BWI Live: A Penn State football podcast from Blue White Illustrated

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Last Friday, the college football landscape felt the first tremors of the next big shift in how the sport will be run in the future. The SEC and the Big Ten announced they were creating a special advisory committee to help oversee the future of the sport. Many viewed this as the beginning of the end for the NCAA. Penn State football finds itself on the ship headed toward the future.

But what does that future look like? On today's BWI Live Show, we discuss how a new power structure will emerge and what factors matter on the way to it. Senior Editor Nate Bauer joins the show to lend his experienced eye to the situation.

We'll also discuss the team's defensive end situation outside of Dani Dennis-Sutton. Who will step up and play in that secondary pass-rushing role? Find out that, plus hear the BWI Mailbag that ends the show!

If you haven't yet, subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube so you don't miss our live shows, programmed videos, and breaking news. As always, you can check out the replay on the channel or embed it in the BWI Live articles.

The future of College football

We spend the first third of today's show discussing how college football has been masquerading as something different than the NFL, its professional counterpart. Bauer lists why he thinks the changes that will take place in the sport over the next several years will finally unmask the sport for what it has been for years.

Where does Penn State fit into this? Will the Big Ten change its model of team acquisition and start shedding less viable programs? According to Bauer, it's all on the table.

Penn State defensive end room

Another significant change for Penn State this upcoming year is at defensive end. While Dani Dennis-Sutton will likely step into the starring role after two seasons building to this moment, the other position remains unclaimed. Defensive ends Amin Vanover and Zuriah Fisher are the veterans who have the inside track to the spot, but who else factors in? Will Abdul Carter see a meaningful change in his usage? Or Will sophomore Jameial Lyons fall in Dennis-Suttons' footsteps. We discuss those ideas and the other variables that will present themselves in spring football.

BWI Mailbag

As always, the second half of the show is reserved for you. We take fan questions from the Blue White Illustrated message board and from the live chat during the show. Want to get your thoughts on air? The best way to is to subscribe to the site and ask a question in the mailbag submission thread, which is posted the day before the show.

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The undefeated and top-ranked Penn State Wrestling team takes on the seventh-ranked Ohio State wrestling team. Reporter Greg Pickel recaps the team's win over Maryland last weekend and gives his thoughts on the team's decisions at 149, plus preview the top matchups from the upcoming dual. 

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Today on the Penn State Recruiting Show, we’re discussing the final stages of the 2024 recruiting cycle before focusing on the next phase in 2025. We’re recapping the latest On3 rankings update before National Signing Day and then previewing the next and final Junior Day before the February dead period begins later this month.

Join the show live at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday on YouTube, or catch the replay embedded in this article. We’re bringing you the best recruiting content this offseason.

Penn State gets a five star player in final rankings

For the second time in three seasons, one of Penn State’s offensive line commits has earned a fifth star in the final recruiting rankings. Erie native Cooper Cousins skyrocketed up the rankings this fall after a dominant performance during the All-Star season. Recruiting Insiders Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz will discuss where Penn State’s top targets landed in the On300. Here’s what On3 national scout Cody Bellaire said about Cousins.

“Cooper Cousins’ tape is filled with pancakes and tossing defenders out of the club,” On3 National Scout Cody Bellaire wrote following his All-American week. “With that said, we knew he would be physical and feisty, but we didn’t know just how violent he would truly be when facing some of the top competition in the country. Throughout the week, Cousins was powerful at the point of attack. He finished blocks in the run game and was battling through the whistle during one-on-one’s. His movement skills were on full display during 9-on-7 and team periods.

We also discuss Jon Mitchell’s ascent back to the top 100 in the final On3 Rankings and where the rest of Penn State’s nine prospects landed on that list.

Penn State Junior Day Preview

Penn State hosts its final Junior Day before the dead period closes down recruiting for the month of February. We’ll discuss which regional prospects coming to Camppus this weekend are most important or interesting.

The player that stands out most is quarterback Matt Zollers. Snyder explains that while most junior day visits aren’t as critical, the quarterback differs. He also delves into why Zollers, in particular, is a critical visit this weekend.

We’ll also discuss regional receiver Jeff Exinor out of McDonogh and his fit with the program. Snyder gives a stat about receiver recruiting that is eye-opening. Lastly, we preview the 2026 class with Harrisburg offensive lineman Kevin Brown.

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Penn State Nittany Lion football fans are dying to know more about their team during the offseason. Today we’re profiling the safety position for this spring, updating fans on last weekend’s junior day, and discussing your thoughts on the BWI Mailbag.

Join Penn State football experts Sean Fitz and Nate Bauer as they discuss the topics you want to hear about on the BWI Mailbag Show. If you want to get a question on the air, submit it to the BWI Mailbag Submission Thread, which goes live on the message board the night prior.

Not a member? Join now and get access to the Lions Den and premium content for just one dollar.

As always, you can watch the complete show embedded in this article or on the Blue White Illustrated YouTube Channel.

Penn State Junior Day Recap

Penn State held its second Junior Day of the 2025 recruiting cycle this past weekend and Blue White Illustrated has you covered in the hours after it’s conclusion. Fitz and recruiting insider Ryan Snyder have reactions on the site, but Fitz gives an overview of the weekend. Was this another opportunity to pick up a commitment like they did the previous weekend? He discussed the expectations he had for this weekend.

Next, the team chooses another position to discuss as the Nittany Lions transition to 2024 and spring football. Bauer wrote a position overview earlier this week and the team discusses how that spot can take a step in 2024 and if Kevin Winston Jr can become a superstar.

Here’s what Winston had to say about his progress this past season.

That was my main thing. Getting better and better each game as the season goes on,” Winston said. “That was my main thing and my goal. That’s what I was looking forward to.”

You can check out the rest in Bauer’s article, which you can find here.

https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/penn-state-winter-outlook-safeties-offer-stability-amidst-db-shakeup/

BWI Mailbag

Today’s mailbag has a recruiting flavor but we still discuss Penn State’s current roster quite a bit. However, we start the show with the reaction to Michigan losing head coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. A member of the live show’s chat wants to know if there are any current players that Penn State might have a chance to recruit now that there’s a 30-day window for players to transfer after a coaching change. Does Fitz see anyone that makes sense? We discuss that topic, plus hit on the roster depth, Drew Allar’s mobility, and more.

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Can K.J. Winston lead Penn State safeties to new heights? | BWI Mailbag

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Snyder's junior day list: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/check-out-penn-state-football-recruiting-list-for-january-27-and-february-3-junior-day/

Fitz's list of 2024 risers: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/trimmings-four-penn-state-signees-trending-up-at-the-end-of-the-2024-cycle/

It's almost time for Penn State Football's second junior day of January, and there's plenty of recruiting news to discuss heading into the month's final weekend. Join the BWI Live Recruiting Show as insiders Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz discuss those topics and your thoughts!

We'll review the latest recruiting offers that Penn State sent out this week, plus review four-star defensive end Trent Wilson's top eight schools, which dropped earlier this week.

If you want to catch the show live, subscribe to the Blue White Illustrated YouTube Channel. We're live at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. You can catch the replay on the channel or here, embedded in this article.

Penn State recruiting news

The Penn State staff is expanding its board for 2025 and 2026, with more offers coming out each week. Today's show discusses recent public offers, including an NFL legacy linebacker and some top tight ends from down South.

We'll also discuss the latest decisions from top prospects this week. Top defensive tackle prospect Trent Wilson released a top eight schools. We'll discuss that and where defensive end Ari Watford committed.

Rankings for the Class of 2024 are still filtering in as we near the traditional signing day in February. We'll discuss where Penn State's prospects moved in the On300 National rankings, which take into account the updated 247 Sports lists.

Finally, we'll take questions from you! Join the chat live at 10 a.m. to ask a question of our experts.

Junior Day Preview

The biggest news of the week is that Penn State has another massive recruiting weekend with over 30 players expected to visit campus to learn more about Penn State. We'll discuss some of the players that Snyder listed in his recent article about the remaining junior days.

Penn State hosted just shy of 50 prospects this past Saturday, Jan. 20, for its first of three junior days before the dead period begins on Feb. 5. The second of those recruiting events is now set for this upcoming Saturday, Jan. 27. James Franklin and his staff will follow that up with one more the following weekend, Feb. 3.

Over the past few weeks, Blue White Illustrated has confirmed more than 50 prospects that plan to attend one of those two remaining dates.

Check out more by subscribing to Blue White Illustrated. Members get access to premium articles and content on the site.

