Right now how does our starting offense and defense look?
- Thread starter PennStateNate
- Start date
Barring injury, here's where I think we'll be entering fall camp:
QB - McSorley
RB - Barkley
WR - Godwin
WR - Blacknall
WR (slot) - Hamilton
TE - Gesicki
LT - Nelson
LG - Bates
C - Gaia
RG - Dowrey (probably the most questionable - Menet, McGovern, or Gonzalez could take this spot in camp)
RT - Palmer
DE - Sickels
DT - White
DT - Cothren
DE - Schwan
LB - Bell
LB - Wartman-White
LB - Cabinda
CB - Haley
S - Allen
S - Golden
CB - Reid
CB (Nickel) - Campbell
QB - McSorley
RB - Barkley
WR - Godwin
WR - Blacknall
WR (slot) - Hamilton
TE - Gesicki
LT - Nelson
LG - Bates
C - Gaia
RG - Dowrey (probably the most questionable - Menet, McGovern, or Gonzalez could take this spot in camp)
RT - Palmer
DE - Sickels
DT - White
DT - Cothren
DE - Schwan
LB - Bell
LB - Wartman-White
LB - Cabinda
CB - Haley
S - Allen
S - Golden
CB - Reid
CB (Nickel) - Campbell
You don't believe Mahon could be starting at RG? I know he played better at RT than RG. The kid certainly has all the physical tools but his play at OG has been sub-par so far, along the rest of the OL. Just thought he was a better pass protector than Dowrey. We'll have to wait and see.
I'm not so sure Palmer has the right guard spot locked up either. Otherwise, that lineup would be my best guess also.
You're right - I'm not sure why I forgot about Mahon. I could easily see Mahon slotting in at RG or RT by the Kent State game.
Ideally somebody steps up and takes the left tackle position and runs with it leaving Andrew Nelson to start at right tackle.
Here are your Big Ten opening starters.
QB - Tommy Stevens
RB - Saquan Barkley
WR - Chris Godwin
WR - Saeed Blacknall
WR - Brandon Polk
TE - Mike Gesicki
LT - Andrew Nelson
LG - Ryan Bates
C - Brian Gaia
RG - Steven Gonzalez
RT - Paris Palmer
LE - Garrett Sickels
DT - Kevin Givens
NT - Tyrell Chavis
RE - Torance Bown
OLB - Brandon Bell
MLB - Nayeem Wartman-White
OLB - Jason Cabinda
CB - John Reid
S - Marcus Allen
S - Malik Golden
CB - Grant Haley
Here are your Big Ten opening starters.
QB - Tommy Stevens
RB - Saquan Barkley
WR - Chris Godwin
WR - Saeed Blacknall
WR - Brandon Polk
TE - Mike Gesicki
LT - Andrew Nelson
LG - Ryan Bates
C - Brian Gaia
RG - Steven Gonzalez
RT - Paris Palmer
LE - Garrett Sickels
DT - Kevin Givens
NT - Tyrell Chavis
RE - Torance Bown
OLB - Brandon Bell
MLB - Nayeem Wartman-White
OLB - Jason Cabinda
CB - John Reid
S - Marcus Allen
S - Malik Golden
CB - Grant Haley
Brown will get lots of PT at DE.
Givens will see time at DT.
I expect a surprise or two on the OL
Not sure when we see Sanders
Some of these positions make a lot more sense to list the 2 deep. For example, the DT 2nd string is going to see almost as much time as the 1st string. There is no more anchor that plays the majority of the snaps there. The 2nd string RB is going to see a ton of time to spell Barkley. The 4th and 5th WRs in will see a ton of snaps as will the 2nd string TE. 2nd string DEs should also get fair amount of time. Glad to see the nickel addressed for this reason in some of your prognostications.
Based on what we have seen out of the various versions of Moorhead's offense Hamilton would play the same role as Godwin. Big Ten defenses are far too good to battle against without a deep threat which is where Polk and Thompkins come into play. I have Hamilton as the first off the bench. I think he gets a lot of playing time but won't start.
Blacknall is deep threat (super fast, Godwin is power receiver, hamilton possession receiver. Mark it down, bet you 12 tailgate beerz that's the starting lineup barring injury
I agree with you on all points, and Brown vs. Schwan at DE was the one other big position that I went back and forth on - but I think that Schwan enters fall camp with the starting job. I wouldn't be surprised to see Brown take the job by the time we get into the conference schedule. I think Givens is in the same boat with Cothren - but I think Cothren enters camp with the job. Sanders enters as a situational back (and hopefully in the return game), but it's not uncommon to see backs get nicked up, so I think that even though Barkley and Robinson will be ahead of him (I think Sanders passes Allen in camp) he'll still see touches in the early going. OL is the big one, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a lineup like Nelson/Bates/Gaia/Mahon/Menet or even a young lineup of Nelson/Bates/Gaia/McGovern/Menet by the time we roll into conference play.
Blacknall apparently ran the fastest 40 yard dash of all the receivers on the team in spring ball. Blacknall and Godwin will be on the outside, with Hamilton in the slot. Hamilton in the slot and Godwin on the outside are sure things, and hopefully Blacknall takes a big step in usage and consistency - if not, Johnson and Charles are knocking on the door. Polk/Thompkins will likely enter the game in 4WR sets - which we'll see plenty of.
Linebacker is only a problem if a starter gets hurt. If not, all three are candidates for first team all Big Ten honors.
D-line, I am not as down as much as most. Assuming the scheme stays roughly the same, I project Sickels to switch sides replacing Nassib with maybe a half set back, Bown to replace and upgrade the right side with Givens and Chavis starting inside. Givens might be a step forward against the pass while Chavis might be better against the run. Overall, I could see anything form a half step forward for the group to a full step back. However, as a whole, I could see the defense taking a step forward with expected improvement at linebacker and in the secondary.
I think that traditional thinking would lead to that conclusion and not necessarily be wrong. But with the talk that Franklin's philosophy is to have players on track to graduate in 4 years as well as to play the best players, it would lead us to believe that he will not redshirt.
So unless sanders comes in and is just overwhelmed or can't pick up the schemes, BOTH OF WHICH I HIGHLY DOUBT WOULD BE THE CASE, I would think that the staff will find a place/role for him to contribute. Even if it's for 5 carries, slot receiver, or returner he most likely be on the field in some capacity. Also I think the staff would love to see sanders contributing in a big way for the Pitt game as a way to needle Pitt for recruiting.
It will be exciting to see how it develops.
Sanders, like most elite RB recruits, have lately sought to declare eligibility for the draft as quickly as allowed in order to save mileage on their legs. Sanders, if he's as good as advertised (and I see no reason at this point to believe that he isn't) will likely be gone after his junior year - the same as Barkley. I'm sure Sanders wouldn't really mind a redshirt because it doesn't delay his draft clock and continues to save mileage on his legs, but redshirting him doesn't really benefit Penn State too much, as they won't benefit from the extra year of eligibility because he'll be long gone.
Robinson redshirted due to injury. Barkley and Sanders won't redshirt because the program doesn't benefit from it whatsoever. Even five touches in 2016 will benefit Penn State in the long run more than having him redshirt.
