Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538407
1 6 S E P T E M B E R 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 "It's a great conversation, but who really cares about preseason rankings? They mean nothing. It's a good argument to have, and everybody has fun with it. But the only rank- ings that matter are the ones that happen at the end of the season, and that's what we're concerned about. The only way we'll do that is by handling our business today." — James Franklin on Penn State's status as a national championship contender in 2025 "For so many years, Franklin has been judged against two of the best coaches of the most recent generation [Ohio State's Ur- ban Meyer and Michigan's Jim Harbaugh]. At Penn State, you can make the argument that being as good or better than those is the expectation, but is that fair? "Yes, Franklin's record has been putrid against AP top-five teams. But in how many of those games did Penn State have equitable talent? How many was Penn State supposed to win? "That's changed now. Penn State could con- ceivably be a postseason favorite against anyone in the sport this season. Yes, Penn State is deeper and more well-rounded than it's ever been under Franklin. He also doesn't have to play superteams anymore. "If you're a Penn State fan, you should be licking your chops about this season. You should be hoping for a national title. No, you should be expecting one. Why? Because this is as good of a window for your Nittany Lions as you've ever had." — On3 columnist Ari Wasserman on PSU's outlook in 2025 "It's Year 2 for me in this system, and it's Year 2 for the players in this system. We've got experienced guys and personnel who are set up in a really good position right now. We have returning starters at every position. There are no big questions on special teams, whether it's placekicker, kickoff, punt. … It sets us up to potentially make major improvements." — Second-year special teams coordinator Justin Lustig "There's no excuse for Penn State not to reach the playoff. Penn State can make a case for No. 1 this preseason because it has one thing no other team ranked above it has: a starting quarterback with playoff experience. The Nittany Lions might also have the best running back tandem in the country in Kay- tron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Plus, de- fensively, they hired one of the nation's best coordinators in Jim Knowles, who left Ohio State to take the job. Coach James Franklin faces a burden of proof when it comes to beating the Buckeyes and elite opponents, but this is a roster talented enough to do it." — ESPN commentator Heather Dinich on Penn State's status as the No. 5 team (out of 32) in the Allstate Playoff Predictor's ranking of potential College Football Playoff qualifiers "Everybody's fast, everybody's strong, but when you're mentally stronger than everybody else on the field, that's the difference. He's got his mind right. His confidence is up. When that happens, everybody should fear him." — Defensive line coach Deion Barnes on super senior edge rusher Zuriah Fisher "He's one of the most exciting young tal- ents in the game and reflects the level of student-athletes we're bringing to Penn State across all sports. His commitment is a testa- ment to the national reputation Guy Gad- owsky and his staff have built, and we know he'll thrive in the culture of excellence that surrounds our program." — Penn State athletics director Patrick Kraft, on men's ice hockey signee Gavin McKenna, who is projected to be the No. 1 pick in next year's NHL Draft They Said It "Thanks to everyone at Penn State, especially my staff. They made this whole season possible. … Thank you to my team and my former players. You inspired me every day to keep fighting. You reminded me what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself. That jersey we wear means everything, and the bond we share is unbreakable." — Katie Schumacher-Cawley, accepting the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs in July after battling Stage 2 breast cancer while coaching the Penn State women's volleyball team to a national championship in 2024 PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS