Spring Camp News Thread....

[Judge Smails]

I think there is a real chance this is Bates last year with Penn State before the NFL and Menet could get a look at Tackle also in 2018

There are very few offensive linemen that leave early for the pros. And while he should be a very good tackle for us, he doesn't have typical NFL size for the position at 6-4. Maybe he leaves a year early. I highly doubt he leaves two years early. Continuing to add strength is vital for OL.

 

[Judge Smails]

You can't say that for certain. Zembiec will have more than a year in this system on Clifford and Fields is not even a part of the roster and let's face it, may never be.

Don't get me wrong, I'm praying we sign Fields, he could be Franklin's most important recruit going forward, he's that good, but I'm slightly worried about a Brandon Wimbush episode and him succumbing to the pressure of staying in the SEC.

Franklin has made it clear, two straight weeks, that he isn't improving his strength and size quickly enough. I've heard before that that his arm strength is an issue. He is clearly behind Stevens right now. So pencil in 2019 for Stevens. By 2020, Zembiec will be a RS Sr, by my calculations? Clifford a RS Jr.

Agree to disagree, but I don't think he'll still be around then.

 

[lionlurker]

I'd be inclined to agree. I think this is his last year with us.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I certainly don't take Pitt for granted. PSU's defense has to replace 5 starters (Reid, Golden, Bell, Sickels, and Schwan) from a squad that was only 8th in the B1G last year. Pitt has to replace their starting QB Peterman but they're getting Browne who was the #2 QB prospect in the country back in 2013. That might actually be an improvement. The bigger question for Pitt is that they have to replace Bisnowaty & Johnson on the OL. Pitt still has play makers with guys like Henderson & Ollison.

The good news is that PSU's offense should be really good this year. This might be like 1994 when we had a great offense and a very average defense.

Quick strike offenses (like 1994) and up tempo offenses offenses are very tough on their own defenses. They do not provide a great deal of rest for the defense between the other teams offensive possessions and overall end up leaving the defense on the field too long overall.

 

[mean15]

Quick strike offenses (like 1994) and up tempo offenses offenses are very tough on their own defenses. They do not provide a great deal of rest for the defense between the other teams offensive possessions and overall end up leaving the defense on the field too long overall.

That's why good defensive depth is so important. Keep running fresh legs in there.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

With Elite 11 Sean Clifford and #1 overall Justin Fields coming in, writing is on the wall for Zembiec. He'll never play here.

Yeah, but he's really good friends with Shane Simmons - do you see him bailing to play somewhere else? Or do you think he'll be content to be on the team and around friends (I mean, being on the team has lots and lots of benefits that go above and beyond football....).

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

How about this for a 2nd string offensive line in the fall:

LT Fries
LG CJ Thorpe
C Menet
RG Miranda
RT Jenkins/Gellerstadt

They LOVE Miranda for the amount of times that his name has been brought up by coaches and players. Getting time running with the ones as a true frosh. He's at 295, hopefully he can redshirt and get up over 310 for next year. Guard will be a battle between Menet, Miranda, Thorpe, Gonzalez in 2018.

Yeah - I am surprised to hear Miranda so much. Really encouraging! Hope JF can convince more guys to enroll early - he seemed to harp on that a bit at his mini presser.

 

[Judge Smails]

Yeah, but he's really good friends with Shane Simmons - do you see him bailing to play somewhere else? Or do you think he'll be content to be on the team and around friends (I mean, being on the team has lots and lots of benefits that go above and beyond football....).

He's the only one who can decide that. You see QB transfers all the time. Whatever makes him happiest. JF has them getting their degrees in 3 years. Assume he could be a grad transfer and play 2 years somewhere if he wanted to. This is all just premature speculation, which is my fault.

 

[artsandletters]

JF has been alluding to the fact that Zembiec can't seem to get any bigger, no matter how hard he tries.

Zembiec is listed at 6'3" and 209. Why isn't that a decent size? 215, would that be acceptable? Now arm strength is something altogether different if Jake can't make the throws. But something will have to give at QB. I hope Stevens sticks around for one year of starting. Even then, if Clifford and, hopefully Fields, excel, what happens then? The Cowherd video got my attention regarding Darnold, Browne and Town at SC. It's a good problem to have at QB but I wouldn't want to be a QB that has to depend on an injury to see significant playing time.

Stevens needs to get more reps this year than he did last year when the score is lopsided.

 

[Judge Smails]

Zembiec is listed at 6'3" and 209. Why isn't that a decent size? 215, would that be acceptable?

You have to go watch JF's media availability video from yesterday. He talks about it at length. "Strong arm" is actually due a lot to the lower body strength, which he's talked about two straight weeks of Zembiec really needing to work on it.

 

[royboy]

Stevens needs to get more reps this year than he did last year when the score is lopsided.

