Blue White Illustrated

111 E. Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S 111 E. Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S Expect to see more of the same from Sanders' alma mater, too. Now that he and Barkley are playing in the same league and at the same position – and meeting twice a year in the NFC East, a division based in the geographical heart of Penn State's prime recruiting terri- tory – the buzz emanating from the Nit- tany Lions' running back room is only going to grow. While the two former Lions are now part of the NFL's vanguard of young tal- ent, the RB room at Penn State still boasts an abundance of untapped tal- ent. In part, that's one of the reasons why it made sense for Sanders to de- clare when he did. He made the most of his time at the college level, then cashed in. Now someone else gets to take the stage. A pattern is now set, however. The expectations are fixed within that posi- tion group. It's not just about getting drafted anymore; the bar has been raised to the top two rounds. Once Sanders' successors become draft-eli- gible, who becomes the next to hear his name called? Coming out of spring ball, it could be any of them. They all want it. "Last year you didn't know what Miles was going to do until Miles took over," position coach Ja'Juan Seider said this spring. "We have two [sophomores] there we feel really good about." One of those sophomores is the team's top returning rusher, Ricky Slade, a former top-50 recruit whose compact physique makes it look as though he's ready for the league al- ready. Seider and the other coaches also frequently referenced Journey Brown this spring. He's a former late-offer re- cruit who has blossomed ahead of his redshirt sophomore campaign. Seider said he has seen Brown "taking that next step." Brown's development would further strengthen the coaches' testimony that this is the place to be for RBs. Sure, they'll take all the blue-chippers they can get, players like Saquon Barkley, Sanders and Slade. But can they also identify the three-star prospects and polish them into playmakers? They're starting to make a case. Additionally they're welcoming two four-star freshmen into the fold in Devyn Ford and Noah Cain. Add those players to a group that also includes Slade, Brown and a pair of intriguing walk-ons, and Seider is working with a full house. Which is not to say that he and his fel- low coaches are slowing down in their pursuit of the nation's best prospects. It's a never-ending cycle, and that wheel has been spinning with force at Penn State the past couple of years. That's what recruits like to see, and that's why Sanders' performance, his ability to get the job done one year after Barkley did the same – with Rookie of the Year hon- ors still fresh in everyone's mind – was so important in helping create a bright outlook for this position group going forward. As good players leave, other good players arrive. In college football, that's exactly the homeostasis that a program wants to maintain. In some ways, it's a callback to Penn State's past, as NFL-caliber running backs were once the norm in Beaver Stadium. The big difference is that those players were less likely to leave a year early. As the Nittany Lions get back to their old ways, churning out draft picks from their backfield on a near-annual basis, it's likely to remain a trend. The pounding that running backs ab- sorb is more intense than at other posi- tions, and that's one of the reasons why so many are drafted. In 2017, 30 RBs were selected, nearly one for every team. Twenty-five went this year. They're hot commodities, and Sanders was one of the hottest, as only one other running back – Alabama's Josh Jacobs – was chosen ahead of him. Not bad. His coaches and teammates will surely miss him, but Sanders is getting his rightful due. That's a win for all in- volved, including the Nittany Lions, be- cause there are other running backs who are eager to step in. They've been wait- ing their turn, just like Sanders did. Just like others will. ■

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