Blue White Illustrated

Did I say a bit? The >ve members of this year's projected >rst-team o@ensive line have started 20 games between them going into the 2014 season. Remove jun- ior leB tackle Donovan Smith from the mix and that number drops to zero. So thin is the Nittany Lions' o@ensive front that redshirt freshman Andrew Nelson is being portrayed as one of the unit's cor- nerstones before he's ever played in a game. It also bears mentioning that the 6-foot-5, 297-pound tackle is working his way back from an unspeci>ed knee injury. When Franklin was asked what he'd seen from Nelson in spring practice, he said simply, "Not enough." With so much uncertainty at so many key positions, one of Franklin's chal- lenges this fall will be to make sure that Penn State's followers – fans, alumni, potential recruits and verbally commit- ted members of the Class of 2015 – re- main mindful of the program's long- term goals rather than simply >xating on short-term results. If he can do that, holding together a recruiting class that has already lost one four-star member while also tamping down the online vit- riol that inevitably follows the >rst over- thrown pass or blown blocking assign- >> TIM OWEN ASSISTANT EDITOR So far it has been fairly smooth sailing for James Franklin and his coaching sta@, considering their success on the recruit- ing trail and the way they have endeared themselves to the Penn State community. But here is where things begin to get tricky. The sanctions that the NCAA levied two years ago will take their biggest toll in 2014, as Penn State will be working with fewer returning scholarship players than in any season since the scandal broke. Depth is minimal, the of- fensive line must replace four starters, and an injury to any of its stars could prove devastating. All the while, the team is learning how to mesh under yet anoth- er new coaching sta@, and the schedule presents its own set of challenges. What Penn State does have, though, is a talented frontline squad that can compete with any team in the Big Ten, and a coaching sta@ that proved itself adept at doing more with less during its time in the Southeastern Conference. That certainly bodes well for the Nit- tany Lions if they hope to eclipse the eight-win mark, but with matchups against Michigan, Ohio State and league champ Michigan State on the horizon, plus a season opener in Ireland – a time-zone di@erence of >ve hours – there might be more factors stacked against them. PREDICTION 7-5 LOU PRATO CONTRIBUTING WRITER With the obvious lack of experience and depth on the offensive line and at linebacker and wide receiver, a 6-6 season may be the best that can be an- ticipated. Yes, the seemingly easy non- league schedule is a plus, but if history is any guide, there probably will be a game – or two – that turns out differ- ently than expected. However, what may be the most sig- ni>cant factor of all is the new coaching sta@. With the exception of former Nit- tany Lion wide receiver Terry Smith, all of the assistants were with James Franklin at Vanderbilt, and it's a tight, cohesive group that successfully led the Commodores out of the Southeastern Conference wilderness. The coaches know each other well, and that will be a major on->eld bene>t to the players who were leB in the lurch by the unex- pected departure of Bill O'Brien last January. Still, as Penn State has found out so often in the past decade or so, the dif- ference between a 7-5 and 5-7 season might be poor officiating. Yes, all teams have to play through bad calls, but even with certain TV replays now standard, memories of the touchdown that wasn't at Nebraska in 2012 and the ex- tra time added to the clock at Michigan in 2005 still sting. PREDICTION 6-6 RYAN SNYDER RECRUITING REPORTER There are plenty of questions sur- rounding Penn State's >rst season under James Franklin. For me, the four new starters along the o@ensive front will prove to be key this season. If Brendan Mahon, Angelo Man- giro and Andrew Nelson live up to the expectations, this has the potential to be a very solid foundation. That's especial- ly true for Mahon and Nelson. Those two have the potential to not only an- chor this line for years, but to potentially grow into NFL prospects. I think they'll prove their worth aBer they get a few starts under their belt. Another group in which I have faith is the new wide re- ceiver corps. DaeSean Hamilton is a very good athlete, while Eugene Lewis showed what he could do late last sea- son. Factor in speedy De'Andre Thomp- kins in the slot, and you're looking at three very good playmakers. I think they could be a pretty a special group when we look back a few years from now. On defense, however, the questions at linebacker remain, and that's especially true on the weakside. Penn State needs to >nd a roaming playmaker who can cover the run and pass. Until someone emerges as an elite playmaker at that position, I see PSU's defense continuing to struggle at times. Opponents will be able to pass on this secondary. PREDICTION 7-5

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