I expect that:
there will be more occasions when the score does get lopsided
Stevens will then get more playing time, at which times...
the score will get even more lopsided

I see #2 as a human victory cigar and an increasing fan favorite

 

[21Guns]

A very minor issue, but I think the 1994 defense gets a bad rap. PSU demolished most opponents that year, and was out to big leads in many of the games. As a result, Joe put the second and third teamers out there early, which helped make some final scores closer than they should have been (like the 35-29 Indiana final). The defense certainly was not as good (great) as the offense, but they came up big on the rare occasions it was needed (e.g., against Illinois) and did their share of the work in getting PSU out to those big leads in the first place.

Every time they needed to get a stop, they got a stop. Every time they needed a turnover, they got a turnover. Every time they needed to get off the field, they got off the field.

Indiana: They made plays and forced turnovers to help turn a close game into a comfortable win. As I have said over and over, the reason it was close was Joe called off the dogs, and Indiana tried to make it look close.

Illinois: That game was not over after Milne capped off the drive. There was still over a minute to play, and they had to make a stop. They forced a hail mary, and made an interception to seal the game.

Michigan: They needed to stop Michigan late, to preserve the win. They forced a fourth and short and then Miller intercepted.

USC: They shut out the Trojans in the first half on the way to an easy win.

Northwestern: They scored two defensive touchdowns on a "so-so" day for that great offense.

Oregon: They held the Ducks to 14 points and made the stops every time in the fourth quarter, to seal the deal.


The 1994 defense was excellent.

 

[Delco Lion]

Good assessment of JF's comments on Zembeic. Would be surprised if he is here in the Fall. Miranda is the type of 3 star I posted about that the Lions need 2-3 of each year. Only other top 20-30 program to offer was Nebraska. He has the potential to be a great player.

 

[Ian]

Clifford/ Fields are next in line. Stevens and Zembiac are good to great #2's.

 

[bsmith51]

Clifford/ Fields are next in line. Stevens and Zembiac are good to great #2's.

Stevens is legit. The other QBs will need to be extraordinarily special to overtake him in 2019. Despite recruiting rankings, you never know what you have until they get on campus. So I think assuming someone will overtake Stevens is speculative at best.

 

[Ian]

Love Stevens athletic ability but haven't seen anything QB wise to get excited about besides his running.... at 6-4 230, he'd make a great flex TE, though.

 

[Obliviax]

Love Stevens athletic ability but haven't seen anything QB wise to get excited about besides his running.... at 6-4 230, he'd make a great flex TE, though.

keep watching. he's not as accurate as McS, but he's a much better runner and has a stronger arm. McS, obviously, has great presence and decision making ability. I am comfortable with Stevens handling the offense if, God forbid, McS needs to come out.

 

[bsmith51]

I really had a feeling that Zembiec had and "it" factor and he'd eventually pressure Stevens for the back up. Is Zembiec really too small for the position? McSorely isn't exactly Cam Newton either, and relies on moxie and guile as opposed to pure athletic gifts. I wonder whether the size thing is the real issue or maybe Stevens is just clearly better?

I didn't take Franklin's comments to be about sheer size. I took them to go to strength and explosion. Trace and Tommy are terrific athletes. Look at the QB leader boards in the gym that were posted a couple of weeks ago. Trace put up some blazing times for a QB (forty, pro agility, etc.). He tested more like a DB than a QB. And Tommy was not far behind.

 

[royboy]

I didn't take Franklin's comments to be about sheer size. I took them to go to strength and explosion. Trace and Tommy are terrific athletes. Look at the QB leader boards in the gym that were posted a couple of weeks ago. Trace put up some blazing times for a QB (forty, pro agility, etc.). He tested more like a DB than a QB. And Tommy was not far behind.

Stevens as a runner last year
21 carries
198 net yards
9.4 avg
2 TDs

He can scramble, and he can ramble

 

[mjh218]

If Stevens can't find the field as a QB, my guess is they will find places for him as an athlete. Maybe goal line situations, or playing in the slot.

 

[CappyToCJF]

I certainly don't take Pitt for granted. PSU's defense has to replace 5 starters (Reid, Golden, Bell, Sickels, and Schwan) from a squad that was only 8th in the B1G last year. Pitt has to replace their starting QB Peterman but they're getting Browne who was the #2 QB prospect in the country back in 2013. That might actually be an improvement. The bigger question for Pitt is that they have to replace Bisnowaty & Johnson on the OL. Pitt still has play makers with guys like Henderson & Ollison.

The good news is that PSU's offense should be really good this year. This might be like 1994 when we had a great offense and a very average defense.

Plain and simple, Brown flunked out of USC football......

