Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/603435
Penn State's game Saturday against Michigan may or may not be Christian Hackenberg's final appearance in Beaver Stadium, but the junior quarterback said he isn't dwelling on the question as he prepares to lead the Nittany Lions against the 14th-ranked Wolverines. "I'm just focusing on it one week at a time, doing what I need to do to make sure I'm the most prepared I can be," he said. "Right now it's about these seniors and playing as well as I can and making sure that as a team we're really rolling and doing what we need to do. It's a great chal- lenge that we have this week against Michigan. They bring a lot of stuff to the table. So we're really excited about that, and I think that's where all of our heads are right now." Hackenberg is ninth in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (199.2) and eighth in pass-efficiency rating (128.4). Statisti- cally, he's had an up-and-down season, and as a result, there does not appear to be much consensus about how highly he can expect to go in the 2016 NFL DraA if he decides to forgo his senior year. NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah attended the Northwestern game two weeks ago and came away unimpressed, describing him as "more of a project than a prospect." Josh Norris of Rotoworld.com lists him sixth among quarterbacks in his prospect rankings, just behind Carson Wentz of North Dakota State. But media analysts won't have the final say. If he's still undecided, he could seek an evaluation from the NFL Draft Advi- sory Board. The board separates players into three categories: potential first- rounders, potential second-rounders and everyone else. To those who aren't seen going in the first two rounds, the board recommends that they remain in school. For now, Hackenberg said he is focused on Michigan, which is allowing only 165.5 passing yards per game, second-best in the Big Ten. But while the Wolverines have his full attention, he is mindful of his legacy at Penn State, regardless of when his career ends. "I just want to make sure, in terms of teammates' eyes, that they knew that I went out there and leA it all on the field, played with that fiery competitor inside of me, and really let it all hang out," he said. "That's kind of how I try to play. That's how I try to live my life. At the end of the day, that is something that I hope hap- pens. Ultimately, that's going to be deter- mined by people outside of myself." PENN STATE RADIO NETWORK WAEB............. 790-AM....... Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton WVAM............ 1430-AM....................................... Altoona WRKY............. 104.9-FM............... Altoona/Hollidaysburg WILK.............. 103.1-FM.........................................Avoca WAYC............. 1600-AM.......................................Bedford WAYC............. 100.9-FM......................................Bedford WBYB............. 103.9-FM.....................................Bradford WBUT............. 1050-AM..........................................Butler WCPA............. 900-AM...................................... Clearfield WQYX............. 93.1-FM..................................... Clearfield WZDB.............95.9-FM........................ DuBois/Sykesville WHGL............ 102.9-FM................................ Elmira, N.Y. WPSE............. 1450-AM.............................................Erie WFRA............. 1450-AM...................................... Franklin WGET............. 1320-AM.................................. Gettysburg WJEJ.............. 1240-AM.Hagerstown, Md./Chambersburg Sports Radio..1400-AM...................................Harrisburg Sports Radio..95.3-FM.................................... Harrisburg WKZN............ 1300-AM..................................... Hazleton WLAK............. 103.5-FM................................ Huntingdon WNTJ............. 1490-AM...................................Johnstown WBYB............. 103.9-FM.......................................... Kane WLPA............. 1490-AM....................................Lancaster WNPV.............1440-AM.....................................Lansdale WLBR............. 1270-AM..................................... Lebanon WMRF............ 95.7-FM.................................... Lewistown WMGW...........1490-AM....................................Meadville ESPN Radio....97.3-FM................................ Millville, N.J. WJST.............. 1280-AM.....................New Castle/Sharon WVNJ............. 1160-AM.......................... New York Metro WNTP............. 990-AM..................................Philadelphia KQV............... 1410-AM................................... Pittsburgh WAVT..............101.9-FM.................................... Pottsville WPPA............. 1360-AM.....................................Pottsville WRAW............ 1340-AM...................................... Reading WBZU.............910-AM....................................... Scranton WBYB............. 103.9-FM................................. Smethport WQWK............1450-AM.............................. State College WBUS.............93.7-FM................................State College WZDD............ 101.3-FM....................Stratonville/Clarion WKOK............ 1070-AM...................................... Sunbury WLLI.............. 990-AM...................................... Somerset WTIV.............. 1230-AM..................................... Titusville WHGL.............100.3-FM............................... Troy/Canton WTRN.............1340-AM......................................... Tyrone WTRN.............100.7-FM........................................ Tyrone WNBT............. 104.5-FM...................................Wellsboro WNBQ............ 92.3-FM....................Wellsboro/Mansfield WILK.............. 980-AM................................. Wilkes-Barre WKSB.............102.7-FM.............................. Williamsport WSBA............. 910-AM.............................................. York WJST.............. 1280-AM........................Youngstown, Ohio N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 10 Hackenberg says Wolverines are sole focus M A T T H E R B | M A T T @ B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M FAREWELL TO ARMS? Asked if he'd thought about the Nittany Lions' upcoming game against Michigan poten- tially being his last in Beaver Sta- dium, Hackenberg said, "Not really." The junior quar- terback will need to decide by early January whether to use his final season of eligibil- ity. Photo by Steve Manuel