Penn State category, Page 60
Penn State coach James Franklin addresses USC speculation: ‘I can’t stand any form of distraction’
STATE COLLEGE — The college football coaching carousel began spinning in earnest Monday when Southern California fired coach Clay Helton, creating a notable and appealing vacancy in the sport’s landscape. Penn State coach James Franklin’s name was immediately among those floated by a number of insiders as a potential candidate...
David Jones: With Clay Helton gone, James Franklin is a perfect fit at USC
I’m glad there are people like Bryan Harsin in the world because they are the reason things get done. And God knows, if only people like me existed, not a damn thing would ever get done. Ask my wife. But the new Auburn coach is clearly all about completing tasks....
Fatal shooting victim in McKeesport was daughter of former Penn State football star
A woman shot and killed in McKeesport has been identified as the daughter of a former Penn State University and NFL linebacker. Police found Karli Short, 26, dead with a gunshot wound to her head in McKeesport Monday morning. Short’s father, Brandon Short, played football at McKeesport Area High School...
Penn State moves to 10; Oregon, Iowa enter top 5; Arkansas has 1st ranking since ’16
Penn State jumped a slot into the top 10 in the latest Associated Press college football poll, but Oregon and Iowa were the big movers after road wins over top-10 opponents. The Ducks’ victory over Ohio State earned them a promotion from No. 12 to No. 4. Another impressive defensive...
No. 11 Penn State rolls past Ball State as nearly 106,000 watchVideo
STATE COLLEGE — Sean Clifford completed 21 of 29 passes for 230 yards, ran for a touchdown and threw for another to lead No. 11 Penn State over Ball State, 44-13, on Saturday. Running back Noah Cain added a rushing touchdown and wide receiver Jahan Dotson added another, linebacker Jesse...
No. 11 Penn State anticipating tough matchup with Ball State
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Weeks like this are why Penn State coach James Franklin tries to keep his messaging focused on the opponent at hand. If he talks about a weeks-away SEC foe or a looming Big Ten road trip, it may appear that Franklin is overlooking Penn State’s more...
Penn State’s Jesse Luketa ‘super, super impressive’ in juggling defensive end, linebacker roles
STATE COLLEGE — In the five years before he joined the Penn State staff, defensive line coach John Scott Jr. spent two seasons with the New York Jets and three seasons with South Carolina and Arkansas in the SEC. That’s plenty of time around some high-level players in some of...
No. 11 Penn State to lean on defense as offense developsVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — Gateway graduate Jaquan Brisker watched his team punt time after time Saturday and guessed he and the rest of the Penn State defense could be in for a long day. The senior safety was right. No FBS defense spent more time on the field than No. 11...
Penn State announces game day changes at Beaver Stadium, including mobile ticketing, arrival adjustments
STATE COLLEGE — For the first time since November 2019, Penn State expects to host close to 107,000 fans at Beaver Stadium for a Nittany Lions football game. It’s been a while, right? When Penn State opens its home schedule against Ball State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the Beaver Stadium...
Penn State’s Noah Cain ‘just feeling blessed’ after return to field, game-winning touchdown
STATE COLLEGE — Noah Cain had plenty on his mind when Penn State kicked off its 2021 season at Wisconsin on Saturday. The junior running back’s hometown of Baton Rouge, La., was in the path of Hurricane Ida, and his relatives’ homes had been damaged in the storm. On top...
Penn State football coach James Franklin not looking past Ball State
Penn State football is heading into this weekend’s matchup against Ball State as a 22-point favorite at Beaver Stadium, but coach James Franklin is once again making sure his team isn’t looking ahead to next week’s White Out game against Auburn. Franklin tweeted out his weekly “1-0” message this week,...
Penn State, other Big Ten teams adapt to return of noisy crowdsVideo
MADISON, Wis. — Big Ten teams spent the opening week of the season getting reacquainted with an unfamiliar sound. Authentic crowd noise. After playing in empty stadiums throughout the pandemic-delayed 2020 season, teams across the country welcomed spectators back and many stadiums were packed on the first big weekend of...
