomas Frank Carr takes you through the essential topics of the week for Penn State football with senior editor of Blue White Illustrated Nate Bauer and reporter Dave Eckert. The trio will discuss the roster, important players this offseason, and more. They’ll also take your questions live! So join the BWI Live show today at noon, only on YouTube. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football is exiting a dead period in recruiting, and how has the month of January to host recruits and make visits. With the first junior day on January 15th, Penn State recruiting insider Ryan Snyder joins the BWI Daily Edition to give viewers a breakdown of what to expect this weekend and for the rest of the month.Host Thomas Frank Carr starts with the basics for those unfamiliar with recruiting and how the calendar works. First, he asks Snyder what Junior Days are, how they work, and their benefit. How important are they? They discuss the evolution of this process over time and how the term "Junior Day" doesn't exactly fit with the modern weekend process.Next, they discuss how Penn State's attendee list has developed and compares it to previous years. With 2020 shutting down all recruiting visits last season, Snyder gives a broader view than just the immediate past. After that, he lets fans know some of the important names coming to Happy Valley this weekend.This list for this weekend isn't the only time that Penn State will have recruits on campus. Snyder explains how many Junior Day weekends there are in the month and just how many players will come through campus in January. Finally, he gives examples of players that have committed during the event to give fans an idea of what might happen this month. Even if it's unlikely, it never hurts to be prepared.After wrapping up their conversation about recruiting for the Class of 2022, T-Frank and Snyder discuss a piece of news that came out yesterday relating to the class of 2022. The traditional recruiting deadline is over the horizon, and Penn State has sent a new offer to 2022 offensive lineman Vega Ioane. The pair share what they know about the four-star recruit from Washington and then put his offer into perspective. They both agree that this might signal that Penn State is shifting plans from a critical area of talent acquisition this offseason.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The expectation this offseason was that Penn State football would lose players in the transfer portal. That has become the norm in college football since its inception several years ago. While players come and go, the names of those players can still draw attention. Former starting running back Noah Cain announced his decision to leave Penn State on Wednesday evening in a surprise move. Host of the BWI Daily Edition discusses the action with his guests on the show, Nate Bauer and Greg Pickel.While the move is surprising to some degree, it is not a devastating one for Penn State. Bauer joins the show first to view Cain's career at Penn State and how injury frustrations left him looking for a new home.Next, they have a lengthy discussion about the tight end production at Penn State in 2021. This past season, the trio of pass-catchers had lofty expectations after James Franklin effused praise for the group. While it's clear they didn't live up to that standard as a group, did they make progress this past season? Were there any signs of life? T-Frank dives into the numbers and breaks things out several ways to inspect the results. First, he looks at a rather decisive shift halfway through the season and then gives context to that information. Then, Bauer follows up with his group observations, including a critical moment in the season that might have caused that shift.After that, T-Frank inspects the run blocking of each player. Once again, Franklin's comments early in the season shaped a perception about the trio that T-Frank doesn't believe is accurate. Next, he shows a decisive change in tight end Brenton Strange and progression from Tyler Warren. After that, Bauer provides more context from Franklin's comments to support that.Next, T-Frank speaks to reporter Greg Pickel about Noah Cain's departure from the program. He gets Pickel's perspective on Cain's career and what he thinks is in store for the future of the former four-star commit in 2019.Then they dive into Penn State wrestling's mid-season transfer moves. Penn State recently picked up a key pair of additions, and Pickel discusses how those additions will impact the lineup. He also gives a brief education to unfamiliar listeners about how the staff chooses wrestlers and how those athletes compete for a spot in the lineup.Finally, he wraps up the show by explaining Penn State's challenges fielding a healthy roster and what to expect this weekend when they host Rutgers.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State head coach James Franklin said that the team would be active in the transfer portal this offseason during his early signing day press conference. However, the spring semester has started at Penn State, and only one transfer, receiver Mitchell Tinsley, has joined the Nittany Lions. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't players in the portal that Penn State should be interested in bringing to campus. Host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, brings up two players at the most critical position for Penn State to fill this offseason, offensive line. T-Frank starts the show by giving a quick scouting report of former Virginia right tackle Ryan Swoboda, and Vanderbilt left tackle Tyler Sheen. Swoboda's name has been linked to Penn State for a while now, with the 6-10 tackle entering the portal some time ago. So what should you know about his game? T-Frank explains what he's seen on tape. Sheen is relatively new in the portal, entering his name earlier in the week. T-Frank gives a quick summation of the three-year player at Vanderbilt and explains the pros and cons of each player. Next, he gives a quick preview of a future topic for Penn State football, the tight end room. The trio of young players at that position came into the season with high expectations set by Franklin after calling them the country's deepest room. Was it all as bad as it seems? T-Frank gives a quick preview of that topic, which he'll dig deeper into later this week. After that, he switches gears and brings in Blue White Illustrated's basketball reporters to talk about Penn State Hoops. The team has won three of their last four games and is now .500 in Big Ten competition. Senior Editor Nate Bauer and reporter Dave Eckert break down the team identity and their impressions of head coach Micah Shrewsberry in his first season. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football enters its winter conditioning period during the spring semester of 2022. Every offseason it's a critical time of year for player development, and this year is no different. The mantra in football has always been "bigger, faster, stronger," so every player needs to improve at this time of year. With a disappointing 2021 in the rearview mirror, several players need to take full advantage of the winter conditioning period and take the next step. Host Thomas Frank Carr has his top-10 players that need to do that this offseason.He starts at 10 with an unlikely position and player when you think of winter lifting. Yet, slot corner Daequan Hardy begins the list for several key reasons, including usage pattern, size, and playing style. His development can also help one particular problem that the Penn State defense has this offseason. It's a problem that will populate the list with candidates.The players coming in at number nine and eight are here because they need to make up for lost ground. Two Penn State contributors have struggled to overcome injuries and need this time of year to make real strides on their way back. Both are presumed healthy at this point and can be starters in 2022 with the proper recovery and advancement in their physical skills.The following three Penn State players on the list are younger players who need to keep their developmental curve going. The first player, coming in seventh, is a presumed starter in 2022 and needs to make good the promise of his potential from last season. The following two are dark-horse candidates to win playing time next season if they take a serious step forward in their physical development. Both are along the line of scrimmage, and one is possibly the key to unlocking a best-case scenario on the offensive line.The player checking in at number four on the list is similar to the previous group but is much more of a wildcard. It's clear from his profile that he will need to get bigger and stronger before starting, but it's unknown if he has the skills to do so just yet. Nevertheless, if this player delivers on a high-profile recruiting ranking, he can change Penn State's plans in the offseason and alter the starting lineup on defense in a positive way.Of the final three players, two were defacto starters last season and are likely top of mind when thinking of Penn State defenders that need to get bigger this offseason. The other is here for a practical and symbolic reason regarding what he means to Penn State's future.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The first Blue-White Illustrated recruiting podcast of 2022 is now live.Hosts Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel are back from seeing current and future Penn State football players on the road to end the 2021 season. The pair kickoff this week's episode with a quick recap of Georgia's win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff title game.From there, the hosts dive into a recap of the Lions' four signees at the All-American Bowl. Who stood out to Snyder the most?After that, Ryan and Greg breakdown where Penn State stands in the transfer portal before taking a closer look at the January enrollees who are now on campus. They close the show by looking ahead to the first of three Penn State Junior Days on the horizon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State Football has six players participating in two all-star games over the last two weekends. Running back Kaytron Allen and offensive lineman Drew Shelton played for team Icon in the Under Armour Next game in Florida two weekends ago. Receiver Kaden Saunders was a participant in the week of practice, but he was nicked up in practice and was held out of the game. This past Saturday, four future Penn Stater's took part in the All-America Bowl in San Antonio. Quarterback Drew Allar, running back Nick Singleton, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, and linebacker Keon Wylie started for the East squad after a week of practice. While the games provide us another opportunity to evaluate and learn about the players participating, they are not events that should dramatically swing perception. With that in mind, we'll take a look at the film for several of the players and give you evaluations on each player's performance in their respective games. Check out this link for the full film evaluation: https://bit.ly/3qaMqxaIf you're not a member, check out the next link below JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annual#PennState #NittanyLions SUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.com Download our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The spring semester for Penn State starts today, which means the Penn State football team is already back at it, gearing up for spring football. While there is truly no offseason in college football, today is an important transition that officially signals the end of 2021 and the preparation for 2022 beginning in earnest. It’s also means that several highly-anticipated football players are now on campus and started their collegiate careers.To help kick off the offseason, BWI Live is back for their weekly Monday show. Dave Eckert, Nate Bauer, and Thomas Frank Carr will discuss the weekend’s news and look forward to winter conditioning.Penn State has several key players enrolling early and starting class today. The gang will talk about which players stand out to them and how that group can influence next season. They also discuss which players might be hurt the most by not enrolling early and getting a jump start on their careers. The Nittany Lions have had several players, including cornerback Cam Miller, not enroll early as planned.It’s also been an offseason of change so far for Penn State football. The trio will discuss what’s happened this offseason, with several critical departures within the program, and evaluate how head coach James Franklin and his staff have managed the change. They will also look forward to see if any changes, good or bad, are on the horizon for the Nittany Lions.Tune in at noon to the BWI Live show, only on YouTube! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four future Penn State football players are down in San Antonio for the All-America Bowl all-star game. Five-star quarterback Drew Allar, five-star running back Nick Singleton, four-star defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, and four-star linebacker Keon Wylie are in attendance, representing Penn State's Class of 2022. Representing Blue White Illustrated; recruiting insider Ryan Snyder joins the show to discuss what he's seen this week.Snyder has been at practice this week and joins the BWI Daily Edition to give his insights into practice, his interviews with the players, and who has stood out.They start by talking about what players already committed to universities, like Penn State's representatives, gain from an event like the All-America Bowl. Then, Snyder gives his thoughts about what makes this week of competition valuable to the individuals and how it can help them as players.From there, they discuss quarterback Drew Allar's week on center stage. As with most camps, quarterbacks have the most performance chances, and Allar has been a standout. So how good has he been? First, Snyder gives a glowing review of his skills and then shares his conversations with Allar about what the week has been like for him.Next, they focus Dennis-Sutton, who has also been a name on evaluators' lips this week. He shares what his colleagues in San Antonio have said about Dennis-Sutton and adds his own thoughts. Next Sndyer and T-Frank disucss the possiblity of Dennis-Sutton being available for the Penn State defense early in his career. Snyder asked the senior defensive end that question and shares Dennis-Sutton's answer.Another player who contributes early for Penn State is running back Nick Singleton. Unlike Allar and Dennis-Sutton, tailbacks have a more challenging time standing out in walkthroughs. Has Singleton broken that mold? Snyder shares his thoughts about Singleton and his profile as a freshman contributor once he gets to Penn State.Finally, they discuss linebacker Keon Wylie. Like Singleton, linebackers have a tough time standing out in a primarily 7-on-7 environment, so Snyder says less about the Imhotep graduate. Despite that, he's the leading player that Synder is looking forward to watching during the game on Saturday because he'll exclusively be playing linebacker for the first time in his career.They wrap up with the schedule for the rest of the week and some final thoughts on this weekend's event.