Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529598
DECEMBER 2024/VOL. 40, NO. 4 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 Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics 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 Lauren Gordon, 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 TOM ALLEN'S SUCCESS IN HIS FIRST SEASON AS PENN STATE'S DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR … I know we are all excited and having fun with [Andy Kotelnicki's] offense, but we do not give enough credit and kudos to Coach Allen for what he does with the defense. His defensive game plans and halftime adjustments have been outstanding. We have not given up a third-quarter TD, and the longer the season goes, the better this defense gets. So, hats off to Coach Allen, and glad you made the decision to come to PSU. — bohucon What he's done without [injured safety] KJ Winston — amaz- ing! For those of you who don't understand what his loss meant to this defense, I ask that you do more research. His loss created a domino effect on defense that can't be duplicated. — 31blmr I thought they would be better than a year ago, and they are, besides penalties and third-and-long situations. — J.E.B We were more aggressive [in a 35-6 victory over Washington on Nov. 9], and it showed in the results. I hope he keeps his foot on the gas. — _getmyjive11 Ohio State scored 20 points. Let me repeat that: Ohio State scored 20 points. — diceman99 Ohio State is the most talented team in college football. They scored 41 points per game against the rest of their schedule. We held them to half that amount. It will never make sense to me that the offense puts up [six] points, and folks are still worked up about the defense. The defense did its job and has done its job for years. The offense is the unit that has been failing. — Gittany Defense has been a strength, not a weakness. Not as many sacks, but lots of pressures. I was skeptical of the Abdul Carter move [from linebacker to defensive end], but he has gotten more disruptive as the season has developed. Second-half adjustments have been impressive, and you have to credit the DC for that. You can wish all you want for adjustments between series in the first half, but it is rare in college football to do more than minimal changes on the fly unless they have been practiced or made in previous games. No one is more sick of the Ohio State failures than I am, but the rebound [against Washington] bodes well for the rest of the season. — Old As Dirt I would love to see Tom Allen putting more emphasis on turnovers like Manny [Diaz] did. Hopefully, our defense ups the standard, especially on the line. Tipped passes, strip sacks, etc. One big fumble or pick can be the difference going down the stretch. — Spice67 Look at the talent we lost from last year. There was no way this defense could be better than last year's. We still have talent, but that is a lot to make up for. — BigJ47 ON THE TRAVEL DEMANDS OF THE EXPANDED BIG TEN … The reality of having a Big Ten Conference that is 3,000 miles wide is ridiculous. There will be a scenario one day where PSU plays in California, flies back for a home game, and then returns to California for another game. But look at the money PSU is making! It is professional football now, maybe minor league compared to the NFL, but it is insane. Maybe when the world is just two super conferences, these leagues will align geographically like the NFL. But that's 5-10 years down the road. I am writing this at 9:15 a.m. Sunday. Washington probably has still not landed in Seattle, and some of those kids have classes Monday morning. Crazy. — TeddyBallGamius It's the new reality in big-time college football. Well, at least in the Big Ten. It wouldn't shock me if the conference eventually adds another team or two in the Pacific or Mountain Time Zone simply to help bal- ance travel. — NittPicker They are pros. It comes with the territory. — contentphillydad 4 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 4 Through Penn State's first nine games, To m Alle n 's d efe n se was a llow i n g 14 points per game to rank eighth in the FBS. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS