Week 14 Prediction

As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.  Since I can’t think of anything better than Penn State football, that must mean that the 2013 season has come to its inevitable conclusion.  According to their Facebook page, the Nittany Lions have already boarded their plane and are on their way to Madison, WI to take on last year’s end-of-season foe, the Wisconsin Badgers.  At the end of 2012, Penn State beat the eventual Big Ten Champions thanks to an overtime FG by Sam Ficken.  Don’t expect a repeat of those heroics, though, as this year's Penn State team is markedly worse and this year's Wisconsin team is noticeably better.  The game is set to kick off tomorrow at 3:30 on ESPN.  While we wait, let’s get to the breakdown.

The Good

Not much here.  After a nice catered Thanksgiving dinner in Pollock Commons, the team seems well rested and focused on the task at hand, so that’s good I guess.  Thanks to the jerks over at the NCAA, Penn State won’t be going bowling, so this will definitely be the last game of the season.  The seniors will want to end their careers one a high note, and they know full well after last season that it’s possible to pull the upset, but I also think they're realistic about their chances.  O’Brien may have some intriguing trick plays or packages he hasn't used yet this year.  After all, at the end of the day the team really doesn't have much else to play for until next September, so they might as well throw the kitchen sink at Wisconsin and hope something catches them off guard.  Crazier things have happened, but if I were the average Penn State fan, I wouldn't hold my breath.

The Bad

Wisconsin is trying to get one of three BCS at-large births so they can play in one of the “big boy” bowl games.  It’s also Senior Day for the Badgers, so expect them to play hard for their seniors.  They are lead by a very capable “game manager” in QB Joel Stave.  He’ll be throwing to possibly the 2^nd best receiver in the Big Ten (behind Allen Robinson, of course), Jared Abbrederis.  And he’ll be handing it off to Wisconsin’s potent 1-2 punch of RBs Melvin Gordon III and James White who average nearly 300 yds rushing per game this season.  If all that wasn't enough, Wisconsin also boasts the largest offensive line in the conference and they love to push around smaller teams like Penn State.  Even if the Lions can get Wisconsin’s offense off the field, they still have to tangle with the 5th best defense in the nation lead by standout senior LB Chris Borland.  No aspect of this game will be easy for Penn State, so make no mistake, this may quickly turn into a nightmare.  In fact, Vegas has set the point spread at 24.5, which seems like a lot given Wisconsin’s generally conservative style of play.  Still, even if PSU can keep it close and the end score doesn't reflect it, this game will most likely end up feeling like a worse beat down than the Ohio State game.  The only good news is we all saw it coming.

The Story

This year’s version of the Badgers is under the watchful eye of new head coach Gary Anderson by way of Utah State.  Anderson has his team sitting pretty at #15 in the BCS poll with only two losses: one to Leaders Division Champion Ohio State and the other on a referee screw job to potential Pac-12 South Division Champion Arizona State.  They’re playing for a better bowl game while Penn State knows it can’t go to one.  The Lions may be looking to play spoiler and notch their 7^th victory to finish 2013 with a winning record.  These two old school smash-mouth style teams have had some epic games in the past few years; hopefully this one will be equally entertaining, and hey, miracles happen.

The Prediction

In case you didn't get the memo, Penn State is going to get kicked in the teeth in this one.  Then again, I expect most of the disappointment to come on defense.  Christian Hackenberg will throw for a solid 200+ yds and a score, but he'll probably also throw at least 1 interception.  Allen Robinson and Zach Zwinak will each gain 100+ yds and each score a well earned TD.  The ever-improving defense will keep it close at first, but get dominated by the time the second half rolls around.  Maybe something cool like an interception or a fumble will happen, but in the end it’s just not enough.  The Lions take the long plane ride home to State College with a 6-6 final record.  They lose 42 – 21.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, because I know I did.  Although the Raiders eventually lost, I had a wonderful time watching Matt McGloin look like a bonafide NFL starting QB against the Cowboys!  Follow me throughout the game tomorrow on Twitter @PSUOptimus for live updates.  Don't forget to check back on Sunday for the weekly wrap up, and as always, go State! 

