Latest Penn State bowl projection; post-practice notes, more: Newsstand
The Thursday Penn State football newsstand has the latest notes, nuggets, and info to get you ready for the Nittany Lions’ trip to Maryland.
ESPN released updated bowl projections now that the first College Football Playoff top-25 is out. Both analysts had head coach James Franklin’s team headed to the Outback Bowl earlier this week. Now, they project it to play in the Music City Bowl against either LSU or Arkansas. That game kicks off at 3 p.m. in Nashville on Dec. 30.
In other news, a walk-on is up for an honor, a new game theme has been unveiled, there are observations from Wednesday’s practice, and predictions are out for Saturday’s game.
It’s time to take a look at the top tweets and headlines surrounding Penn State and college football on Nov. 4.
Top Penn State tweets of the day
We begin with notes and quotes from both Wednesday night’s media viewing window during practice and James Franklin’s interview that followed it.
Moving along, Penn State has unveiled a ‘helmet stripe’ game theme for Michigan. The idea is for fans sitting in sections on the 50 to wear blue while everyone else wears white, thus creating the colors of the Lions’ iconic helmets from above.
Frankly, it feels like another way to have a White Out without calling it one thanks to a few sections in blue. At any rate, here’s how Penn State Athletics envisions it looking.
Penn State long snapper Chris Stoll has been nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy. It goes to the year’s best player who started his career as a walk-on. Carl Nassib was the last Lion to be a finalist for it.
Stoll is in his third season as the Nittany Lions’ primary long snapper. He’s still fairly anonymous after playing in 29 career games, which is a good thing.
Headlines of the day
Updated bowl projections and analysis: How CFP rankings shake things up: ESPN
Mailbag: What’s left for Lions to play for? Bowl possibilities, more: BWI Staff
Here are the 3 questions that will decide Penn State football’s matchup with Maryland: Sauber, CDT
Nittany Lions redouble focus ahead of Maryland matchup: James Franklin notebook: Bauer, BWI
Penn State football practice notebook | James Franklin talks CFP format, recruiting in Maryland: Yoder, Daily Collegian
James Franklin speaks post-practice: Watch, read, everything the Penn State coach said before Maryland: Pickel, BWI
Penn State five takes: Are the Lions both losing and improving?: Gross, LNP
Penn State-Maryland Predictions: Will the Nittany Lions get back in the win column?: BWI Staff
‘It’s hard not to watch Micah right now’: Former Penn State star provides example for Curtis Jacobs: Gallen, PennLive
Three takeaways from James Franklin’s Wednesday media session: Eckert, BWI
Friends since middle school, Penn State’s Dvon Ellies and Coziah Izzard filling key roles on defense: Juliano, Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn State target Rodney Gallagher updates recruitment: Snyder, BWI
Penn State vs Maryland Prediction, Game Preview: Fiutak, CFN
2023 PSU recruiting Hot Board: Offensive Line: Snyder, BWI
Quote of the day
“I think [Curtis Jacobs] been on a very similar path that a lot of our guys have gone through. They start out to the field, maybe as a freshman, as a backup and you’re kind of rotating them. Them, take that as a starting job. Then, depending on how your body transforms, possibly moving in to the WILL linebacker or moving into the MIKE linebacker, dependent on your control of the defense and understanding of the scheme. I think he’s got the flexibility to do that.
“I think in a perfect world, that’s what you’d like to recruit, kind of three field backers that grow into guys that can play in that box from an experience and from a confidence standpoint. With the way that people are running offenses right now, with spread scheme and all the speed on the field, a lot of people are only playing with two linebackers. We’re one of the few programs that are playing with three linebackers on the field.”
–Penn State coach James Franklin on linebacker Curtis Jacobs.
