Penn State football: What's on the Lions checklist in December?
Penn State football has reached the final month of 2022. The Nittany Lions are not expected to return to the game field this month. But, there will still be a lot going on over the next 31 days.
What is on the team’s checklist? We break it down below.
Securing the Penn State Class of 2023
Penn State has 19 verbal commitments as of 8 a.m. on Dec. 1. The Nittany Lions continue to push for a few uncommitted targets, such as Florida four-star corner Daniel Harris and Alabama defensive lineman Brenton Williams, among others. Head coach James Franklin and his staff will undoubtedly spend some time with them once the evaluation period opens of off-campus coach travel on Dec. 2. But, the bulk of their time will be spent with the current commits ensuring that there are no last-minute surprises on the horizon ahead of signing day on Dec. 21.
There could be a few news nuggets about underclassmen this month. But, by and large, expect the December chatter to focus on senior prospects and also those who are getting ready to leave junior college.
Handling the transfer portal
The transfer portal officially opens for business on Dec. 5. However, players like quarterback Christian Veilleux have already declared their intent to enter it, even if they cannot officially do so and begin talking to other schools until next week. So, Penn State must know its own roster and the departures that are coming from it and then be ready to pounce on players at positions of need who are ready to talk starting next Monday. It figures to be a chaotic week or two (if not more) on this front and will go a long way toward shaping the roster of both the Lions and their opponents in 2022.
Learn the bowl game opponent
Penn State will find out Sunday whether it is heading to the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Tex., or the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Both games are on Jan. 2.
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By the latest College Football Playoff committee top-25, the Lions should be off to Dallas. But, Ohio State does not make the top four (it currently sits at No. 5), then the committee, along with the bowls, could use its authority to manipulate the bowl matchups and send Penn State out west and the Buckeyes to the Orange Bowl, since they just played in the Rose Bowl last season. This theory is picking up steam. But, nothing will be set in stone until Sunday afternoon.
Celebrate another Penn State signing day
We touched on it above, but Penn State will look to sign at least 19 players, if not more, on the third Wednesday of the month. It will be another sprint to the finish for Franklin and co., as they try to lock in the next group of players that will try and lift the team to its goals. It’s always a big day in the Lasch Building, and this year will be no different. Whether or not the number of signees expands or shrinks, however, will give us plenty to follow over the next three weeks.
Maximize bowl prep
We end here. Penn State must mine every possible rep out of its bowl practices. That’s true both in State Colleg and once the team arrives at its postseason destination roughly a week before kickoff. Those drills will help underclassmen become either starters or contributors next fall while giving those on the developmental squad or non-travel squad something to look forward to as they might get more work based on the roster situation at the time.