Week 13 Awards

Welcome to Thanksgiving Eve here on the Prime Penn State Football Blog!  Tomorrow is Turkey Day but this whole week might as well be Football Week.  There is football (pro or college) on TV every single day this week and Friday’s schedule is nearly as jam packed as Saturday’s.  To top it off, it’s rivalry week.  Now unfortunately Penn State no longer plays Pitt (that’s changing soon!) so we don’t have a designated rival, but there are still plenty of other hate-fueled matchups occurring around the country, most notably Ohio State – Michigan in the Big Ten and Alabama – Auburn in the SEC.  However, getting back to Thanksgiving, this is the time of year when we all take a moment to reflect on what we’re thankful for.  I’m personally thankful for Energon, laser cannons, and of course, Penn State football.  I would've been thankful for a win this past Saturday, but that didn't happen and we haven’t invented a time machine… yet.  Luckily, win or lose, there’s always awards, so let’s roll them out!

For the 3^rd week in a row the Beast Mode Award goes to Zach Zwinak.  Over these past 3 weeks he has rushed for 149 yds, 150 yds, and 149 yds.  That’s about as consistently awesome as you can get.  It’s not just the yardage, it’s the number of carries he’s been asked to handle – 35 this week alone!  He’s become a true workhorse back and we love it!

The Transformer Award this week goes to Jesse James.  The sophomore tight end had 3 catches for 56 yds including a magnificent sideline-hugging touchdown reception in which he transformed into a freight train and easily shed a would be tackler with an epic stiff arm.  It was glorious.

For the 3^rd time this season, the Matrix Award goes to Christian Hackenberg.  The freshmen was ironically outstanding on Senior Day as he threw for 217yds and 2 TDs before running in a 3^rd.  His play earned him his 4^th Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.  Not bad for a self-proclaimed “game manager.”

This week’s unsung hero and In Disguise Award winner is Malcolm Willis.  A senior safety, Willis was 1 tackle away from leading the team against Nebraska with 9 total.  But the reason he gets this award is because of his 2^nd quarter forced fumble on the goal line preventing the Huskers from gaining any points on a promising drive.  It wasn't enough to win the game, but it was still pretty awesome.

Finally, the Megatron Award for biggest headache goes to Nebraska WR Kenny Bell.  The afro-aficionado had a solid game with 5 catches for 33 yards, but it was his 99 yd kick off return for a touchdown in which he leaped over poor Sam Ficken’s attempted tackle that earns him this award.  He made it look too easy.

That will do it for Senior Day coverage.  Be sure to come back after you've awoken from your turkey coma and braved the crowds on Black Friday to check out my prediction for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin.  There will be plenty of football to keep you entertained in the meantime, including Matt McGloin’s 3^rd start for the Raiders on Thanksgiving day against the Cowboys.  Don’t worry, Sean Lee is injured, so we don’t have to worry about him trying to sack McGloin.  Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone, and as always, go State!

Week 13 Grades

There’s only one game left in the season.  I can’t believe it flew by so quickly.  We've had the privilege of watching some of the younger Nittany Lions like Christian Hackenberg and Adam Breneman make an immediate impact and grow as the season went on.  Unfortunately, we’re also charged with the task of saying goodbye to an incredible group of seniors who lead Penn State during its darkest hour.  Although they were unable to get a victory that they more than deserved against Nebraska on Senior Day, they fought hard to the very end and showed the determination that has come to characterize this entire season.  I think I speak for all Penn Staters when I say thank you and you will all be missed!  With that said, it’s time for this week’s grades!

Offense

QB: (B+) Hackenberg surpassed my expectations throwing for an impressive 16/33 for 217 yds and 2 TDs.  He also ran for a third TD on a QB sweep for the second week in a row, showing off his surprising running skills.  However, he continues to make mental errors that lead to interceptions, and once again this week he threw a pass to the wrong color jersey.  So far this season he has 16 TDs to 10 INTs.  Not bad for a true freshman, but if he keeps that up next year I’m going to want to see what Tyler Ferguson can do.

OL: (A) Hackenberg routinely had all day to throw and as you’ll see in a second, Zach Zwinak had yet another great day running the ball.  They got a decent push when they needed it and were definitely not the reason for the loss.  A number of starting linemen are seniors, so it was good to see them perform well in their last home game.

RB: (A-) It wasn't exactly their fault, but despite Zwinak’s very impressive 149 yds on 35 carries, he never made it to the endzone.  This was especially disappointing considering it was Zwinak’s Senior Day and at times he was asked to drive the entire length of the field just to watch Hackenberg throw it in the red zone.  Not cool playcalling O’Brien!  Oh, Belton was suffering from strep throat all week and didn't even suit up for the game.  He should be back for this week's game against Wisonconsin though.

WR: (B+) Robinson gets an A here as he collected 106 yds on 8 catches, but, like Zwinak, he was held scoreless.  That makes 4 games in a row that Robinson hasn't scored a TD and I personally think it’s a big reason why he didn't make the finalist list for the Belitnikoff Award.  As for the other receivers, they continue to be absent.  Geno Lewis and Brandon Felder each caught 1 pass, and that’s it.  Hopefully with Robinson most likely headed to the NFL, the other receivers will step it up in the off season.

TE: (A+) Um, more of this please!  Everyone got involved in this game as 2/3 of the TE corps scored a TD and together they caught 6 passes for 83 yds.  This is what I was expecting out of O’Brien and his talented TE group.  But here’s the best part, all 3 of the starters are coming back next year!  Let’s hope we see more games like this!

Defense

DL: (A) Not a lot of stats, although Da’Quan Jones recorded 7 tackles and C.J. Olaniyan added 5 of his own including a sack.  Still, this group consistently brought pressure and held the run game in check for the most part.  Ameer Abdullah’s 147 yds may seem like a lot, but for one of the best running backs in the game, that’s actually a fairly good day for the D-line.

LB: (A) I really hoped that Mike Hull would get an interception on Senior Day.  Alas, he did not, but at least the linebackers played well as a whole.  Carson and Hull were the teams leading tacklers combining for 19 in the game.  It was also nice to see Brandon Bell and Nyeem Wartman step up as they’ll be needed next year to fill in the gaps left by the seniors.

DB: (B-) They weren't terrible as Malcolm Willis and Jordan Lucas were the number 3 and 4 tacklers combing for 17 against the Huskers.  On the other hand, most of Nebraska’s big plays seemed to come through the air and at times the secondary looked a little lost.  I’m holding out hope that this will be the most improved part of the defense come next season.

Special Teams

K: (F) Sorry Ficken, you know we all love you, but that was unacceptable.  In arguably his 2^nd worst game ever Ficken missed an extra point that would have changed the entire course of the game and eventually missed a FG in overtime that allowed Nebraska to win.  He topped it off by allowing a kickoff return for a touchdown for the 2^nd week in a row.  Not good.

P: (C) Alex Butterworth had plenty of chances to show off on his Senior Day as Penn State punted 10 times.  One of those was essentially blocked, which is why he gets a C, but otherwise not much really stood out.  He did OK.

That about wraps up Senior Day 2013.  Again, it wasn't what we wanted, but at least the fans were treated to one heck of a game.  Check back tomorrow for your pre-Thanksgiving Awards, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for all the latest Penn State football news and notes, and as always, go State!

Week 13 Wrap Up

Senior Day 2013 didn't quite go exactly as planned, and the 2013 senior class didn't get the same magical sendoff that the 2012 group received.  Still, on a cold, windy, and at times even snowy night, the few fans who braved the elements were treated to one of the better games played in Beaver Stadium this season – a good ol’ fashioned Big Ten slugfest full of lead changes and suspense all the way to the very end.  Although Nebraska made plenty of mistakes throughout the game, Penn State seemed to make just a few more, especially on special teams.  In the end, the Cornhuskers walked out of Happy Valley as the only team in three tries this season to beat Penn State in Overtime.  Final score: 23-20.

Overall, the senior-laden defense played fairly well, holding Nebraska to only 1 offensive TD and 2 FGs in regulation.  Three and outs were plentiful for both teams as the frigid conditions seemed to affect more than a few plays.  It probably didn't help the Huskers that 2^nd string QB Tommy Armstrong went down in the first quarter with an injury.  His backup Ron Kellogg III, who looked more like a fullback than a quarterback, took over and made the most of his opportunity.  Kellogg went a respectable 20/34 for 191 yds and a TD, but that paled in comparison to Christian Hackenberg, who despite the cold weather completed 16/33 for 217 yds and 2 TDs.  He also scored his 3^rd rushing TD of the year on a similar play to his TD run in the Purdue game.  Hack’s performance earned him his 4^th Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors this season.  Also of note, with 2,616 yds, Hackenberg is now #5 on the all time Penn State single-season passing yds list.  Remember, this kid is 18!  I can’t wait to see how good he’ll be the next 2 years.

Hackenberg’s top target, Allen Robinson, had yet another outstanding day hauling in 8 catches for 106 yds, but again failed to score a TD.  Senior Zach Zwinak also had himself quite a sendoff rushing 35 times for 149 yds, however, he too did not score.  Instead, on Senior Day, it was the underclassmen tight ends who shined brightest, at least on the scoreboard.  Sophomore Jesse James had 3 receptions for 56 yds including a 46 yd TD pass where he tiptoed down the sideline while stiff arming a defender in the face.  To quote a friend of mine, “How do you stop a 6’ 7” tight end who runs a 4.5 40?  You don’t!”  Fellow sophomore Kyle Carter added 2 catches for 25 yds to the tight end total, and freshman Adam Breneman made his only catch of the night count as he scored his second TD of the season.  Speaking of the tight ends, Bill O’Brien unfortunately revealed during his post-game press conference that he thinks it is very unlikely that Matt Lehman will be granted an additional year of eligibility.  I guess now he’ll have plenty of time to heal up and focus on impressing NFL scouts during the upcoming combine.  Good luck Matt!

But the big story of the night was special teams mistakes.  The usually reliable, if not automatic, Sam Ficken missed the extra point after Penn State’s first TD.  That 1 point would prove to be the difference between a win and overtime.  Then, in overtime, Ficken sent his 37 yd FG wide right.  Nebraska’s Pat Smith would go on to nail his 42 yd FG right down the middle to win the game.  Smith's overtime heroics would also lead to Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors.  Of course, as if all the kicking woes weren't enough, for the second week in a row, Penn State inexplicably allowed a kickoff to be returned for a 99 yd TD.  This time, when Ficken attempted to save the day, Nebraska’s Kenny Bell simply leaped over him.  It looked a little something like this.  If O’Brien can’t fix the special teams by next season, we’re all going to be in for another loooong season.

Anyway, let’s recap my prediction.  I severely underestimated Hackenberg who threw for way more than the 150 yds I foresaw.  Although Allen Robinson surpassed the 100 yds I predicted, he didn't score a TD.  Zwinak missed the 150 yd mark by 1 measly yd and also didn't score a TD, let alone the 2 I thought he would get in his final home game.  Bill Belton did not play due to strep throat.  Neither Jordan Lucas, nor anyone else on the defense for that matter was able to grab an interception and Da’Quan Jones did not record a sack.  Finally, and obviously, Penn State did not win.  Oh well, I got one more game to hopefully do a little better at this whole prognostication thing.

Before I finish up, a quick recruiting note: Today, Penn State picked up a commitment from 4-star Juco DT Tarow Barney.  Barney is only the 2^nd defensive lineman in the 2014 class thus far, joining Antoine White.  The Lions are still waiting on a decision from highly rated DT Thomas Holley.  In the meantime, Juco OT Kareem Are walked away from his visit during the Nebraska game very impressed with Penn State.  Here’s hoping we see his commitment soon! 

Week 13 Prediction

Well folks, it’s finally here, the last home game of the 2013 season.  This week’s contest is against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and is set to kick off at 3:30 on the Big Ten Network.  Being the last home game means that it’s also Senior Day (if I hadn't made that point crystal clear already).  The celebration begins approximately 30 minutes before kickoff when each senior will get their 15 seconds of fame, running onto the field solo as their name is announced.  Little known fact, the Blue Band also celebrates their seniors on Senior Day.  Look closely at the “PSU” formation during pregame and you’ll notice that only the seniors remain standing.  Here at Prime Penn State Football, we like to acknowledge everyone that helps make PSU football games so special, and that includes the Blue Band.  So congratulations to all the seniors, and thank you for everything you've done!  With all of that said, there’s still a football game happening, so let’s get to the breakdown.

