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ment, he'll have done much to enhance a future that is already looking bright. A@er two supremely di?cult years, things =nally seem to be going Penn State's way. The Nittany Lions have a freshman class that =nished 24th in the Rivals.com national rankings this past winter even though Franklin had only about three weeks to =nish up the job that the previous sta> had begun. They've got a 2015 class that was ranked third nationally by Rivals as of this writing. And because they accom- plished so much in the =rst couple of months a@er signing day, they've been able to turn their attention to the Class 2016 – a class that will be bowl-eligible the moment its members step foot on campus and will be looking to spear- head Penn State's push to rejoin the na- tional elite. The program's supporters have helped speed its rebuilding process. In June, longtime donor John Leone gave $1.5 million to fund the Lasch Build- ing's strength and conditioning center, heeding Franklin's call for private sup- port to upgrade the Nittany Lions' fa- cilities. What's more, Penn State has attracted more than 4,000 new season- ticket holders this year, including more than 600 alums who have taken advan- tage of the school's Recent Graduate program. And when student tickets went on sale in June, the junior class's allotment sold out in 35 minutes. The freshman class's sold out in six. Those fans aren't likely to see the Nit- tany Lions make a title run this fall, even if the NCAA relents and lops the last two years o> their postseason ban. There are too many holes in key areas, too many spots in which even one injury would be too many. The Lions have less margin for error than any of their high-pro=le ri- vals, and that will continue to be the case until 2016, when the NCAA allows them to carry a full complement of 85 scholarship players. But while they aren't yet sprinting, they aren't walking, either. It might take a few years, but eventually, this program will regain its stride. ■ W E B S U R V E Y 8-4: The lack of depth worries me, but when you have the "potentially" best player at the most important po- sition, we should be a threat in all games. If Hack can remain upright and the line comes together, 9-3 is within reach. Very excited to get things start- ed. Kevin310 Worst case: 6-6 with Hack getting clobbered every fourth drop-back. Best case: 10-2 IF there are absolutely no injuries, players step up and we get all the bounces. Most likely case: somewhere in between. Ctel12592 8-4 is likely. If you have a great QB you can overcome a lot of problem areas and steal a game or two. The offensive line has lots of athleticism but little experience or depth. The running game will be solid if the line is solid, but injuries will happen as they always do, and it is just hard to imagine that there will not be break- downs as the season takes its toll. Likewise, the lack of depth at line- backer will eventually result in breakdowns that will show on the scoreboard. Special teams play will improve, but again, there will be sit- uations in which holes will be plugged with players who would not be the coaches' first choice because of the numbers game. That being said, the team will play with a re- newed enthusiasm, and we should be treated to an exciting season. Just be prepared to lose some close ones and possibly get worn down a time or two. Help is on the way, but it won't arrive in sufficient quantity or quali- ty to challenge for any titles this year. I hope I am wrong. Old as Dirt 8-4: Key factors: offensive line stays healthy, and young receivers are major players. Special teams will be much im- proved, and secondary speed will be a positive factor. If we win our first two, we have momentum. The young play- ers will have gotten experience and the players will have more confidence in the offensive and defensive schemes. If all of the positives come to fruition, then 9-3 and even 10-2 are possible... a lot of IF's... I guess we'll have a lot to talk about in December. bohucon I am at eight wins, but we need a big playmaker, a go-to man who makes the big play when it's needed. What would have happened to us last season without Robinson? I think that will be key. Everyone has already cited the importance of staying healthy. I am hoping that some of our young kids will come to play imme- diately. We have seen freshmen across the country who have played some great football, but I don't know that there is any way to predict that. In any case, I will pull for these kids, win or lose. Waltwam I feel confident saying 7-5 is a good season; 6-6 might be realistic. I think Hack will help us win some games or at least have close games against both good and bad oppo- nents, but our youth will most likely disappoint us fans here and there. I'm expecting good things, but real- istically, every game we play – be- cause of our youth – will be a chal- lenge this year only. dxr137 This is tough considering the knife edge we are teetering on with respect What do you think the Nittany Lions' record will be in 2014?

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