Penn State head coach James Franklin released the team’s depth chart earlier this week and there weren’t many surprises other than the
absence of redshirt sophomore tight end Adam Breneman, something Franklin won’t
shed any light on so I won’t either. Instead, let’s discuss things we can
actually discuss, first we’ll start with the offense.
 |
| Akeel Lynch looks to be 'the man' in Happy Valley. |
Offensive Line: Last
year the Nittany Lions offensive line gave up 44 sacks. I could stop there
because that’s all you need to know about how last season went. The unit was
perhaps the worst the program has had in a long time, but this season they hope
to rebound in a big way. Big is an understatement when you consider the new
starting left tackle, junior college transfer Paris Palmer, will start the
season at 6 foot 7 300 pounds. That’s all well and good but if he can’t block
the likes of Shilique Calhoun and Joey Bosa it won’t matter how big he is. The
number 44 will stick out all season as the offensive line looks to prove they
are able to hold their own. Let’s hope so or it could be again a long season.
Tight End: As I
previously mentioned redshirt sophomore Adam Breneman was left off the depth
chart and the only thing James Franklin would say was, “He’s got some
challenges that he needs to overcome on the football field.” So, moving on. And
moving from the loss of security blanket Jesse James. The tight end spots consists
of Kyle Carter, Mike Gesicki, and Brent Wilkerson. All three should be viable
options for quarterback Christian Hackenberg as the whole offense looks to
rebound. The group caught 29 passes for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns. They’ll
need to be more productive to get the Lions to where they want to be.
 |
| Quarterback Christian Hackenberg is the key to the Nittany Lions offense. He'll need his offensive line to give him more time and have lets hits. |
Wide Receivers: I
haven’t been this excited to talk about the wide receivers at Penn State since
Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and Jordan Norwood were catching passes. This
year’s receiving core can go eight-deep which if you’re a Penn State fan, isn’t
something you’re used to. Sophomore DaeSean Hamilton is the returning leader in
receptions, yards, and touchdowns, but the redshirt sophomore has plenty of
running mates. Sophomore Chris Godwin came on strong towards the end of the
season including recording 7 catches for 140 yards and a score in the
Pinestripe Bowl over Boston College. The Nittany Lions will also have some impact
freshman who can make a difference; freshman Juwan Johnson will provide a big
target (6 foot 4) for Hackenberg as well as DeAndre Thompkins will provide
speed for the offense a la Derrick Williams. Get ready for some highlights.
Running Backs: The
skill positions surrounding Christian Hackenberg are deeper than they’ve ever
been, the running back position is no different. The unit goes four deep that
starts with redshirt senior Akeel Lynch who was another player who came on
strong at the end of the season. The guys behind him, Mark Allen, Nick Scott,
and Saquon Barkley will push Lynch for carries. Barkley, a true freshman, has
gotten high praise during camp and looks to be one of those freshman James
Franklin talks about who can come in and make an impact right away. Regardless
of who’s carrying the ball, it should be another group full of highlights.
Quarterback: Christian
Hackenberg.
Follow on Twitter, @stephen_springs
No comments:
Post a Comment