The Good

Nebraska is coming off a physically draining game against Michigan State and their #1 nationally ranked defense.  The Huskers lost that game and may be on an emotional low.  Penn State, on the other hand, is coming off a relatively easy win over the hapless Boilermakers of Purdue.  They are most likely well rested and riding an emotional high.  Couple that with the drive to “win one for the seniors” and that may be a recipe for success.  Oh, and it doesn't hurt that it’s a home game.  The Lions have played significantly better at Beaver Stadium than on the road, where they haven’t won a game all season.  Nebraska’s star quarterback Taylor Martinez is out for the game with a lingering injury, which leaves his back up, freshman Tommy Armstrong, to once again carry the load.  Armstrong has never played in a place like Beaver Stadium before and with a 3:30 kick in late November, he’ll have to face night game like conditions.  He has been anything but impressive so far, throwing 7 interceptions in the past 3 games with a completion percentage somewhere in the low 50's.  Penn State’s ever improving secondary, especially the all-senior safety unit, is likely licking their chops at the thought of miscues in the passing game.  The emotion of the day combined with the Huskers’ tendency to turn the ball over have actually led Las Vegas to declare Penn State a 2 point favorite!  Very interesting.

The Bad

Regardless of how poorly Tommy Armstrong plays, Nebraska has plenty of weapons on offensive to help compensate.  Running back Ameer Abdullah is one of the best backs in the entire country, having gone for 100+ yds in every game but one this season (and even in that game, he had 98 yds).  Meanwhile, Kenny Bell is arguably the best receiver in the Big Ten behind Allen Robinson and will be a huge challenge to the Penn State’s cornerbacks.  On paper, Nebraska’s offense and defense are better and more talented than Penn State’s, although not by much.  They’re also bowl eligible and competing for a better bowl selection, so they theoretically have “more to play for.”  As for that incredible Senior Day atmosphere, it happens to fall after many students will have chosen to go home early for the start of Thanksgiving break.  If the number of tickets available (for as low as $11) on the student ticket exchange is any indication, the mighty Penn State student section might be closer to a kitten than a roaring Nittany Lion.  Here’s hoping they prove me wrong.  Oh, and I might as well bring it up one more time; Penn State has gone W, L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W this season and that means it's time for a loss.  Maybe they'll finally break the trend?

The Story

The big story is of course Senior Day.  These seniors were part of a special class that went through the death of their legendary head coach, the Sandusky scandal, and NCAA sanctions.  They stuck with the team even when they were permitted to leave without penalty.  They, like the 2012 seniors will be remembered forever at Penn State.  Although they may not have the star power of a Michael Mauti or a Matt McGloin, they were true, loyal Nittany Lions just the same.  On the field, hopefully these seniors can channel that emotion and come out with the victory they deserve.  There are 3 keys to the game.  First, stop the outstanding run game of Nebraska and force Tommy Armstrong to throw.  Second, avoid mistakes, namely turnovers.  I’m talking to you Zwinak, Belton, and Hackenberg!  Judging by their last few games, Nebraska will make plenty of mistakes.  Penn State needs to capitalize on those and limit their own if they hope to win.  Finally, 3^rd downs.  The defense needs to get off the field by holding Nebraska on 3^rd down, and the offensive needs to convert their 3^rd downs.  Again, do that and a victory is more than posisble. 

