Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525333
SEPTEMBER 2024/VOL. 40, NO. 1 MANAGING EDITOR Matt Herb CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stu Coman Cathy Jones Chris Riffer WEBSITE PUBLISHER Sean Fitz WEBSITE EDITOR Nate Bauer STAFF WRITER Greg Pickel RECRUITING REPORTER Ryan Snyder FOOTBALL ANALYST Thomas Frank Carr CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jim Carlson PHOTOGRAPHY Daniel Althouse, Frank Hyatt, Steve Manuel, Mark Selders COVER PHOTO Steve Manuel DESIGN Jeanette Blankenship Chris Miller F F F PUBLISHER Mark Panus BUSINESS ANALYST Sarah Boone CIRCULATION MANAGER Tristin Shears ADVERTISING SALES Maria Taustine (502) 552-4390 CUSTOMER SERVICE Crystal Clayton, Cathy Jones (800) 421-7751 BLUE WHITE ILLUSTRATED (USPS 742-550) is published monthly, except June, by Coman Publishing Co., a division of On3 Media, Inc., located at 905 W. Main St., Suite 24F, Durham, NC 27701. A one-year (11 issues) subscription is $68.00. First-class, digital and foreign rates available on request. Periodicals postage paid at Durham, NC 27701 and additional mailing offices. Printed by The Papers, Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Please send address correc- tions/changes to BLUE WHITE ILLUSTRATED, PO Box 2331, Durham NC 27702-2331. For advertising or subscription information call 1-919-688-0218 or write BLUE WHITE ILLUSTRATED, PO Box 2331, Durham NC 27702. Site Lines C O M M E N T S F R O M T H E L I O N S D E N A T B L U E W H I T E I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ON THE OUTLOOK FOR PENN STATE'S WIDE RECEIVER CORPS THIS FALL … The wide receivers were better than people realized last year. There were times when Drew Allar had receiv- ers open downfield and didn't pass to them because he wanted to check down. Also, Mike Yurcich's offense didn't scheme receivers open too much. — SolarPumper I'm not buying this take at all. We had one receiver who did not know the plays, another who pouted all year, oth- ers who were hurt, and others who were just not ready. It was a bad show for most of the year. — Countrylion I think the reality is somewhere in the middle. The receivers have more talent than we've seen so far. I also think there were failures outside of the receivers room, which I personally blame Mike Yurcich for the most. But obviously, they need to be better. — Gittany I can hear all the "show me" folks telling me to not get too excited about the receivers room, but since I'm an eternal optimist, I just can't help it. I think the receivers are going to be a bit of a positive surprise for us this up- coming season, and I can't wait to see it. — mickey_PSU It's been an issue for two years now, and in the age of the portal when quick fixes are possible. This team's success is completely up to how the wide receivers and offensive line perform. — J.E.B. ON THE CHANGES COMING TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN 2024 AND BEYOND … I think in a perfect world we just get rid of conference championships and auto bids. Play your 12 games and then take the 12 best regardless of conference. — Lacklions I think mentally, we're all in last season where the Big Ten is a three-team conference and the winner of the East Division wins the championship. In an 18-team conference that won't have a round-robin schedule, there will be ties galore impacting conference title game participants, playoff rankings, bowl assignments, etc. It's quite conceivable that a three-loss Big Ten team can reach the playoff over a two-loss team due to the strength of the schedule. If people thought the playoff selection criteria were crazy last year, wait until this season when we're debating the last two in and the first two out. In terms of the Big Ten, we could have our own bowl selection show trying to distinguish which eight-win team should get a better bowl. — thebusbandit I don't know who will be helped a lot or a little by adding the four Pac-12 teams and getting rid of divi- sions, but I agree 200 percent with who is going to get hurt the most, and that is Iowa, not getting six games a year against the drecky West Division anymore. — Fox Chapel Lion II ON PENN STATE'S EARLY RECRUITING SUCCESS IN THE CLASS OF 2026 … I know there is a lot that goes into it, but the difference between the in-state hauls and the reception to Penn State by the Class of 2025 and the Classes of 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2026 for PSU is glaring. I doubt the staff did much different in their process and pitch, but at least it's good to see that the 2025 kids who wanted to get away seem to be the exception to the norm. — BeaverHill Seems like Penn State has one upper-echelon class every four years — 2018, 2022. Could 2026 be next? Outstanding job so far by the staff given Penn State's NIL difficulties. — zdp5000 Top 10 would be amazing considering where we are with NIL. — PaulPosluvzme We could very well have a top-five class with this 2026 group. Keep the momentum rolling, recruits and coaches. This is exactly how we beat Ohio State, Michigan and USC. — Spice67 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 Junior receiver Omari Evans will be looking for a breakthrough season after catching 4 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown last fall. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL