The Penn State football beat gets its first glimpse of training camp Saturday, when the Nittany Lions host their annual media day in State College. We’ll have coverage of the event, including impressions from practice and James Franklin’s press conference, so follow along all weekend.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at the best Penn State stories of the week, including a Nittany Lions scouting report from some Big Ten players and a reflective piece on how Franklin’s childhood shaped the coach, and father, he is now.
Is Penn State “natty or bust” this season?
It’s a trite phrase that tends toward short-sidedness but one that nevertheless always is in preseason play. Are the Nittany Lions “natty or bust” for the 2025 season? An Ohio State Buckeye thought they might be.
“I think they’re probably ‘natty or bust’ this year,” Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles said. “That’s how they’re feeling. They’ve got a lot of guys who came back for their last year: Drew [Allar] the two running backs, got a few guys on defense that are in their last year as well, so I know they’re going to be a great team.”
At Big Ten Football Media Days, we asked conference players and coaches for their thoughts on Penn State. The consensus was, it’s going to be a formidable team. Further, Franklin received raves for hiring former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who tormented the Nittany Lions over the past two seasons.
Meanwhile, the Oregon Ducks can’t help but peek ahead to the White Out on Sept. 27. But first, both teams have to play a non-conference schedule, and Franklin defended his.
Are you excited about Penn State’s non-conference schedule?
ESPN ranked Penn State’s noncon as the easiest “by a mile” among Power 4 teams. Who cares, Franklin said. “I’m excited and happy about our schedule and the opportunities that we have,” the Penn State coach said.
Non-conference scheduling arguments matter more during the preseason, until, of course, they impact a regular season. We know why Franklin schedules more softly than other coaches. He believes the nine-game Big Ten card is enough and wants to maximized his program’s playoff chances. Nothing wrong there.
But Penn State can’t schedule Nevada, FIU and Villanova during a three-game September stretch and then wonder why single-game ticket sales might be soft. Penn State is offering $30 base-price tickets to the opener of its most-anticipated season in 26 years. Fans certainly will fill Beaver Stadium for the Oregon game, but the three-game runway might take an attendance toll.
Penn State’s receivers make a pact
Marques Hagans, Penn State’s third-year receivers coach, provided a glimpse inside a position room whose remake is the offense’s top story. After two underwhelming seasons, the Nittany Lions’ receivers need to take a larger stake in the offense’s success this year. Which prompted a new pact.
“I get it,” Hagans said. “People are passionate about football here, and I know that right, wrong or indifferent, there’s been a negative association with the receivers. And quite frankly, I hear it. But we’re not gonna allow that to infiltrate who we are. Like, we’re here to work. We’re here to find a way to get better. That’s what we’re gonna focus on. And I think, more than anything, this year, we made a pact to say, ‘We’re gonna burn the f—— boats, excuse my language.”
Drew Allar enters 2025 a changed quarterback
Penn State’s third-year starter is leaner and quicker, has a unique new sounding board in Knowles and possesses a clear vision of what’s important this season. From this Chase Fisher story on the changed quarterback:
Allar’s gone through the disappointment of rewatching tape of his most painful losses, including reliving his costly interception against Notre Dame, to become a better version of himself.
What he found is that his mistakes, while frustrating, are “easily correctable.” Allar noted them as “bad habits” and made a consistent effort through the offseason to improve so they don’t show up in marquee matchups.
What else Penn State fans should be reading
Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times wrote a layered, complex profile of Franklin that centered on his childhood. The story provided a rare glimpse into Franklin’s upbringing and how it shaped his future as a coach and father.
Audrey Snyder, one of the top reporters on the Penn State beat, is writing independently at her new Substack site “Inside the Lions.”
While the Penn State-rivalry is dormant, the schools are reviving their series in men’s basketball.
After its first Frozen Four appearance, Penn State men’s hockey signed an elite recruiting class.
Statecollege.com has a story on Penn State Blue Band history. Ellie Sheehan will be the first female to serve as drum major for the Blue Band in its 125-year history. She’ll perform her first ceremonial pregame flip Aug. 30 before Penn State kicks off vs. Nevada.