A guy nobody talks about, yet keeps showing up in these practice vids is RS freshman walk on Zach Simpson. He's about 6'2", 290. I think he was a preferred walkon. I am just wondering if he is somebody who will end up on scholarship and contribute significantly at some point. He wouldn't be the first center walk on at PSU to do so. Zach is from Holidaysburg and was a HS standout.
2016 Pre Season Camp Reports
- Thread starter Judge Smails
- Start date
Great info Judge Smails.
Hope Saquon stays healthy and continues to have a monster-good career, leading to lots of wins on and off the field.
Wonderful to see the "right stuff" still alive and well among the Nittany Lions.
Saqon's maturity and leadership can impact many players and fans. His attitude is greatly appreciated.
Who is this group? Is the 3.25 GPA just for the 14 (out of 85+) in this photo?
It says Wide Receivers above the photo (don't click on the link). Are your eyes going?
Thanks for the wise a$$ response.
I see the "Wide Receivers" above the photo and I realize that Gattis is the WR coach. The problem is we don't have 14 WRs. I don't recognize the faces. Does this photo include TEs or ST players?
I did see Franklin's post that 58 kids scored above 3.0 and 9 had a perfect 4.0. Of course that's for summer and kids might have only taken 1-2 classes. Still sounds very good.
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Team Captains announced...
http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082316aaa.html
http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082316aaa.html
Aug. 23, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State football head coach James Franklin announced that seniors Brandon Bell (Mays Landing, N.J.), Brian Gaia (Pasadena, Md.) and Von Walker (Mill Hall, Pa.) have been voted as team captains for the 2016 season by their teammates. Walker is a team captain for the second consecutive year.
“These captains are proven leaders on and off the field and have been outstanding representatives of our program,” Franklin said. “These are guys that have our program’s best interest in mind and they bring us together as a group.”
Bell started 11 games last season and finished third on the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He also ranked sixth in the Big Ten and 32nd nationally in forced fumbles (3; 0.25 ffpg). Bell opened the season on a strong note with seven tackles and a team-high 2.5 TFL against Temple. He had nine tackles in the win over Rutgers and turned in a stellar performance with his second career interception and first career fumble recovery to go along with five tackles and a sack against Michigan. Bell ended the year with a game-high 11 tackles in the TaxSlayer Bowl against Georgia.
Gaia was the only offensive lineman to start every game last season. For his final season in the Blue & White, he is moving into the center position. Gaia has blocked for Penn State’s record-setting quarterback Christian Hackenberg, as well as Penn State freshman rushing record holder Saquon Barkley. Hackenberg became the first player in program history to throw for 8,000 yards, while Barkley became just the second Penn State freshman rusher to break the 1,000-yard mark. Gaia has started 25 games in the last two seasons since moving from the defensive side of the ball after his redshirt freshman season. Gaia is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Walker earned a scholarship in April 2015 after two seasons as a walk-on, including a move from running back to linebacker during 2014 spring practice. Walker appeared in 13 games last season and made two starts. He tied for fifth on the team with seven special teams tackles, including a team-best six on punt coverage. Overall, Walker made 10 stops (six solo) with a forced fumble and a blocked kick. He has also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors last year.
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State football head coach James Franklin announced that seniors Brandon Bell (Mays Landing, N.J.), Brian Gaia (Pasadena, Md.) and Von Walker (Mill Hall, Pa.) have been voted as team captains for the 2016 season by their teammates. Walker is a team captain for the second consecutive year.
“These captains are proven leaders on and off the field and have been outstanding representatives of our program,” Franklin said. “These are guys that have our program’s best interest in mind and they bring us together as a group.”
Bell started 11 games last season and finished third on the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He also ranked sixth in the Big Ten and 32nd nationally in forced fumbles (3; 0.25 ffpg). Bell opened the season on a strong note with seven tackles and a team-high 2.5 TFL against Temple. He had nine tackles in the win over Rutgers and turned in a stellar performance with his second career interception and first career fumble recovery to go along with five tackles and a sack against Michigan. Bell ended the year with a game-high 11 tackles in the TaxSlayer Bowl against Georgia.
Gaia was the only offensive lineman to start every game last season. For his final season in the Blue & White, he is moving into the center position. Gaia has blocked for Penn State’s record-setting quarterback Christian Hackenberg, as well as Penn State freshman rushing record holder Saquon Barkley. Hackenberg became the first player in program history to throw for 8,000 yards, while Barkley became just the second Penn State freshman rusher to break the 1,000-yard mark. Gaia has started 25 games in the last two seasons since moving from the defensive side of the ball after his redshirt freshman season. Gaia is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Walker earned a scholarship in April 2015 after two seasons as a walk-on, including a move from running back to linebacker during 2014 spring practice. Walker appeared in 13 games last season and made two starts. He tied for fifth on the team with seven special teams tackles, including a team-best six on punt coverage. Overall, Walker made 10 stops (six solo) with a forced fumble and a blocked kick. He has also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors last year.
The picture includes all players listed as WR. We do have 14 players listed as WR on the roster.
08/24/2016 Practice Updates...
Coach CJF Announces Trace as starting QB
Trace's Reaction to be named starting QB
Coach CJF Announces Trace as starting QB
Trace's Reaction to be named starting QB
Thanks for posting that. I always expect the Franklin after practice mini PC video to show up on my twitter feed and it never does.
Manny Bowen at 220. Another 2nd string guy that I can't wait to see on the field....
its funny to go back to these pre season reports and see what has happened. I Agree with you on him Simpson (#64) he is on KO return, and really moves well for a big guy, I can see him playing.