The Prediction

Alright, so we have a team that much like Minnesota two weeks ago has a strong run game and a questionable defense that Penn State should be able to run the ball on.  I think O’Brien leans on the running game heavily in this game, so Hackenberg will most likely only get around 150 yds.  That won’t stop Allen Robinson from claiming at least 100 of those yds for himself.  He'll also score 1 TD on yet another GIF-worthy catch.  Zwinak will get the bulk of the carries, in part because of his performance the last 2 weeks, and in part because he’s a senior.  I expect him to surpass 150 yds with 2 TDs.  Belton may sneak a 100 spot in there too, and score a TD of his own.  I’m predicting 2, yes 2 interceptions for the defense as Jordan Lucas grabs his 4^th of the season and senior Mike Hull gets his first.  Senior Da’Quan Jones is going to do his best impression of Jordan Hill from last year’s incredible Senior Day win over Wisconsin and get at least 1 sack.  I've been fairly pessimistic about this game up until today, but writing this post may have persuaded me.  Penn State narrowly pulls off the victory in a very entertaining back and forth game.  Final score: 31-27

Enjoy Senior Day everyone, and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus for updates throughout the game (especially since it’s on BTN).  Check back on Sunday for the wrap up, and as always, go State!

*Correction from yesterday's post: OG Miles Dieffenbach is NOT a senior, at least not with regard to eligibility and contrary to ESPN.com.  He will not be graduating and will be back for the 2014 season!

Seniors and Recruiting

I apologize in advance as this will be one of the more technical posts I've ever done.  Sorry to those of you who read this blog strictly for entertainment purposes, but it's time to talk some serious football.

This Saturday marks Senior Day 2013, so I'd like to take a moment to talk about this year's seniors.  There are currently 27 seniors on the roster, 17 of which are starters.  5 additional players will be celebrated during Senior Day festivities despite having eligibility left, most notably TE turned OT Garry Gilliam.  Like last year's seniors, these men could have bolted for other programs after the sanctions were announced, but chose to stay at Penn State.  I think I speak for all Penn Staters when I say, thank you so much seniors for staying with us through our darkest hour!  You truly embody the "success with honor" idle that all Penn Staters strive to live up to, and your loyalty will forever be remembered.  Good luck in the next phase of your lives and whatever paths life may lead you down!  Here is a list of the seniors who will be honored during pre-game on Saturday:

Zach Zwinak               RB

Brandon Johnson        RB

Pat Zerbe                   FB

Brandon Smith            FB

Brandon Felder           WR

Alex Kenney*             WR

Matt Lehman**           TE

Garry Gilliam*            OT

Adam Gress               OT

Kevin Blanchard*        OT

John Urschel              OG

Miles Dieffenbach       OG

Eric Shrive                 OG

Bryan Davie*              OG

Ty Howle                    C

Brad Bars                   DE

C.J. Olaniyan              DE

Da’Quan Jones           DT

Kyle Baublitz*            DT

Tyrone Smith              DT

Glenn Carson              LB

Mike Hull                    LB

Malcolm Willis            S

Stephen Obeng-Agyapong S

Ryan Keiser                S

Jesse Della Valle         S

Alex Butterworth          P

* Junior, forgoing final year of eligibility

** Applying for additional year due to injury

With the seniors leaving, it’s time to see what next year’s team will look like without them.  Now, I've criticized O’Brien over the past year for going after too many “skill” position players (QB, RB, WR, CB, S) in recruiting and not focusing on the immediate needs on both lines and at linebacker.  However, when you look at this list of seniors, you start to see the method to his madness.  First of all, Penn State will most likely lose Allen Robinson to the NFL even though he is not a senior, so I’m including him in the following list.  Additionally from the wide receiver group, Brandon Felder and Alex Kenney are graduating.  Although there are plenty of receivers left on the roster, the remaining players, at least that fans are aware of (Geno Lewis, Richy Anderson, Matt Zanellato), are severely lacking in experience.  Thankfully tight end looks food for the future, so that should help Hackenberg out.  The only senior tight end is Matt Lehman, who due to his injury in the first game of the season against Syracuse, is applying for a medical redshirt and could be back next year.  He will be celebrating Senior Day just in case that 6^th year of eligibility is denied.  As for the skill players on the defensive side, cornerback actually looks fine, so I’m very excited to see Jordan Lucas and Adrian Amos leading that group next year.  The safeties, on the other hand, will be decimated by graduation as all but backup Malik Golden are leaving.  So, in summation, the more I look at the situation, the more I understand O’Brien’s recruiting philosophy.

