I look forward to every PSU season with excitement. But I don't buy the "its a young team" therory.
Look at the leaders on this year's team and then look at the weaknesses on this year's team.
Do the leader's have legit, experienced replacements?
And do the positions of weakness have legit optimism for improvement for 2023?
Leaders that will not return for 2023 or will likely not return:
1. CB JP Jr - I don't see a legit 2nd shut down corner on the roster. I say 2nd, as King will likely be the leader at CB in 2023 but who will replace him as the 2nd starter and who will add to the depth at CB and be playmakers? It is great that Cam Miller is playing as a true frosh and the 2023 class may yield a player that can play some as a true frosh in 2023.
2. PJ Mustipher - PJ does not seem to be the player he was before he was injured, but he is still the best 1-tech DT on the roster. Franklin finally publically admitted that his DL's need to get bigger to line up equally with UM and oh-high-ya, and other top programs, but where are the war daddy DT's? Not on the roster and not in the 2022 and 2023 classes.
3. J. Brown - JB rivals JPJr as leader of the secondary and is one of the 2 or 3 best players on the 2022 defense. I'm more optimistic that even as big an impact that he has on the defense he can be replaced because Reed, Wheatley and Winston each look super talented and together with Reed and the other young Safety's in the 2022 and 2023 classes this is as much talent at Safety as PSU has had in at least 30 years.
4. Clifford - Some here can't wait for him to move on, but he has done a great job of leading this 2022 team in spite of not having a consistent legit #1 WR and having a pretty average oline. We all love Allar, but he'll have some growing pains when he takes over and won't be the leader Clifford is until likely 2024.
5. Fashanu - If he leaves for the NFL after this season the OL will take a step backwards as he is really the only legit above average OT on the PSU roster.
Positions of weakness:
1. LB - As this season has gone along and Carter has gotten playing time, as Elson and King have gotten somewhat more comfortable at Mike, there has been some improvement. I do see improvement at LB in 2023 IF Jacobs returns and move back to Sam and pairs with Carter at Will and a more experienced player at Mike we should see improved LB play in 2023.
2. WR - Washington showed up big against Minnesota, but he has not played as a #1 WR so far in 2022. Tinsley, an adequate starter, will be gone. KLS will hopefully improve in 2023. Wallace has not made the most of his playing time. In spite of using multiple scholarships at WR year after year I don't see dynamic WR's on the roster.
3. Oline - In spite of the OL being below average for the last few years the staff has not been able to put together strong and deep OL recruiting classes. The OL pipeline currently on the PSU roster is not deep, especially at OT. If Fashanu leaves PSU has to hope that Shelton can play as a RS freshman or that a great OT player can be attracted through the Portal which is unlikely.
3. DT - Getting bigger at DT and DE to better shut down power running teams will not happen in one off season, and at this point with only 1 DT in the 2022 class and only 1 so far in the 2023 class improvement in DL size will need to come via S&C program progress with the current roster of DL players.
So unless PSU some how, via the transfer portal or via a few top 2023 class players adding to the 2022 class standouts, PSU can address the position weaknesses, PSU will need a good bit more young talent to surface for 2023 for the 2023 PSU team to take a step forward in challenging OSU for the top of the B10. Some of the young talent that has surfaced so far in 2022 (Carter, King, Wheatley, DDS, Durant, Allar, and the TE's) will also have to step up and become the next team leaders.