Georgia jumps to No. 2 behind Tide in AP Top 25; Penn State climbs to No. 11
Georgia jumped three spots to No. 2 behind Alabama in The Associated Press Top 25 released Tuesday, giving the Southeastern Conference the top two teams in the country for the 30th time in the 85-year history of the college football poll. It is the second time in the past three...
Tim Benz: Twitter shame-police are making me defend Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly
So it’s come to this. Twitter has fallen so deep into the ninth circle of hell that it has forced me to side with the head coach of Notre Dame football. And, yes, that head coach is still Brian Kelly. I need a shower and I haven’t even gotten to...
The Penn State defense steals the show in Wisconsin winVideo
The ability of the Penn State defense to hold a late lead in big games has been the source of frustration for fans over the past several years, but Saturday was not one of those occasions. The Nittany Lions held off two late fourth-quarter Wisconsin drives to seal a bruising...
Gateway grad Brisker, Ji’Ayir Brown come up with big plays to preserve Penn State’s win over WisconsinVideo
MADISON, Wis. — Penn State’s defense continually stood tall, and Wisconsin kept stubbing its toe whenever it approached the end zone. That made the difference Saturday when the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions outlasted No. 12 Wisconsin, 16-10, to end the Badgers’ 25-game winning streak in home openers. Gateway grad Jaquan Brisker...
No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 19 Penn State eager for fresh starts
MADISON, Wisc. — Wisconsin and Penn State believe they are ready to contend for Big Ten titles again after struggling through uncharacteristically inconsistent seasons amid unusual circumstances last year. Both should have plenty of motivation heading into Saturday’s season-opening Big Ten matchup between the 12th-ranked Badgers and 19th-ranked Nittany Lions....
How Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker is fulfilling his late brother’s wish
Mijohni Brisker knew something was going to break. She’d told her boys time and time again that playing with the football was for outside, so she had no choice but to take it from them to prevent the inevitable from happening. But that didn’t stop her son Jaquan from finding...
Penn State WR Jahan Dotson still focused on improvementVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — When he lines up to cover teammate Jahan Dotson, Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields goes through a mental checklist. Dotson is faster now. He is stronger. He has always been intelligent. And after an offseason fueled by last season’s disappointment, Dotson believes he has improved in all...
Ravens sign former Penn State QB Trace McSorley to practice squad
The Baltimore Ravens officially signed Trace McSorley to their practice squad, the team announced Wednesday afternoon. The former Penn State quarterback didn’t stay away from the Ravens for long. The Ravens waived McSorley during roster cuts Tuesday, but Baltimore signed him back to its 16-man practice squad Wednesday, according to...
Big Ten wastes no time getting down to business with openers
There will be no easing into the season for most Big Ten teams. Four conference games — and good ones, too — are on the schedule in Week 1. A fifth was played in Week Zero. The usual games against Group of Five or FCS opponents will come just a...
Penn State to use rotation at left guard to open season
Penn State will split time at left guard between redshirt senior Anthony Whigan and senior Eric Wilson, the Harvard transfer, when the 2021 season opens at Wisconsin on Saturday, coach James Franklin said Tuesday afternoon. “Both have shown some really good things,” Franklin said over Zoom during his weekly news...
Penn State names 6 captains, including 3-timers Sean Clifford, Jonathan Sutherland
Quarterback Sean Clifford and safety Jonathan Sutherland, both redshirt seniors, became the first three-time captains in Penn State history Tuesday when coach James Franklin named six players to the position for the 2021 season. Joining Clifford and Sutherland as captains are senior safety Jaquan Brisker, senior defensive tackle PJ Mustipher,...
No. 12 Wisconsin expects to show off offense vs. No. 19 Penn StateVideo
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin has plenty of reasons to believe its offense will bounce back from its ineffective 2020 performance. Quarterback Graham Mertz has more pass-catching targets now that Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor are healthy. Coach Paul Chryst is calling plays again. Chez Mellusi has arrived from Clemson to...
Former Central Catholic, Penn State OL Stefen Wisniewski retires from NFLVideo
Former Central Catholic and Penn State standout offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski is calling it a career. The 32-year-old from Pittsburgh announced his retirement from the NFL in a video and statement posted to social media Thursday. “After 10 seasons in the NFL, I’m retiring,” Wisniewski said in the video. “(I)...