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football entered its 2022 offseason with tumultuous news, with the eventual loss of two coordinators. It continued with six starter opt-outs of the Outback Bowl and has concluded with several players leaving the program early for the NFL. So with all of that change happening, what can Nittany Lions fans expect for 2022?Blue White Illustrated reporter Dave Eckert joins the BWI Daily Edition to discuss that exact topic. He has a list of 22 things to be optimistic about in 2022 for Penn State football, and he joins the show to talk about a few highlights from the list. Host Thomas Frank Carr also asks him to answer a listener-submitted question about the quarterback room in 2022. Finally, they finish the show talking about Penn State Basketball's big win on the road last night against Northwestern.The burning question on every fans' mind heading into the offseason is about Penn State's future at quarterback. Starter Sean Clifford announced that he would return for a sixth year shortly after the season, and some are worried that head coach James Franklin will not open up his job to competition. So will redshirt freshman Christian Veilleux or incoming freshmen Drew Allar and Beau Pribula have a real shot at unseating the incumbent? Eckert gives his thoughts on the matter. T-Frank is skeptical of Eckert's conclusion and shares his concerns about the subject.Next, they discuss three of Eckert's 22 reasons to be positive in 2022. What are his thoughts on the offense, youth, and transfers? Dave thinks that big things could be in store for the Nittany Lions on that side of the ball. Afterward, T-Frank adds one of his reasons to be positive based on what he saw in the Outback Bowl.Finally, they wrap up by talking about Penn State basketball's 74-70 win over Northwestern on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions have now won two Big Ten games in a row and have gotten solid play from key players. They discuss Seth Lundy's big night and what Dave thinks has changed since the team got a key player back from injury.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's been a week of announcements for Penn State Football:More came yesterday in defensive tackle PJ Mustipher, returning for a fifth year in 2022.Penn State quickly replaced special teams coordinator Joe Lorig in Boise State's Stacy Collins.Punter Jordan Stout announced he was leaving the program for the NFL.So how does Penn State replace the player that served as their kickoff specialist, punter, and field goal kicker?Senior editor Nate Bauer once again joins the BWI Daily edition to talk about those three moves, along with long snapper Chris Stoll announcing that he was also coming back to Penn State for one final season.They start with Mustipher, the four-year contributor for the Nittany Lions returning for an extra fifth year of eligibility. Unfortunately, not much is known about the nature of Mustihper's injury, which he suffered in the first quarter against Iowa. Since his injury happened in October, can he be ready to participate fully for Penn State next season?T-Frank and Bauer go through that, along with what Mustipher gets from coming back to Penn State, outside of just one more year of games. They also speculate about the nature of his injury and how that sets a possible timeline for his return. T-Frank cautions fans from expecting the same player they saw in 2021 and explains why. Bauer also brings up the intangible benefits of bringing back a leader like Mustpher and how he can help, even if he's less than fully healthy.After the lengthy discussion about Mustipher, the duo examined Collins' resume and why Penn State hired him away from Boise State, where he served as the speical team's coordinator. Next, T-Frank and Bauer look at his resume and examine all the different stops and job titles he's collected along the way. T-Frank also explains how two of his job titles with Penn State say the same thing.Finally, the duo discusses punter Jordan Stout's announcement that he's headed to the NFL. The Penn State do-it-all special teamer leaves a void on kickoffs, punting, and field goals. Bauer takes you through the names and backgrounds of all potential candidates to replace him. Last but not least, they discuss the importance of long snapper Chris Stoll coming back for his sixth year of eligibility.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State's offseason of change continues this week, and this time it's not just players opting for the NFL Draft. Yes, Rasheed Walker declared for the NFL on Monday. But that day also brought the news that Penn State would officially lose special teams coordiantor, Joe Lorig, to Oregon, and behind-the-scenes administrator Michael Hazel was leaving to join Brent Pry at Virginia Tech. While Walker's departure is clear, what effect will the other two have on the program? Senior Editor Nate Bauer joins host Thomas Frank Carr to discuss the impact of all three leaving the program. They start with Walker, the most accessible and understandable departure from Penn State. After T-Frank explains that Walker did not have a quality season one would expect from a player heading to the next level, he asks a question. What are we missing in this conversation? There have been several players this offseason that fans, media, and some observers have questioned their move to the NFL. T-Frank and Bauer discuss the possible motivations and factors that make players like Walker, or linebacker Brandon Smith, leave with remaining eligibility. Not every decision has to do with the on-field play. Next, they discuss Lorig's move from Happy Valley to Eugene. Despite "only" being a special team's coordiantor, Bauer thinks that Lorig's departure will be hard for head coach James Franklin to fill. According to Bauer, the former Western Oregon defensive back was singular in his career ambition, and that focus on his unit will be hard to replace. Finally, they discuss how speical teams have changed and how rules have shifted the focus and priority for that phase of football. Finally, they get into the murky waters of the behind-the-scenes business in college football. Bauer does his best to describe what Hazel did while at Penn State, which is a challenging task. He then explains how Hazel has been key to Franklin's process as a coach and how he's been with Franklin longer than any current assistant on the staff. Filling that role will be complicated and an intriguing story this offseason. #PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football continued their second-half spiral with a 24-10 loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on New Years Day. It was the team's sixth loss in the final eight games and the fourth time they failed to crack 20 points during that time. How did things get so bad for the Nittany Lions offense? Film analyst for Blue White Illustrated and host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, looked at the film and answers.He starts with his scouting report of Arkansas, which depicts a defense that wants to play with two different styles of attack based on what type of quarterback it is playing. Penn State knew this about Arkansas and crafted a game plan to beat both defense styles. But, unfortunately, it didn't work because of one key component; the quarterback. T-Frank explains how Arkansas rendered Clifford ineffective early in the game, which caused a cascade of problems for the Penn State offense. Next, he provides stats to back that up and quotes from head coach James Franklin. Aside from Clifford, several other familiar