Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
1 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M They Said It PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS "The past two years, our [adminis- trative] commitment has matched our expectations. I don't know if I would have said that before. [Athletics direc- tor Patrick Kraft] has been with us for three years, and the only reason I didn't say three years before is when you first get here, that first year you're figuring everything out. But yeah, to a passion- ate and hungry fan base, I think it speaks volumes." — James Franklin on the hiring of Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator and the message that sends about PSU's commitment to building a championship- caliber football program "You reach a point in your career where you're given opportunities based on past performance. Penn State, for me, growing up in inner-city Philly was the epitome of football when I was a kid. It's really where I want to be to continue my career and bring any expertise that I can to the organization." — Jim Knowles on his decision to join the Nittany Lions' staff after winning a national championship at Ohio State "James Franklin has a special oppor- tunity in front of him. He's hired one of the nation's top defensive coordi- nators, Jim Knowles, from Ohio State. And his Nittany Lions are set to return a handful of key starters, such as quarter- back Drew Allar, ahead of a season that should bring national title aspirations. But the question remains: Are his wide receivers built for success?" — Seth Engle, StateCollege.com "He was an off-ball linebacker to be- gin with at Penn State, then just moved down to the line of scrimmage basi- cally full-time last season for Tom Al- len. All he did was go out there and lead the country in TFLs. I believe that, as he gets more comfortable at the line of scrimmage, he can have an impact that is similar to Micah Parsons. They wore the same number at the same school in college, and this guy is really good." — FOX analyst Joel Klatt, who envisions Abdul Carter going second overall to Cleveland "Playing quarterback my whole life, you think you know a lot, and then you get to college and suddenly you don't know a lot. You've got to learn from all the other coaches to get to that position where they feel confident in you and you feel confident in yourself to be on the field." — Redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, reflecting on his first season at Penn State "Reynolds, a former high-end four- star prospect in the 2024 class, is step- ping in now that [Tyler] Warren is off to the NFL. In his first year as Penn State's tight end starter, he joins a Nit- tany Lions offense that is loaded with talent between quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Penn State is still in the market for a reliable, consistent pass-catcher. Reynolds, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete, could be in a prime spot for a bunch of passes this year." — Ari Wasserman, On3 college football writer, listing Penn State sophomore tight end Luke Reynolds as one of 10 players with breakout potential in 2025 "I don't have an off button. I can do this all day long. When things get hard, good. That means no one else will do it. More for me ;) Never let victory defeat you. Stay dialed in. It's a long journey, but goes by quick!" — Graduate 184-pound wrestler Carter Starocci, via X (Twitter), on the mindset that has made him a four-time national champion "My ears perked up when Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker said the team wouldn't pass on a generational talent with the first pick. To me, Carter is the best player in the draft, and he plays a premium position." — Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com draft analyst, raising the possibility that PSU defensive end Abdul Carter could go No. 1 overall to Tennessee in April