Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/847744
2 0 1 7 S E A S O N P R E V I E W 10-2: The offense will continue to be dynamic. OL will continue its improve- ment, allowing the RBs to have more op- portunities and give McSorley more time to throw. TE/WR group will be strong again. Look for the passing game to be more diverse, with short/intermediate routes to TE and RBs. Moorhead will add more plays to the playbook. The LB group appears solid. I'm looking for breakout years from a couple of the defensive line- men. I'd love to say 11-1, but I'm not sure all the bounces will go our way late in the game like last year. It will still be a great year with a major bowl game and a win this year in the bowl. waltpsuscranton 11-1: If the O goes as it should go, most is on the D. I think the D will be much improved. Giving up all the points they did to USC, Pitt and Wisconsin just shouldn't happen – and can't happen – if PSU is to have the big year we are all expecting. gorki11 10-2: I think the Shoe will be tough, and Iowa will be the sleeper team that bites us. This year we will be more consistent on defense. We have a load of young tal- ent on the DL, and it will be exciting to watch that group grow up. I would like to see Pry blitz less, especially on third down. The defense won't be top 10 na- tionally, but it will be solid and continue to come up big – as it did against OSU and Wisconsin last year. Offensively, we will improve up front but continue to struggle to move the sticks on third down. Teams will load the box against Barkley and dare us to throw. ColinPSU 10-2: OSU will remember last October. The other loss comes from either Northwestern or (and I know people don't want to hear this) Michigan. The expectation bar is being set rather high for this year's team, and if PSU isn't blowing everybody out by 30-plus points, the bitching will be deafening. Just sayin'. Lioneyez 11-1: This season is going to have lots of drama, twists and turns. There will be a key injury or two to deal with to chal- lenge the staff to make adjustments. We lose to one of the following: Indiana, Northwestern or Ohio State, unfortu- nately. We make the playoff, win the first round and lose in the final. tgar 12-0: I say that they run the table, and the winner of the national champi- onship game is a toss-up, since we don't know who PSU will be facing. Why not? The only factor they will face that could keep them from being perfect is injuries, of course. Then again, look at the depth PSU now possesses at every spot. Per- sonally, I'm not awed one bit by OSU, and I'm 100 percent certain that the kids aren't, either. SJLuvsLions 10-2: We could be a better team than last season and still go 9-3 in the regular season. We are better, but our conference schedule is tougher than last season. Those two losses are in conference and keep us out of the Big Ten Championship Game, unless we get some help via other upsets of Ohio State. A top-10 ranking earns us a New Year's Six bowl, the Fiesta being most likely. This team will be no worse than 9-3, but 11-1 or 12-0 would not be surprising. The upset bug seems to never take a season off, though. Bob78 9-3: I have no doubt that our offense will be in the top 20 and be very explo- sive. Our kicking game will improve from a very good 2016 season. The defense will be adequate. However, the schedule is fairly difficult, especially the away games. No need to discuss the OSU game in Columbus – it will be tough coming away with the W. I think the away games at Iowa and Northwestern will also be tough. But the thing that really scares me is how lethargic we were last year in the first half. If Franklin and Moorhead don't solve that problem, our record may not even reach 9-3. If that problem works it- self out, I'm predicting 10-2. freckles3 12-0: Why not? Will need to remain fairly injury-free with some key person- nel, and the defense needs to replace Brandon Bell's awesome contribution. Here's to fair following winds and good bounces. SW Fla Lion What do you think the Lions' record will be in 2017? LAST YEAR'S BEST PICKS W E B S U R V E Y 10-2: Moorhead's offense will turn out to be as advertised! We have the best group of skill position players in the Big Ten. The offensive line is experienced, and the zone blocking in the spread sys- tem will allow them to excel. The de- fense will be top three or four in the Big Ten, as long as we stay healthy at line- backer and defensive tackle. cp4psu 10-2: It will require a lot of things going our way: a healthy starting QB all season long (70-plus percent completions) and one or two young offensive linemen step- ping up to provide good depth… our bevy of talented RBs complementing our bevy of talented WRs for ball control… our de- fense led by a healthy trio of talented linebackers, backed up by an army of de- fensive backs improving their team play, specifically their interception numbers… at least one true frosh special teamer giv- ing our young defense better field posi- tion than in the past… a dynamic new offense scoring 35-38 points per game, further reducing pressure on the defense, as we beat everyone we should and upset two of the four current powerhouses. No- body sees it coming, but as happens from time to time, a perfect storm forms over central Pa. This one will last at least three or four years. BobE