characters from Penn State's struggles surfaced in the game. For example, how did Juice Scruggs fare at center? How did that change affect communication with the offensive line? T-Frank explains what he saw on film and how it all ties together. Finally, T-Frank examines the Penn State running game. He starts with a quote from James Franklin about not running the ball enough. Next, T-Frank explains how simply criticizing the design or scheme of the offense isn't the whole story. He shows how offensive coordinator Mike Yurich designed some specific runs that exposed the defense but followed that up with alarming numbers in the run game. All of that, along with the strengths of the Arkansas defense, led to a day that Penn State fans will want to forget soon. All of this begs the question for the offseason; how does it get better? JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.com Download our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State dropped their final game on Saturday, losing 24-10 to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. The BWI Live crew is back to recap the game and look forward to the 2022 offseason. Join host Thomas Frank Carr, senior editor Nate Bauer, and reporter Dave Eckert as they make sense of the 2021 season and the Outback Bowl debacle. They'll take your questions and give perspective on a disappointing year for Penn State Football. Join the BWI Live Show Monday at noon, only on YouTube! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football did not have enough gas in the tank to finish the season strong against Arkansas. short-handed in the 2022 Outback Bowl, Penn State fell 24-10 and was shut out in the second half of the game on Saturday at noon. The central storyline coming into the game is that Penn State is without five starters on defense, four of which are in the front seven. Hear how Penn State adjusted on the BWI Live show.Host Tom Hannifan and film Analyst for Blue White Illustrated, Thomas Frank Carr, break down the game and give you their impression of the game and how Penn State wound up with such an anemic offensive performance.They'll also give you the standout young players that caught T-Frank's eye during his in-game analysis. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football takes on Arkansas tomorrow in the Outback Bowl, so BWI's Dave Eckert joins the show to give his thoughts on the eve of the game. He joins host Thomas Frank Carr to talk about the major storylines that have come up this week and share his thoughts on the matters of the day. They start with the biggest story of the week, Penn State's opt-outs and injuries. With left tackle Rasheed Walker out for the game, Eckert gives his thoughts on what he expects from backup Olu Fashanu. After that, they talk about the situations that prevented Fashanu from playing earlier in the year when Walker initially left the lineup. Next, they discuss the rash of defensive opt-outs for Penn State and how they will affect this game from a tactical standpoint. So how will the Nittany Lions fare with so many critical pieces missing up front? Eckert shares his thoughts on what to expect from those players. He also offers his insight and perspective on what fans should be looking for when watching the game. After dissecting the bowl game, they turn their attention to winter sports. But, unfortunately, with COVD-19 cases spiking across the country, things are not going according to Penn State Men's Ice Hockey or Penn State basketball plan. Eckert shares the situation with T-Frank and tells him which games have were canceled and what the two teams are doing to try and get a match in before returning to Big Ten play. Finally, Eckert and T-Frank discuss Penn State basketball recruiting. Eckert gives T-Frank the names to know and who to watch for with Penn State's efforts to build the program's future under new head coach Micah Shrewsberry. Blue-White Illustrated podcast/video schedule:MondayBWI LiveBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrTuesdayRecruiting podcast with Ryan Snyder and Greg PickelBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrWednesdayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrThursdayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank CarrFridayBWI Daily edition with Thomas Frank Carr and Ryan Snyder on latest recruiting news, best bets, and moreSaturdayBWI Live postgame showJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Saturday, Penn State football faces Arkansas in the Outback Bowl with a less than full complement of players. With both Jahan Dotson opting out and Rasheed Walker not playing in the bowl game, the math has changed for the Nittany Lions. So how does that change what happens on the field? First, host Thomas Frank Carr has scouted the Razorbacks and broke down their strengths and weaknesses. He starts with the strength of the Arkansas defense, the linebackers. First, he explains how the Razorbacks front-seven works and why that unit is so essential to the defense. Next, he describes how the size and speed of the linebackers for Arkansas could also be a weakness. Could Penn State take advantage of this? That takes him to the next important part of the Arkansas offense, six-foot-six nose tackle John Ridgeway. How does he change the math upfront for the Razorbacks, and can Penn State improve against three-down fronts? T-Frank explains how Ridgeway is one of the only players up front that can fend off Penn State’s offensive linemen from getting to the second level of the defense.From there, he takes a look at the rest of the players up front for the defense and explains how Penn State could take advantage of their play. He also highlights how the loss of razorback edge defender Tre Williams evens out the playing field with Walker out of the game. Finally, T-Frank examines the defensive scheme and secondary. After highlighting the key name to know, he explains how it’s less about the players and more about the defense structure that keeps a lid on big plays for the Razorbacks. What wrinkles can Penn State fans expect? Can Penn State take advantage of the stress points in the Arkansas scheme? He gives his thoughts and wraps up by predicting how he thinks the game will play out. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.com Download our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Penn State football is in Tampa, Florida, preparing to face Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. Blue White Illustrated reporter Greg Pickel is down in the Sunshine State and joins host Thomas Frank Carr to give an update on the team, what he's seen at practice, as well as his takeaways from media availability. They start with the news that broke Wednesday afternoon that Penn State left tackle Rasheed Walker would not play in the game, and backup Olu Fashanu will take his spot on the left side. Pickel wasn't surprised by the news but by what head coach James Franklin said during his press conference. So, he addresses that before giving his thoughts on what that move means for the team. Next, they get into the other piece of news coming out of Franklin's media availability. First, they discuss what that information means for the Penn State defense and its effects. Then, T-Frank gets Pickel's thoughts on how bowl games should affect the redshirt status of players who may be forced into action by starters opting out for the NFL Draft. From there, they examine a crucial cog in Penn State's efforts on defense; linebacker Jesse Luketa. After hearing what interim defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter has to say about how they might use Luketa on Saturday, T-Frank and Pickel discuss what is best for the team in that regard. Finally, T-Frank brings up one troubling stat regarding Luketa's usage and how it could put Penn State in a bind if he plays too many snaps at linebacker. From there, they take a look at the young players that might see action during the contest and what Pickel is curious to learn about that group on Saturday. Finally, they wrap up by going over the news that starting corner Joey Porter Jr. is returning to Penn State next season. They hear from Porter Jr. what happened at the end of the year, and then T-Frank and Pickel discuss his potential next season. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football landed another highly-sought after target in the transfer portal in former Western Kentucky receiver Mitchell Tinsley. Host of the BWI Daily Edition and film analyst for On3, Thomas Frank Carr looks into just what makes Tinsley tick in his scouting report on the former Hilltopper. Before that, T-Frank addresses the news of the day that Penn State defensive end - and one-time transfer - Arnold Ebiketie has opted out of the Outback Bowl. While he gave a scouting report on the Arkansas offense earlier in the week on the BWI Daily Edition, he reiterates where Ebiketie's absence fits into the picture. While the news isn't shocking, it was still a blow for Penn State's hopes to keep their opponent contained. Next, he gives his thoughts on how bowl games should change with the times. Instead of clinging to the past, T-Frank has an idea of how less-relevant bowl games can advertise what they have to offer fans of teams that are outside of the national picture. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State had a very busy recruiting year. In the final Blue-White Illustrated recruiting podcast, hosts Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel discuss the highs and lows of the Nittany Lions' recruiting efforts in 2021.JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Penn State football is in Tampa, Florida, to face Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. To get ready for the game, the host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, has taken a deep dive into the Arkansas offense and has a scouting report prepared on the Razorbacks.He starts the show off with the news that Jaquan Brisker has opted out of the bowl game. It's another blow to the Penn State defenses' efforts and one that will sting more, given how Arkansas plays on offense. T-Frank also points out that defensive end Arnold Ebiketie has yet to announce his intentions at the time of recording. The absence of Brisker, along with linebackers Ellis Brooks and Brandon Smith, is especially challenging because Arkansas is a run-first football team. While they have power concepts in their attack, they are more of a zone-based run-blocking team, which causes even more issues for the Penn State defense without its stalwart linebackers. So T-Frank explains how they create those problems and why Arkansas is so unique as a rushing team. The rushing offense is not based around their running backs, but quarterback KJ Jefferson, T-Frank explains why Penn State will struggle to keep him contained and not just on scrambles. He shows how Jefferson's blend of skills opens up a diverse set of run schemes for the Razorbacks and how the whole team benefits from it. Then, T-Frank examines Jefferson as a passer and finds he isn't lacking there either. He shows when Jefferson is asked to drop back with no gimmicks in the offense and is surprised by the results. Penn State has faced several good offensive lines this season, but they have not met as many standout linemen. However, they will on Saturday, and T-Frank tells you which Razorback blocker made him take notice during his film review. From there, he takes a look at the skill position players and shows how the Razorbacks use multiple backs but only one receiver. How will Arkansas adjust their playcalling with superstar wideout Treylon Burks opting out of the bowl game? He wraps up the show by asking some open-ended questions that he's looking for answers to this week. T-Frank is interested in knowing which linebackers will suit Penn State and where. Finally, don't forget to check back later in the week to see T-Frank's breakdown of the Arkansas defense. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before Penn State football completes the 2021 season on January 1st in the 2022 Outback Bowl, relive the season with the BWI Superlatives Show. Host Thomas Frank Carr and senior editor Nate Bauer look back on the year and give out their best moments and performers in several categories.The categories include:-Best play: offense and defense-Best individual stat line-Best Run-blocker-Best Catch-Best individual performance: Offense and defense-Most improved player: Offense and defense-Best SackBauer and T-Frank give their nominees for each category and discuss the plays or games that stood out this season. Finally, they look back and reflect on a very unusual and frustrating year for Penn State football.#PennState #NittanyLionsJOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football got a shot in the arm this week the safety Ji'Ayir Brown announcing that he is returning for his final season. But what does that mean for the Penn State defense? Besides getting back a veteran player, host Thomas Frank Carr breaks down what Penn State can do with Brown in their defensive system next season. First, T-Frank looks at what Brown wants out of his final season at Penn State. He asked the safety what he would come back for if the Lackawanna transfer stayed and where he wanted to improve his game. Brown had a precise answer and has one particular stat the senior would like to accumulate next season. That answer gives T-Frank a clue as to Brown's expectations and where he will need to play within the scheme to accomplish that. The next element to consider with Brown's return to Happy Valley is the players surrounding him in the defense. So, who is the likely candidate to start opposite of Brown? The obvious answer is his backup, Keaton Ellis. How has the transition from corner gone for Ellis? Both Brown and the former State College Little Lion weigh in. The other player to consider is freshman standout Jaylen Reed, who worked his way onto the field late in the season. T-Frank looks at each player's strengths and explains how he sees all of the pieces fitting together. Finally, T-Frank explains how new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz could change the picture with his defensive style. With that in mind, T-Frank explains what he saw from the Miami defense under Diaz and the type of players and body types that Diaz used at each position. With the similarities in the scheme, it's easy to make. Despite that, T-Frank isn't sure that the new defensive coordinator will bring a carbon copy of his old principles to Penn State. He wraps up the show, evaluating where Penn State's safety room stands heading into the offseason. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fans have been clamoring for answers about what went wrong with the Penn State offensive line all season. So now that the dust has settled, host Thomas Frank Carr takes a historical look at Penn State recruiting along the offensive line to find answers. He's joined by recruiting insider Ryan Snyder to help give context to some of the information that T-Frank found. T-Frank starts with the class of 2016, the first and only class assembled by James Franklin's first offensive line coach, Herb Hand. He does this to show how things developed through different line coaches to try and find common themes. While former Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover was instrumental in keeping that class together, Hand selected and recruited those players to Penn State. That class is also important because several of the players in that class made up the bulk of the starts at critical positions for four years under Franklin and Limegrover at Penn State. After that, T-Frank and Ryan go through each class to examine the players that Penn State was able to land and give context to the players that Limegrover missed. Again, a common theme emerged from studying those classes. Penn State could not recruit a significant position along the offensive line. Along with some bad luck in the class of 2018, that set the scene for offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and his current tenure at Penn State. Development along the offensive line is a slow process so understanding what caused the coaching change in the first place is essential. Has Trautwein been able to change things on the recruiting trail? Is Penn State pointed in the right direction? It hasn't all been smooth. Some critical misses in the class of 2021 and a late flip in 2022 have given Penn State a rocky road, especially at the start of Trautwein's tenure. Development may be going slow, but T-Frank and Ryan discuss the signs pointing in the right direction of Penn State under the third-year line coach. Finally, they take a look at Penn State's evolving use of the transfer portal and how that can affect the Nittany Lion's ability to field a complete line each season. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

News broke on Monday that Penn State football will play the Outback Bowl without both of their starting box linebackers. That's because fifth-year player Ellis Brooks announced his decision to forego his extra year of eligibility and skip the bowl game to focus on the NFL. Did he make the right decision? With mixed opinions as to what Brooks should have done, film analyst and host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, went to the film to find out. He starts with the caveat that he's a fan of how Brooks plays football and has a soft spot for players with underrated skills. He also sets the expectations of what you'll hear throughout the episode regarding the projection of Brooks' draft stock. At the end of the episode, he promises to provide a range of rounds for the Penn State linebacker.With that in mind, he shares his scouting notes on Brooks that he took while looking at his game. He notes that Brooks isn't the athlete the consensus is painting him out to be. Additionally, T-Frank points to non-obvious skills that Brooks exhibits that can help him win in the NFL. T-Frank also explains why the former Penn State linebacker is so good at playing the run despite not having dominant physical traits. Those same underrated traits make Brooks a good coverage linebacker. While he doesn't exhibit elite speed or burst, there are things that the Virginia native does that make up for those deficiencies. T-Frank provides specific examples from games in 2021 to illustrate his point about Brook's run defense and coverage ability. After that, he dives into PFF data to check his work. Some numbers surprised T-Frank, and he shares them with you. He also explains the disconnect between his evaluation and what the production says of Brooks as a coverage defender. The former Penn State Nittany Lion was excellent against the run, and T-Frank backs that up with solid numbers. Finally, he tells you whether or not Brooks made the right decision opting out of the bowl game. He provides context to the decision based on his evaluation and the reality of the situation. In the end, injury risk is undoubtedly a part of the equation, but it's not the main reason to opt out. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The penultimate Penn State recruiting podcast of 2021 from Blue-White Illustrated is now live.Hosts Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel start this episode by discussing Joshua Miller's decision to pick Penn State on Dec. 20. The Lions are now up to five commits in the next cycle. From there, the duo discusses which other 2023 dominos could fall in Phil Trautwein's favor. Then, they talk about junior tight end Andrew Rappleyea and where his recruitment stands at this juncture before closing the show with an early signing day recap. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football takes on Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on January 1st, and Blue White Illustrated was at Penn Sate's open practice on Friday. Senior Editor Nate Bauer joins the show today to discuss what he saw. He joins host Thomas Frank Carr to share the players they're hoping to learn more about during the game based on playing time and availability. Before that, they follow up on a discussion from last week. Previously, Bauer and T-Frank discussed an article stating that the Villanova defense had a tell from a Penn State offensive player. As a result, they could diagnose if the Nittany Lions were about to run or pass on almost every play. Bauer asked Franklin about the situations and got an interesting answer that he and T-Frank delve into on the show. T-Frank went back and watched the film to confirm which lineman it was and what he was doing to tip the play. After that, they have a conversation about how something like that could happen into the season's fourth game and how Penn State fans should feel about that. Next, they discuss what Bauer saw at practice on Friday and which players were absent from the media's portion of the event. Then, with that information in mind, they give you the young players they're most interested in watching during the bowl game if those players indeed are the starters. The first player that T-Frank brings up is offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, who was taking reps with the first team. How significant is it that he saw snaps with the first team? T-Frank wants to see Penn State's plan going forward, and where Fashanu plays is a crucial piece of that puzzle. The next player they discuss is wide receiver Malick Meiga. Was his play at the end of the 2021 regular season a mirage? Or is he going to be a major factor going into 2022? His play will also inform Bauer and T-Frank of what Penn State might plan to do in another area this offseason. After Meiga, they discuss the defensive line position and which players are essential going forward. Which players see time? Who steps up in the likely absence of defensive end Arnold Ebiketie? After that, they transition to linebacker where Bauer saw a significant re-shuffling of players on Friday.They round out the show to discuss the safety position and which players will see time if All-American Jaquan Brisker opts out of the game. Penn State has several players that have seen time at the position, but who sees more reps, and where? Those answers could be early clues as to what will happen in 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With the team beginning practice today, Penn State football held their bowl media day on Friday in preparation for the Outback Bowl on January 1st against Arkansas. Senior Editor for Blue White Illustrated Nate Bauer and host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, were on hand to take in the sights and sounds. They bring you their observations on today’s show. First, they start with the biggest news of the day, introducing new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. Bauer and T-Frank discuss their initial impressions of Diaz, his comments and responses to tough questions about his previous