Why would anyone assume he is now the #2 QB in his class. If he was a respected talent he would have had better options than pitt

 

[bplionfan]

 

[artsandletters]

Stevens as a runner last year
21 carries
198 net yards
9.4 avg
2 TDs

He can scramble, and he can ramble

When Tommy got reps it was basically a wildcat formation with a TB. Did he even have any passing attempts? I guess he did but his runs were so memorable that I've forgotten them.

 

[artsandletters]

View embedded media

Ha! After leaving PSU, Feldman met with Moorhead's replacement, Fordham head coach and Moorhead mentee, Andrew Breiner. Feldman even mentioned that he expected Breiner to be FBS-bound.

 

[marshall23]

Ha! After leaving PSU, Feldman met with Moorhead's replacement, Fordham head coach and Moorhead mentee, Andrew Breiner. Feldman even mentioned that he expected Breiner to be FBS-bound.

It could be that there is a nice relationship between Fordham and PSU. It could continue to be mutually beneficial. Andrew Jackson, a grad asst. the past few years at PSU was recently hired at Fordham.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[getmyjive11]

It sounds great on paper but we haven't seen any of them play.

I'm not sure what to make of the positive comments about Miranda and others. Coaches and players seldom make negative comments to the public.

It certainly appears like we'll be in the best shape we've been on the OL in quite some time. Maybe we'll see more running and fewer long passes. 3rd and 2 would be a lot better than 3rd and 8.

It sounds like Miranda is legit, which is awesome. He was so damn good in HS... glad to see it transferring over in college. I'm feeling good about 8-9 guys right now, which is fantastic for the spring. I wouldn't be surprised if another one shows his worth. Even better is that six of those guys have 3 or more years left.

 

[21Guns]

Clifford/ Fields are next in line. Stevens and Zembiac are good to great #2's.

Tommy Stevens is not a "#2". Tommy Stevens is a 1A. He's a damn good quarterback and we can win with him just like we win with Trace.

 

[21Guns]

It sounds like Miranda is legit, which is awesome. He was so damn good in HS... glad to see it transferring over in college. I'm feeling good about 8-9 guys right now, which is fantastic for the spring. I wouldn't be surprised if another one shows his worth. Even better is that six of those guys have 3 or more years left.

Well, here is the thing about Miranda: IF he is running with the ones this spring, then they believe in him. That's a GOOD thing. Means, if he is needed this fall, he is ready, and he'll be an asset.

 

[21Guns]

I still do not know who is starting where on this line, other than left tackle and center. Three spots and I don't honestly know who gets them.

ANOTHER good thing.

 

[Ian]

My guess on opening day. That's a very nice 2 deep. Thorpe will play. Two seniors although Wright could also graduate.

#1 Bates, Gonzo, McGovern, *Mahon, Wright
#2 Fries, Menet, Simpson, Thorpe, *Nelson
#3 Geller., Martin, Miranda, Holmes, Jenkins

 

[artsandletters]

My guess on opening day. That's a very nice 2 deep. Thorpe will play. Two seniors although Wright could also graduate.

#1 Bates, Gonzo, McGovern, *Mahon, Wright
#2 Fries, Menet, Simpson, Thorpe, *Nelson
#3 Geller., Martin, Miranda, Holmes, Jenkins

I don't think Thorpe will play unless really needed. Hasn't Mahon proven to be more effective at T than G?

 

[royboy]

When Tommy got reps it was basically a wildcat formation with a TB. Did he even have any passing attempts? I guess he did but his runs were so memorable that I've forgotten them.

Hey, he had a 66.7% completion mark. (2 completions on 3 attempts)

 

[ras5051]

I don't think Thorpe will play unless really needed. Hasn't Mahon proven to be more effective at T than G?

yeah - can't see how Thorpe would see time over Miranda. Miranda is an early enrollee who is getting a lot of praise. Being an early enrollee seems to make a big difference on OL. See McGovern vs Menet.

 

[Gitzit]

View embedded media

Did Simmons get worn down after only two plays? He looks small yet

 

[getmyjive11]

yeah - can't see how Thorpe would see time over Miranda. Miranda is an early enrollee who is getting a lot of praise. Being an early enrollee seems to make a big difference on OL. See McGovern vs Menet.

Agreed. Thorpe has some work to do to get his body ready. He definitely will need a RS year.

 

[getmyjive11]

Did Simmons get worn down after only two plays? He looks small yet

He is always going to be a bit undersized. But no, it didn't look like he wore down but rather he held his position and allowed the other guys to do there job. He actually looks a little more physical than what I was expecting.

 

[palehorse]

He is always going to be a bit undersized. But no, it didn't look like he wore down but rather he held his position and allowed the other guys to do there job. He actually looks a little more physical than what I was expecting.

He's just shy of 250 in the spring of his true freshman year. He's added almost 20 lbs in less than a year. I think we can slow the roll on him being undersized.

 

[Judge Smails]