Blue White Illustrated

PENN STATE FOOTBALL >> BLUE-WHITE GAME PREVIEW P H I L G R O S Z ' S P R O J E C T E D 2 0 1 7 D E P T H C H A R T * OFFENSE QUARTERBACK 9 Trace McSorley 6-0 204 Sr./2 2 Tommy Stevens 6-4 224 Jr./3 7 Jake Zembiec 6-3 209 So./4 16 Billy Fessler 5-11 188 Sr./2 RUNNING BACK 26 Saquon Barkley 5-11 225 Jr./2 24 Miles Sanders OR 5-11 224 So./3 6 Andre Robinson OR 5-9 218 Jr./3 8 Mark Allen 5-6 181 Sr./2 39 Josh McPhearson 5-10 194 Sr./2 20 Johnathan Thomas 5-11 218 Sr./2 SLOT RECEIVER 5 DaeSean Hamilton 6-1 208 Sr./1 3 DeAndre Thompkins 5-11 193 Sr./2 10 Brandon Polk 5-9 180 Jr./3 1 K.J. Hamler** 5-9 170 Fr./4 WIDE RECEIVER - Z 13 Saeed Blacknall** 6-3 212 Sr./1 11 Irvin Charles 6-4 227 Jr./3 87 Dae'Lun Darien 6-4 211 So./4 WIDE RECEIVER - X 84 Juwan Johnson 6-4 225 Jr./3 5 DaeSean Hamilton OR 6-1 208 Sr./1 3 DeAndre Thompkins OR 5-11 193 Sr./2 11 Irvin Charles 6-4 227 Jr./3 TIGHT END 88 Mike Gesicki 6-6 253 Sr./1 83 Nick Bowers 6-4 269 Jr./3 18 Jonathan Holland OR 6-4 247 Jr./3 80 Danny Dalton OR 6-4 242 So./4 89 Tom Pancoast 6-3 240 Sr./1 LEFT TACKLE 52 Ryan Bates OR 6-4 312 Jr./3 70 Brendan Mahon 6-4 310 Sr./1 71 Will Fries OR 6-6 312 So./4 51 Alex Gellerstedt 6-6 308 So./4 LEFT GUARD 70 Brendan Mahon OR 6-4 310 Sr./1 52 Ryan Bates OR 6-4 312 Jr./3 62 Michal Menet 6-4 306 So./4 73 Mike Miranda 6-3 295 Fr./4 CENTER 66 Connor McGovern 6-5 312 So./3 62 Michal Menet 6-4 306 So./4 64 Zach Simpson 6-3 298 Jr./3 RIGHT GUARD 57 Steven Gonzalez OR 6-4 345 Jr./3 62 Michal Menet 6-4 306 So./4 73 Mike Miranda 6-3 295 Fr./4 RIGHT TACKLE 77 Chasz Wright OR 6-7 354 Sr./2 59 Andrew Nelson** 6-6 305 Sr./1 76 Sterling Jenkins 6-8 337 Jr./3 51 Alex Gellerstedt 6-6 308 So./4 DEFENSE STRONGSIDE DEFENSIVE END 48 Shareef Miller 6-5 261 Jr./3 97 Ryan Buchholz 6-6 280 Jr./3 46 Colin Castagna 6-4 259 Jr./2 49 Daniel Joseph 6-3 256 So./4 3-TECHNIQUE DEFENSIVE TACKLE 52 Curtis Cothran 6-5 293 Sr./1 30 Kevin Givens 6-1 281 Jr./3 42 Ellison Jordan OR 6-0 290 So./4 97 Ryan Buchholz 6-6 280 Jr./3 1-TECHNIQUE DEFENSIVE TACKLE 41 Parker Cothren 6-4 302 Sr./1 54 Robert Windsor 6-4 295 Jr./3 56 Tyrell Chavis 6-3 312 Sr./1 55 Antonio Shelton 6-2 305 So./4 WEAKSIDE DEFENSIVE END 19 Torrence Brown 6-3 259 Sr./2 34 Shane Simmons 6-3 244 So./4 44 Shaka Toney 6-3 222 So./4 WILL OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 43 Manny Bowen 6-1 224 Jr./2 31 Cam Brown 6-5 224 So./3 47 Brandon Smith 6-0 232 Sr./1 33 Jake Cooper** 6-1 225 Jr./2 MIDDLE LINEBACKER 40 Jason Cabinda 6-1 239 Sr./1 47 Brandon Smith 6-0 232 Sr./1 33 Jake Cooper** 6-1 225 Jr./2 SAM OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 7 Koa Farmer 6-1 230 Sr./2 9 Jarvis Miller 6-2 220 Jr./3 25 Brelin Faison-Walden 6-1 208 Fr./4 CORNERBACK 15 Grant Haley 5-9 183 Sr./1 21 Amani Oruwariye 6-1 211 Sr./2 14 Zech McPhearson 5-11 180 So./4 FREE SAFETY 2 Marcus Allen 6-2 206 Sr./1 24 Nick Scott OR 5-11 200 Sr./2 17 Garrett Taylor 6-0 200 Jr./3 27 T.J. Johnson 6-2 188 So./4 STRONG SAFETY 28 Troy Apke OR 6-1 212 Sr./1 23 Ayron Monroe OR 5-11 212 Jr./3 24 Nick Scott 5-11 200 Sr./2 16 John Petrishen 6-0 207 Jr./3 CORNERBACK 1 Christian Campbell 6-1 191 Sr./1 14 Zech McPhearson 5-11 180 So./4 38 Lamont Wade 5-9 193 Fr./4 27 T.J. Johnson 6-2 188 So./4 * Does not include freshmen set to arrive this summer | ** Missed some or all of spring practice with injury 2016, Simmons has lived up to the billing thus far in practice. Head coach James Franklin and assistant Sean Spencer spent the spring putting him through the ringer in anticipation of a signi2cant workload this fall. "Shane needs 1,000 reps. He did a great job on the scout team last year, but we need to get him to learn the de- fense, so he's getting 1,000 reps right now in spring ball and doing a nice job," Franklin said. "The defensive sta3 is pretty excited about his growth and what he brings to the table." Described as a wiry, athletic player with speed and explosiveness, Sim- mons has put on 25 pounds since ar- riving at Penn State without losing his unique attributes. Said Franklin, "He was looked at early on as kind of a pass rush guy, but now he's showing that he's going to be able to hold up against the run. So he's a guy that we're ex- cited about." Likewise, Toney has made a positive impression – and not just on the sta3. Redshirt sophomore le4 tackle Ryan Bates has had to go up against the team's two standout freshman defen- sive ends and has occasionally been on the wrong side of those one-on-one battles. Asked to indentify the most impres- sive ends he's faced lately, Bates said, "De2nitely Shane and Shaka. Shane is probably one of the better pass rushers we have. He's just so quick and agile. He got me one time during one-on- ones. Spence actually put it on Twit- ter, put me on blast. But it was one of the times he beat me. He got me, I'm not going to lie. He's a good player. Same with Shaka. Shaka is quick and agile. They both know how to come o3 the edge of the line." Brown understands their potential, too. That's why he isn't taking any- thing for granted as he prepares for the season. "The way I look at it, somebody could take my spot any day, any time," he said. "So I've got to stay on my P's and Q's and I've got to stay ahead of everybody else." ■

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