job, and his fit at Penn State. The two discuss how Diaz echoed similar but unrelated sentiments to what Head Coach James Franklin said earlier in the day. Next, the pair gave their thoughts on what Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich had to say about his side of the ball in 2021. First, Yurcich took ownership of the situation and answered questions about the running game, his system, and more. Next, T-Frank and Bauer talked about the moments that stood out to them, including an illuminating answers at the end of the press conference. Bauer and T-Frank dove into the quarterback conversation and what sixth-year senior Sean Clifford can provide for the young players that just joined his room in five-star quarterback Drew Allar and three-star Beau Pribula. How can Clifford help bridge the gap beyond his play? Can the embattled signal-caller raise his game with one final year at Penn State? Bauer and T-Frank discuss that and more. Finally, they share the interesting conversations they had with individual players throughout the day with the audience. Those players include running back Noah Cain, right tackle Caedan Wallace, and safeties Keaton Ellis and Ji’Ayir Brown. Cain discussed his health in 2021 and the issues in the running game that held the Penn State offense back. Were there issues that went deeper than just missed blocks or wrong reads? Bauer reads between the lines with Cain’s answer to try and find the truth. Meanwhile, Wallace discussed his development at right tackle and some of the offensive line’s struggles in 2021. He also gave an unexpected answer to a question that raised T-Frank’s attention. They wrap up with a discussion about the fixes in the future for the offense. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Recap Penn State recruiting's biggest day with the BWI Live, Signing Day Special.Host Tom Hannifan takes you through the Penn State recruiting class with film analyst for Blue White Illustrated, Thomas Frank Carr.First, you'll also hear from On3 recruiting insider Ryan Snyder as he gives his thoughts on the class, the stories that defined it, and his thoughts on the prospects. Also, director for Scouting and Ranking for On3 Charles Power makes an appearance as well. Penn State recruiting signed one of the best classes under head coach James Franklin on Wednesday with two consensus five-star players in quarterback Drew Allar and running back Nick Singleton. They are joined by a slew of high-four star prospects including defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, Kaden Saunders, Drew Shelton and others. What are the strengths of each prospect? Thomas Frank Carr breaks down their individual games, strengths and even areas where they can develop over time to become complete football players. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football signed a 23-person class during the first day of the early signing period on Wednesday. There are still plenty of areas to dissect and discuss, and today, host Thomas Frank Carr takes a look at the receivers. There's one commonality among the four receivers that Penn State added to its roster in four-stars Kaden Saunders and Anthony Ivey, along with three-star prospects Omari Evans and Tyler Johnson; size. None of the players in this quartet stand above six feet tall, and none project as dominant, boundary receivers. T-Frank looks at the previous two receiving classes for Penn State to show just how stark of contrast this class is with the others. Was that by choice? Or was it a product of circumstance? T-Frank asked receivers coach Tayler Stubblefield about that very topic yesterday and shares Stubblefield's response. Stubblefield provides T-Frank with an interesting lead to examine how the receiver's position has changed over time both at the college football and NFL level. T-Frank looks at the past several first rounds in the NFL Draft to show what Stubblefield is saying. After that, he wraps up by looking ahead to what Ivey and Saunders bring to the table as the most college-ready prospects in the group this year. They have a similar, desirable skillset but lack one key element that they will have to make up for somehow. Without a player possessing dominant size, this group will have to be everything they seem to be for Penn State's offense to succeed. Finally, T-Frank interviews the Director of Scouting and Ranking for On3, Charles Power. Power and T-Frank discuss the Penn State recruiting class in whole and part during the 15-minute taped interview from earlier this week. They start with a broad view of the class, of which Power has a very favorable opinion. He also highly praises several individual players, including Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, and Dani Dennis-Sutton. After discussing the class stars, T-Frank asks for some less-known players that Power thinks have a chance to overplay their rankings. They wrap up by discussing the future of On3 recruiting, RPM. JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annualSUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmationBookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.comDownload our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PennStateOn3 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Penn State football team is one more day closer to the early signing period, which will take place tomorrow for football programs around the country. On the eve of signing day, host Thomas Frank Carr brings reporter Greg Pickel on the BWI Daily Edition to get everyone up-to-date on some important news events this week. First, Pickel and T-Frank discuss that former Lackawanna CC transfer Norval Black is no longer listed on the Penn State roster. Next, Greg fills T-Frank in on the formalities of that process and what is next for Black and Penn State. T-Frank then asks him what the process is like for football teams that have to deal with the constant shifting of the roster and how they handle the timing of such news. From there, T-Frank asks Pickel to assess which positions Penn State will need to fill via the portal. Pickel gives his list with the caveat that some positional needs aren’t locked in. That’s because players currently on Penn State’s roster still need to make decisions regarding the NFL Draft. Finally, Pickel updates T-Frank on a significant award that consensus five-star running back Nick Singleton won today. Singleton was recently named the Gatorade PA Player of the year with 1,311 yards and 24 total touchdowns. What other awards did he garner? Next, T-Frank takes a deep dive into the film of Penn State’s top tackle prospect in Downingtown Wests’ Drew Shelton. After committing over a year ago, the 275-pound tackle prospect is a critical piece in the Class of 2022. What makes him so special? T-Frank shows his unique skills during T-Frank’s Film room. The first area that T-Frank addresses is Shelton’s pad level. Where does he rank in terms of skills and ability to win leverage at the line of scrimmage? What does that do for his blocking ability? Next, T-Frank shows just how dominant a run-blocker Shelton is and why it’s not just about his level of competition. From there, he addresses Shelton’s athleticism and wraps up by looking at the Penn State commit’s abilities as a pass protector. After his evaluation, T-Frank discusses the Penn State offensive line class in 2022 and how Shelton fits into it. With three prospects listed as tackles, where will each end up? