Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
1 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M "You can never be too fast and never be too big. I've definitely cleaned up on my diet. Since I've gotten back [for the spring semester], the nutrition staff has helped me a ton. And so, as a whole, the strength staff is just helping me do whatever I need to do to get bigger, faster, stronger. I think it's been a really good pace so far." — Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar on how he's been preparing for his second season at Penn State "Penn State didn't blow it out of the water with a top-10 class or a top-five class or beat Ohio State in recruiting, but they've continued a trend now for two straight years that was really lacking for them three years ago, four years ago: They've started to own their own state. … I think that's really imperative for any program. You've got to get the best players from your state, particularly in the era of the transfer portal, because generally speaking, those guys who are more local, they're not going to be the ones who are going to be heading out the door right away to go back home or to mercenaries." — FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt on Penn State's 2023 recruiting class "There may be a number of reasons why Taylor Stubblefield is no longer Penn State's wide receivers coach after three seasons in Happy Valley. Recruiting prowess and success, ability to attract wide receivers in the transfer portal, development of a younger cadre of receivers and ultimate program/head coach fit may be a few of the reasons Stubblefield was fired by James Franklin and replaced by former Virginia assistant Marques Hagans. But production by Stubblefield's wide receiver corps — especially based on their 2021 numbers — certainly isn't No. 1." — StateCollege.com columnist Mike Poorman "I mean, come on. I get to put the long-limbed press corner and son of former Steelers All-Pro Joey Porter in this spot for Pittsburgh? How could I not?" — NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein in a Feb. 7 mock draft in which he had Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. going to Pittsburgh with the 17th overall pick "It felt like a heavyweight prize fight, and I was real pleased with how our guys stepped up." — Men's volleyball coach Mark Pavlik following his team's 3-1 win over No. 2-ranked UCLA on Feb. 4 "I know this group. I know their character. I know their makeup. I knew how they were going to play today. I didn't know we were going to win like this, but I knew we were going to compete the right way, play the right way. We did that on both ends of the court." — Men's basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry after his team defeated Michigan 83-61 on Jan. 29, the most lopsided PSU win in series history "The Nittany Lions have done a really good job of balancing high school prospects and transfers this cycle and have a few different choices that could fit for the top newcomer. Cornerback Storm Duck, who transferred in from North Carolina, could be the pick, as he'll help replace Joey Porter Jr. Elliot Washington, the No. 4 safety in the 2023 class, could also be the pick, but Penn State really needed playmakers on offense, and so the choice is Kent State receiver transfer Dante Cephas. He had 744 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns last season and will give quarterback Drew Allar a big target at receiver to go along with Florida State transfer Malik McClain." — ESPN.com writer Tom VanHaaren projecting Penn State's most impactful newcomer of the 2023 season They Said It "There are a ton of those guys who ended up playing … prominent roles. We have had guys play in years past, but maybe they were a backup. There just seemed to be a large number in this class who were able to play, and not just play but take on a primary role and be impactful. Whenever that happens, you go into the next season feeling confident, because you have a ton of guys coming back who have been able to make plays on a significant stage. If they were pretty successful as true freshmen, you would hope that ex - perience would lead them to having even more success in Year 2." — Football coach James Franklin on the impact that last year's freshman class is likely to have on the program going forward James Franklin is eager to see the members of last year's true freshman class take the next step in their careers in 2023. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER