Blue White Illustrated

PHIL'S CORNER In addition to avoiding injuries, PSU will need to rely on a host of freshmen this fall ith less than a month to go until Penn State's Class of 2013 arrives on campus, I thought now would be the appropriate time to tie up some loose ends and developments since the Blue-White Game. I'd also like to take a look at the incoming Class of 2013 and give you my impressions of which members of the class will have an opportunity to see the field this fall. To start, there is good news on the injury front regarding redshirt junior offensive tackle Garry Gilliam. Before I talk about Gilliam's rehab of his calf injury that kept him out of contact work in spring practice, I want to re-emphasize the point that Gilliam has been granted by the NCAA a medical redshirt, giving him a sixth year of eligibility. That means Gilliam will be part of the team this fall, and his sixth year of eligibility will start with the 2014 season. Blue White Illustrated has been told that Gilliam will be able to participate in all aspects of the informal summer workout sessions. He was expected to be at 100 percent by the end of May. Gilliam, along with a number of other players, was expected to be back on campus by the beginning of June to begin informal summer workout sessions. BWI was told that Gilliam's absence from spring practice was one of Bill O'Brien's biggest disappointments. Personally, I believe that if Gilliam can win the starting right tackle position in preseason practice, which begins the first week in August, then W O'Brien and Penn State offensive line coach Mac McWhorter will have the opportunity to put together the team's most physically dominant starting unit in close to a decade. That group would consist of the following: Donovan Smith at left tackle, Miles Dieffenbach at left guard, Ty Howle at center, John Urschel at right guard and Gilliam at right tackle. If this is to be the Nittany Lions' starting offensive line, it would average 6-foot-4 and just over 306 pounds per man. But the real bonus here is, in my opinion, how athletically gifted this unit has the opportunity to be. Urschel recently called Smith the most physically gifted offensive lineman that he's seen during his tenure at Penn State. Gilliam is a player who, when he was being recruited, stood 6-5, 260, and had a reported 35-inch vertical leap and an 81-inch wingspan. In my mind, Urschel and Smith are legitimate first-team AllBig Ten candidates. Urschel was an All-Big Ten selection in 2012. But key here is the same as everywhere else on this team: Gilliam and the projected starters have to stay healthy. Penn State did develop some depth on the offensive line in 2012, with Eric Shrive, Adam Gress, Angelo Mangiro and Anthony Alosi all receiving playing time. But Penn State can't afford to suffer a lot of injuries, and Gilliam in particular must prove that he has the durability to be a fixture on the offensive line. Penn State has also received good news about redshirt sophomore tight end Kyle Carter. BWI has been told that Carter, like Gilliam, will be able to participate in all aspects of informal summer workouts. The wrist injury that kept him out of any contact work in spring practice is expected to be fully healed when the summer workout sessions begin. BWI has also been told that Carter expects to report for preseason practice close to his 2012 playing weight, which was about 245 pounds. Also, expect juco transfer quarterback Tyler Ferguson to work hard in Penn State's strength and conditioning program during the summer. It might have been a little disappointing to Penn State's coaching staff that when Ferguson arrived on campus from College of the Sequoias, he weighed only 199 pounds. I'm hearing that Penn State would like Ferguson to be at about 205 pounds when preseason practice begins at the end of July. Physically, especially in his lower body, Ferguson needs to be solid. I've been told the decision to choose Ferguson over Steven Bench to compete with Christian Hackenberg for the starting quarterback job was not as difficult of a choice as some might believe. It appears that Penn State's coaching staff felt Ferguson had more potential for development than Bench. As for Hackenberg, it certainly appears that he will be physically ready to play this fall. BWI was told by Micky Sullivan, athletic director at Fork Union Military Academy, that Hackenberg now tips the scales at right around 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. Hackenberg is one impressive physical specimen. Speaking of incoming freshmen, I believe that the following members of Penn State's Class of 2013 will play this coming season: wide receivers Richy Anderson and DaeSean Hamilton, tight end Adam Breneman, defensive end Garrett Sickels, linebacker Brandon Bell, cornerbacks Anthony and Jordan Smith and defensive back Neiko Robinson.

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