Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1020659
O T H E R M A T C H U P S THE LOWDOWNChandler Staton and Michael Rubino are both back aCer combining to hit 17 of 24 field goal at- tempts last season, but App State's kicking game was a mixed bag in 2017. P Xavier Subotsch averaged 39.9 yards per attempt and has apparently lost the starting job to Clayton Howell. Penn State has some questions to answer at place kicker, where Jake Pinegar is listed as the starter heading into opening day, and on kick returns, where Ham- ler and/or Journey Brown are set to replace Barkley. But P Blake Gilliken and PR Thompkins are among the best in the Big Ten at their respective positions. // EDGE Penn State SPECIAL TEAMS THE LOWDOWNThe Mountaineers have a permanent place in college football history thanks to their upset of fiCh- ranked Michigan in 2007. But since then, they've gone 0-8 against Power Five opponents. This week's trip to Beaver Stadium will pose another major challenge. The Nittany Lions have won their past 14 home games. Their most re- cent home loss was in November 2015 when they fell to Michigan, 28-16. // EDGEPenn State THIS 'N' THAT THE LOWDOWN Scott Satterfield and James Franklin have something in common: They both got off to shaky starts at their respective schools. Satterfield went 5-13 in his first 18 games as head coach at his alma mater, while Franklin went 14-12 in his first two seasons at Penn State. Needless to say, they've both turned things around, with Satterfield winning 36 of his past 46 and Franklin going 22-5 the past two seasons. Franklin is also 3-1 in season openers at Penn State. // EDGE Penn State COACHING STAFF A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 8 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 5 added 20 catches for 364 yards and three TDs. The Mountaineers are expecting help here from two former Kansas State players. Grad transfer Dominique Heath had 95 receptions for 947 yards and seven TDs in his three seasons with the Wildcats, while sophomore Corey Sutton is set to see action aCer sitting out last year. Penn State has had to replace all four members of last year's starting secondary. John Reid and Amani Oruwariye are the starting cornerbacks, while Nick Scott and Garrett Taylor will start at safety. Reid has NFL potential coming off an ACL injury, while Oruwariye led the team last year with four interceptions and was a second-team All-Big Ten per- former. // KEY MATCHUP Miller's battle with Johnson will help determine whether Thomas will have time to throw. Meanwhile, Heath will try to shake free of Reid downfield. // EDGE Penn State