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Blue-White Illustrated reporters Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel return to host another episode of the BWI Penn State recruiting podcast.The conversation begins with a look at some final things to know before the early signing period begins on Wednesday. Ryan shares the latest on offensive line commit Andre Roye, who officially visited USC last weekend. Do the Lions and their fans have to worry about Roye's National Letter of Intent ending up elsewhere?From there, the duo moves into Class of 2022 superlatives. The rundown includes potential instant impact picks, the most underrated players, leading man, best staff recruiters, and much more!Stay tuned to BlueWhiteIllustrated.com for extensive coverage of the early signing period. Check out our latest videos, too, by visiting youtube.com/bluewhiteillustraated. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Monday, Penn State football got some expected news when backup quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson entered his name into the transfer portal. Roberson was passed this season by freshman quarterback Christian Veilleux, who is likely the team's primary backup going forward. That, coupled with the announcement Friday that sixth-year quarterback Sean Clifford will return for his final season, and the Penn State quarterback room is seemingly set. Senior editor for Blue White Illustrated, Nate Bauer, joins the BWI Daily Edition to talk about Roberson and Penn State's previous 18 months at that position. Host Thomas Frank Carr asks Bauer to give the broader picture context to Roberson leaving, as well as the other three players who exited Happy Valley in the last year-and-a-half. Is there an issue with Franklin's handling of quarterbacks? T-Frank gives context to the conversation examining like-programs and their issues keeping quarterbacks on the roster. Next, the pair discusses the future of the position at Penn State and how that may change in the next few days. Finally, Bauer warns fans of a new truth in college football; don't get comfortable. T-Frank wraps up the conversation by giving his opinion on how fans should view the position in that context. Penn State will land two high-quality prospects during the early signing period in five-star passer Drew Allar and three-star quarterback Beau Pribula. Will both start? Should fans be happy? T-Frank explains that it's not about those players but something else. The next portion of the show focuses on scouting former freshman quarterbacks in Beau Pribula. What should Penn State fans expect from the three-star prospect from southeastern PA? T-Frank shows examples of the senior's strengths and some areas of development based on Pribula's senior film. He starts with Pribula's accuracy. Then, just how good is the York Central Panther's ability to put the ball where he wants it? T-Frank breaks down the Penn State commit's footwork, timing, and physical tools that affect this facet of his game. Next, he transitions to the mental aspect of the future Penn State Nittany Lions game. Can Pribula read coverages? Does he have any advanced skills at the position? First, T-Frank provides specific examples of Pribula's mental and technical approach to football. Next, he shows how Pribula combines those previous facets to play under pressure. After that, T-Frank explains what he saw in the York Central offense and shows what sort of system Pribula was operating. He does this to explain some of the possible constraints to evaluating a high school quarterback and offer some potential quirks to Pribula's game. Finally, he looks at Pribula as a runner and a scrambler and wraps up his film evaluation by looking at the future Penn Stater's last completion in high school. Plays like that have given rise to a common comparison to former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley. But, does that comparison hold water in T-Frank's mind? He shares his thoughts and then concludes by offering his evaluation of just how high Pribula can rise in the college football ranks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football found their next defensive coordinator on Saturday when they announced the hiring of former Miami head coach Manny Diaz. Penn State head coach James Franklin previously said that he was looking for a coach to run a similar defensive style to what former coordinator Brent Pry oversaw with the Nittany Lions. Did he get that in Diaz? Film analyst and host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr gives a quick overview of what he has seen from Diaz's defenses on film. He provides the similarities between Pry and Diaz in terms of coaching. Do they run a similar system? What areas are the most similar? Next, T-Frank tells you how Diaz built one of the most fearsome pass-rushing units in college football for several years in south Florida. While there are many similarities, T-Frank does point out the differences between the two coordinators. While there are some places that both Pry and Diaz align, one key area is different between the two in terms of coverage and play style. Finally, T-Frank gives his thoughts on the quality of the hire and how Penn State responded to the college football landscape this offseason. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Penn State football has several high-profile players entering the 2022 NFL Draft this upcoming spring. To gauge where they stand in the draft landscape, host Thomas Frank Carr speaks with Anthony Treash of PFF to get his view on the matter. However, before they get to the prospects, they look at Penn State's most critical player on offense, quarterback Sean Clifford. They discuss the season that Clifford put together, what stood out, and where he improved. They also discuss Clifford's future at Penn State and what Nittany Lions fans should expect if the senior returns for a sixth year. Finally, Treash leaves the conversation of quarterbacks with a glimmer of hope in his evaluation of 5-star prospect Drew Allar. The first player they discuss is Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker. Treash and T-Frank discuss Brisker's season and what stood out about the safety's stellar play. Treash also says that Brisker has the essential ingredient that makes an NFL defensive back stand out from the rest. But does he also say that Brisker should be a high draft pick? The next player they discuss is edge defender Arnold Ebiketie. Treash was very high on the former Temple Owl and his transition to Penn State this offseason. Did he live up to or exceed his expectations? Next, T-Frank and Treash discuss what makes Ebiketie so great as a rusher, and then Treash gives his draft stock projection. Finally, T-Frank asks Treash to rank the senior among the best edge prospects that Penn State has produced over the last several years. Where does he rank Ebikeite among Odafe Oweh and Yetur Gross-Matos? They save possibly the most controversial prospect for last with receiver Jahan Dotson. The numbers for Dotson this year are outstanding, but did his PFF grade match? How do his physical skills weigh into his draft evaluation? T-Frank and Treash discuss Dotson's future, and Treash says that the senior receiver answered more questions than not this past season. They end the show with a discussion about edge defender Jesse Luketa. The hybrid defender hasn't publicly decided what he plans to do this offseason, so Treash weighs in on what he thinks Luketa should do. How does he project as an NFL defender? What does the road through the NFL look like for Luketa if he declares now? Finally, T-Frank and Treash wrap up agreeing that developing in one key area could make Luketa a high-profile prospect in the future. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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