Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1490816
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M phas and Malik McClain. Riley Thomp- son, a scholarship punter, and Alex Fel- kins, a walk-on kicker, will both compete immediately for jobs. Work remains, though. A defensive tackle would be a welcome addition, and perhaps another offensive lineman would fit. The first transfer portal win- dow closed on Jan. 18, and the second goes from May 1-15. Some targeted ac- quisitions here will only aid the team's postseason chances next fall. 3. Stay healthy throughout the offseason Penn State has suffered some key off- season injuries during the Franklin era. Cornerback John Reid was lost for the year in April 2017. Defensive end Adisa Isaac suffered a similar setback before the 2021 season. Guard Sal Wormley was hurt in camp before the same slate of games kicked off. And although he made an unexpected late-season return this past fall, defensive end Zuriah Fisher missed much of his sophomore season with a lower-body injury. Bumps and bruises happen in foot- ball, and so do season-ending injuries. The teams that are lucky enough to avoid them generally find themselves in the best position to win big. 4. Guide Drew Allar into the spotlight Did you think we would go much further without mentioning Penn State's 2022 backup quarterback and presumed 2023 starter? Some might ar- gue we waited too long by putting the rising sophomore fourth on this list. After all, many of the Lions' hopes and dreams for the coming season are riding on his right arm. Penn State wisely got the Ohio na- tive's feet wet in 10 games this year. It might have helped if he'd gotten even more snaps in meaningful situations, but that's easier said than done. In the months ahead, Penn State must build on Allar's experience as a true freshman. The coaches will also have to help him manage the external pressure that comes with being QB1 at a major Power Five program. Allar has given every indication that he's ready for the challenge. Franklin and his staff must ensure that contin- ues to be the case as opening day draws closer. 5. Make it to November unbeaten for only the second time under Franklin To reach the College Football Playoff in its final year as a four-team event, Penn State can realistically afford only one loss. Zero losses would be prefer- able, but only once in Franklin's nine seasons has PSU gone into November unbeaten. That was in 2019, when the Lions entered their visit to Minnesota on Nov. 9 at 8-0 and ranked No. 4 in the CFP poll. Penn State went on to lose that game, then fell to Ohio State two weeks later, scuttling its chances to make the final four. This year's schedule sets up favor- ably, making a fast start plausible. If they can get to November with just one loss, the Lions would likely find them- selves knocking on the door of the CFP with four games to play. The toughest of those matchups figures to be a Nov. 11 visit from two-time defending Big Ten champion Michigan. 6. Beat Ohio State and Michigan An even better route to playoff contention would be to overcome the East Division's two powerhouse pro- grams. Beating those two in the same year will be a tall order, though, one that Franklin has never accomplished. He's had some success against the Wolver- ines, defeating them in 2017, '19 and '20, but he's 1-8 against the Buckeyes, with that lone win coming in 2016. This season, the Lions will travel to Columbus on Oct. 21 before hosting the Wolverines on Nov. 11. A road loss to coach Ryan Day's team, especially if it's close, will not knock Penn State out of playoff contention if it's the Li- ons' only defeat. It will make the path more difficult, though, and turn the matchup with the Wolverines into a must-win game. The last time Penn State defeated Ohio State and Michigan in the same season was 2008. 7. Elevate a player to Heisman contention Did you know that FanDuel gave Allar 20-to-1 odds of winning the Heisman Trophy in 2023? Rising sophomore run- ning back Nicholas Singleton, mean- while, is 40-to-1. Neither is a favorite by any means. However, the Heisman ceremony has frequently hosted players who were set to compete in the CFP. Simply put, if Penn State has a finalist, it will likely be because the team is in contention for the playoff deep into the season. 8. Reach the College Football Playoff This is what all of our previous topics have been building toward, right? If most, or even many, of the first seven goals are accomplished, all signs will point toward a first-ever playoff berth. The Lions haven't been on the cusp of doing so since winning the Big Ten title in 2016. They've had their opportunities in the years since, only to slip up in some of their biggest games. Will this year be different? There is plenty of talent, but some big questions must be answered to make this a reality. 9. Win 12 or more games What's the next step after making the playoff? Winning in the semifinals and reaching the title game, of course. There are paths to a 12-win season that do not involve a playoff appearance, but the Lions would have to be a one-loss team that gets left out of the CFP field and instead placed in a New Year's Six bowl that isn't a semifinal site. Earning a 12th win that way would be a success, albeit a bittersweet one. 10. Sign a top-three class in the 2024 recruiting cycle Even with the rise of the transfer por- tal, recruiting is the lifeblood of college football. The best way to keep the good times rolling is to stack highly ranked classes. A top-five or even a top-10 class would do the job, but we're setting lofty goals here, so we'll call for a top-three finish in the On3 rankings, which would be the best of the Franklin era. ■