Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/541265
Now comes the hard part: transform- ing those dreams into reality. Even a:er a season in which opponents ruthlessly exploited its youth at several key position groups, Penn State is still one of the youngest teams in the nation. As hopeful as Williams and his teammates may be, there are plenty of options that do not involve a Big Ten championship or play- o9 appearance. The Quick Lane Bowl is an option. The Foster Farms Bowl is an option. The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl is an option. Staying home for the holidays – that's an option, too. But for the 8rst time since 2011, the Lions go into their opener knowing that anything is possible. Their season will be what they make of it, and if they shock the world in Columbus and/or East Lansing, they'll reap the bene8ts come January. In the three seasons that followed the NCAA sanctions, Penn State players and coaches downplayed the signi8cance of the bowls, and you get the feeling that they weren't just trying to talk them- selves into believing it. If the postseason ban had been a deal-breaker, those play- ers would never have signed with Penn State in the 8rst place, especially guys like Williams and his fellow 2012 recruits. Those players had no reason to believe they would ever go to a bowl game. As far as they knew, the ban was going to extend through the 2015 season, and even if they were still playing in 2016, there was no reason to think Penn State would emerge with a bowl-worthy roster. But 2015 is here, and Penn State is bowl-eligible and probably bowl-wor- thy. It feels more than a little bit pre- sumptuous to use the words College Football Playo9 anywhere in these pages; we are talking, a:er all, about a team that last year 8nished above .500 by the thinnest possible margin: an overtime PAT. But in three or four years, the Lions may be part of the champi- onship conversation. If they are, the players on those teams will owe a debt of gratitude to predecessors like Williams who made the decision to stay when they could easily have scattered. ■ W H A T T H E Y ' R E S A Y I N G Penn State has posted three straight winning seasons since the NCAA's 2012 sanctions but has drifted closer to .500 each year. Added roster depth will help ("We've got a two-deep now," coach James Franklin says. "We never had a two-deep last year") but 10 wins is probably a pipe dream in the heavyweight East. ESPN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW Penn State has more experience and more depth than it's had in a while. If Hackenberg receives time, he can be as good a passer as there is in the Big Ten. Don't expect a drop-off from the defense. The Lions will make progress in Franklin's second season. LINDY'S SPORTS The Lions have addressed their glaring weakness, building depth and experi- ence along a patchwork offensive line. They'll still be young up front, with only one senior on the projected two-deep (two if you count incoming graduate transfer Kevin Reihner), but the line probably won't be as big a liability. On the opposite side of the ball, they return seven starters from what was, statistically, the Big Ten's best defense last season. Of Penn State's six losses last fall, only two were by more than a touchdown. If the defense holds strong and Hacken- berg gets a chance to show what he can do, it's not hard to imagine the Lions turning a few of those close losses into close wins in 2015. ATHLON SPORTS There's optimism in Happy Valley, but keep in mind Penn State finished 2-6 in the Big Ten last season. That included embarrassing losses to Illinois and Maryland. The Nittany Lions' early-season schedule is favorable to the point they could be 6-0 when they visit Ohio State on Oct. 17. Penn State closes the season with a home game against Michigan (Nov. 21) before a trip to Michigan State (Nov. 28). In order to compete with that kind of company, Hackenberg will need more protection. Penn State also must avoid the inexcusable slip-up this time around. A nine-win season isn't out of the question, and the trip to Columbus will tell you whether or not this program is ready to get back on the national stage. THE SPORTING NEWS The Nittany Lions might be approaching 85 scholarship players again for the first time in four years, but they are still young and have infinite questions on offense. But with recruiting improving and the win total likely to increase, this could be a "momentum builds on momentum" situation. Penn State might be in the wrong Big Ten division to compete for annual conference ti- tles – Ohio State and Michigan State are the two best programs, and Michigan just hired Jim Harbaugh – but odds are in favor of this becoming a top-25 program soon. SB NATION In 2015 all of the indicators are pointing up as the Nittany Lions have 15 re- turning starters, including Hackenberg, who should be much better protected. While they were just 2-6 in the B10 last year, they were only -7.5 ypg in confer- ence play (7th best) and now have DEPTH as they climb to 83 scholarship play- ers. Penn St is just 6-10 in Big Ten play the last 2 years, but 6 of my 9 sets of PRs call for a double-digit-win season, and hats off to the Penn St faithful for still filling the stadium during the probation of the last 3 years. PHIL STEELE 2 0 1 5 P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W