Blue White Illustrated

T H E M O N T H I N . . . With the exception of Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, no player in the Big Ten is on the radar in early Heisman handicapping. [Saquon] Barkley could vault into the conversation with a big September. He's primed for a huge sophomore season as the Nittany Lions attempt to ease the transition for a new quarterback. Barkley emerged in a big way in 2015, shattering the Penn State freshman rush- ing record with 1,076 yards. He broke off runs of 56 yards against Michigan and Ohio State and led the Big Ten, ranking 11th nationally, with 16 runs of 20 yards or longer. At 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, he's built to endure punishment. And who doesn't appreciate a physical back in the Penn State white and blue? The opportunity for statement performances arrive early at rival Pitt and in the league opener at Michigan. MITCH SHERMAN ESPN.COM Early kickoffs usually mean weaker opposition. However, that is not the case for the Nittany Lions' first guaranteed noon road game of the 2016 season, which is against Pitt. There's a lot on the "Dominate The State" line in that contest slated for the Pittsburgh Steelers' Heinz Field. So you would think it won't be a tough task for the Nittany Lions to come out of the gate strong in that one and ready to play. But, as recent history indicates, it could be. Both Bill O'Brien and James Franklin are 1-3 at Penn State in road games starting at noon or earlier. At Vander- bilt, however, that's where Franklin shined. From 2011-13, Vandy was 6-2 in games beginning before noon. MIKE POORMAN STATECOLLEGE.COM I don't know how you don't respect us after this year and after how we played this weekend. I think that's for our peers in the Big Ten to decide, but coming in, we didn't feel respected at all. We felt we had something to prove all year. I feel that we've proved it, that we're here [working on] being [in] the upper echelon in the Big Ten, that we can do it and we're very serious about it. By some hand- shakes I've received from coaches, I think they respect us now. AMANDA LEHOTAK, PSU softball coach, after her team ended its season in the Big Ten semis Q U O T E S N O T E W O R T H Y O P I N I O N S TWO DISMISSED FROM FOOTBALL TEAM Defensive tackle Kamonte Carter and tight end Brent Wilkerson are no longer with the Penn State football team. Carter, a redshirt freshman, and Wilkerson, a senior, were removed from the official roster due to violations of team rules. Ranked as a four-star athlete coming out of Gaithersburg (Md.) High, Carter signed with PSU in the Class of 2015 as a defensive end. Rivals.com considered him the No. 5 player in Maryland and the No. 11 athlete in country. He was listed at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds on the team's most recent roster and had been expect- ed to see action this fall after moving to the middle of the line. Wilkerson also appeared headed for a larger role this fall given the shortage of experienced tight ends on the roster. He had been slowed by injuries earlier in his career, missing his redshirt freshman season with a back problem. The past two seasons, he played in all 26 games, making two catches and scoring a touch- down in 2014 and totaling six catches for 39 yards last year. But earlier this year he was charged with misdemeanor indecent assault and summary harassment in connection with an alleged incident at an off-campus apartment. LADY LIONS HIRE COACH Tamika Williams-Jeter, whose decade-long coaching resume includes stops at Ohio State, Kansas and most recently Ken- tucky, is joining the Penn State women's basketball team as an assistant. Head coach Coquese Washington said the for- mer Connecticut All-American will be "a tremendous addition to our coaching staff and to our women's basketball pro- gram. Her accomplishments and experi- ences on both the college and profes- sional level are truly impressive." Before getting into coaching, Williams-Jeter starred on two national championship teams with the Huskies, and she also played seven seasons in the WNBA. She will coach the post players at Penn State. ■

• Cover