The Penn State Nittany Lions are entering fall camp this year with high expectations - expectations that haven’t been had since the 2008 season, a team that was loaded both offensively and defensively.
The 2023 team is no different.
The 2023 team looks lethal on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Lions sport the strongest offensive line since the Paterno era. That line should help five-star quaterback phenom Drew Allar get adjusted to the game. Helping Allar will be the lethal tandem of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. The duo split the load last year, totalling over 1,700 yards on the ground. There remain lots of question marks at wide receiver but plenty of young talent and plenty of assistance at the talented tight-end position group to help shoulder the load.
Defensively, Penn State may have one of the best units in the country - even after losing Joey Porter Jr, Ji’Ayir Brown, and PJ Mustipher. On the line, Chop Robinson comes back for his senior season, along with five or six other legitimate starters. At Line Backer, Curtis Jacobs and Abdul Carter should make for one of the best tandems in college football. In the secondary, opposing quarterbacks will be surely aware of Kalen King, who looks to make a case for the best corner in the Big Ten, if not the country.
The biggest question marks on the team perhaps lie at special teams. The departures of Barney Amor and Jake Pinegar leave for lots of opportunities for young kicking and punting talent to emerge as new starters. The concerns of this unit could mean the difference between a win or a loss in a tight game against Ohio State or Michigan later this season.
James Franklin has both superb talent at the starting positions as well as the depth chart - something that he hasn’t had since arriving in Happy Valley a decade ago. It will be fun to see who emerges as the team’s leaders this year because no doubt it will come in handy in several ball games this year.
This season should be a fun one for Penn State fans!
Three more weeks…
Go STATE!