The problem is that Penn State is still lacking tremendously on the offensive line (at all positions), the defensive line (at tackle), and at linebacker.  All of those positions will be left 1 deep at best, and even that 1 deep is comprised almost exclusively of current backup players.  These are also positions that tend to require a year of development to maximize player potential, whereas skill position players tend to be more capable of playing at the college level in their first year.  If O’Brien waits until the 2015 class to recruit more linemen and linebackers, they most likely won’t be ready until the 2016 season.  Now don’t get me wrong, I trust that O’Brien knows exactly what he’s doing.  I’m just saying, to me personally, the current recruiting strategy looks strange on paper.

Oh, we also need a new punter as Alex Butterworth is graduating.  There are no other punters on the current roster.  Also, on special teams, although all of Penn State’s kick/punt returners are coming back (except Jesse Della Valle), none of the current snappers or holders will be returning.  That will need to be sured up as well.

Here’s a position by position breakdown of key players and whether they are staying or leaving:
Offense

QB: Leaving – N/A; Staying – Christian Hackenberg, Tyler Ferguson

FB: Leaving – Pat Zerbe; Staying – N/A

RB: Leaving – Zach Zwinak; Staying – Bill Belton, Akeel Lynch

WR: Leaving – Alex Kenney, Brandon Felder, Allen Robinson; Staying – Geno Lewis, Matt Zanellato, Richy Anderson

TE: Leaving – Matt Lehman (maybe); Staying – Kyle Carter, Jesse James, Adam Breneman

OT: Leaving – Garry Gilliam, Adam Gress, Eric Shrive; Staying – Donovan Smith, Andrew Nelson

OG: Leaving – John Urschel, Miles Dieffenbach; Staying – Angelo Mangiro, Anthony Alosi

C: Leaving – Ty Howle; Staying – Wendy Laurent

Defense

DE: Leaving – C.J. Olaniyan; Staying – Evan Schwan, Deion Barnes, Anthony Zettel

DT: Leaving – Da’Quan Jones, Kyle Baublitz, Tyrone Smith; Staying – Derek Dowrey, Brian Gaia, Austin Johnson

LB: Leaving – Glenn Carson, Mike Hull; Staying – Nyeem Wartman, Gary Wooten, Ben Kline, Brandon Bell, Adam Cole, Charles Idemudia

CB: Leaving – N/A; Staying – Adrian Amos, Jordan Lucas, Trevor Williams, Da’Quan Davis, Jordan Smith, Anthony Smith, Devin Pryor

S: Leaving – Malcolm Willis, Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, Ryan Keiser, Jesse Della Valle; Staying – Malik Golden

Special Teams

K: Leaving – N/A; Staying – Sam Ficken, Chris Gulla

P: Leaving – Alex Butterworth; Staying – N/A

Finally, we’ll take an even closer look at recruiting in the offseason, but with the above lists in mind, this is the basic gist of Penn State’s needs verses like to haves for the 2014 recruiting class:

Needs - fullback, wide receiver, offensive line (all positions), defensive tackle, linebacker, safety, punter

Nice to haves - quarterback, running back, defensive end, cornerback

Hopefully, you can now enjoy Senior Day with a little more knowledge of the seniors and how their departure will affect next year's squad.  Check back tomorrow for my prediction, and as always, go State!

Oh, and here are two great articles by the folks over at OnwardState.com
http://onwardstate.com/2013/11/20/seniors-urschel-gilliam-featured-in-videos/

http://onwardstate.com/2013/11/21/why-you-should-stay-for-saturdays-football-game/

Thank You!

I wanted to do a special post tonight to say thank you to everyone who has read my blog so far this season.  As of last night, I have surpassed 1,000 page views!  I know in the grand scheme of things that doesn't seem like much, but to me it means the world.  I started this blog at the beginning of the season on a whim.  Then, the more I wrote, the more I enjoyed doing it.  And apparently many of you have enjoyed reading it as well.  I'm still not quite sure where this thing is going to take me, but I hope you're all willing to come along for the ride.

Again, I can't say it enough, thank you so much, and go State!