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Penn State Junior Day #2 Preview | Latest Recruiting News

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The Penn State Wrestling team dominated Michigan and Michigan State this past weekend to remain undefeated on the season. The team is steamrolling towards another Big Ten Dual Championship, with Maryland marking the halfway point of the season this weekend. Wrestling reporter Greg Pickel discusses the biggest storylines coming from this past weekend and the first half of the year.

On today's show we're recapping this weekend's duals including the explosive efforts of Mithcel Mesenbrink. We'll discuss just how well the transfer is fitting into Penn State's wrestling culture. Penn State has decisions to make at 149 pounds between freshman Tyler Kasak and Davis Evans. We'll also cover the biggest surprises/news of the first half.

Finally, Greg will give fans a preview of the Sunday dual against Maryland.

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The Penn State Nittany Lions are a developmental team that won't solve their problems through the transfer portal. That's what head coach James Franklin said in the lead up to the Peach Bowl. Yes, the team does try to find select players to fill specific needs, but the team still believes in internal development.

So on today's BWI Live Show, we're discussing which players that didn't have big roles last year, need to take that step. We're also breaking down a unique opportunity for the team's defensive players. A certain position hasn't been open for three years, but thanks to graduation, is finally open. We'll discuss how good Curtis Jacobs and Daequan Hardy were in covering the slot for Penn State.

If you haven't yet, subscribe to the Blue White Illustrated YouTube Channel so you don't miss any of our live and breaking news content. We'll also provide you with coaches interviews and shows featuring wrestling and basketball.

Penn State slot coverage is an opportunity for a new batch of players

For the past three seasons Jacobs and Hardy have split the duties as the primary slot defenders in Penn State's defense. On today's show we're talking about the article featuring these two from last week. Here's an excerpt.

While Jacbos’ contributions as a coverage linebacker in the flat are harder to quantify, Hardy’s contributions are clear. No Big Ten cornerback had more third-down coverage snaps than Hardy over the last three seasons. Despite a rough start to the 2022 season, Hardy allowed a passer rating of just 50.9 into his coverage since 2021. No player with more than ten targets can boast such a low rating allowed, and no player saw more third-down targets than Hardy.

We'll explain how the team can replace these two and how Tom Allen's defense could potentially cause some changes to the type of player filling this role.

Owen Aliciene breakdown

If you haven't you can check out T-Frank's Film Room on new tackle commit Owen Aliciene. The Penn State Class of 2025 prospect joined the Nittany Lions after the team's first junior day of the new year. We'll discuss his talents and where he fits in the recent run of tall tackle prospects for offensive line coach Phil Trautwein.

Which Penn State players need to develop?

The team is deep into the offseason conditioning program, building themselves into the team they will be for 2024. But which players are critical for the team to see grow? There are some clear holes on the roster for a young player to fill in 2024 and some positions need competition to create overall growth for the team. We'll highlight the players that weren't starters in 2023 who need to be contributors next year, such as Tony Rojas, Omari Evans and Zion Tracy.

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Which young Penn State players need to develop this offseason?

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The Penn State Football program is in off-season mode as we enter the final days of January. While the team is toiling away in the player-development side of the program, the staff is busy hosting future prospects for junior days in January. On today’s BWI Live Show, we’ll review the latest out of the first junior day, and take your questions from the BWI Mailbag.

We’ll also discuss a key element of the Penn State defense for next fall. Is former five-star defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton ready to take his star turn at the position? Blue White Illustrated senior reporter Nate Bauer talked with Dennis-Sutton last month and shares what he learned from that conversation.

You can check out the replay of the live show on the Blue White Illustrated YouTube Channel, or here embedded in this article.

Penn State Junior Day

Penn State’s first junior day is a success for no other reason than the staff secured a commitment from three-star offensive lineman Owen Aliciene. Recruiting insider Sean Fitz will discuss the early returns from Aliciene, and the overall impressions from the weekend.

Dani Dennis-Sutton discusses path towards elite play

Check out Bauer’s complete article, detailing what he learned from Dennis-Sutton during the runup to the Peach Bowl. Here’s an excerpt from their conversation.

“I learned that you’ve got to be consistent,” said Dennis-Sutton last month. “Chop is consistent at beating his man. You don’t see many times if at all in a game where Chop is losing any of his reps. He’s winning consistently and that’s why he’s going to be a first-round draft pick.”

BWI Mailbag

This week, we’ve got a full mailbag from members of the Blue White Illustrated message board. If you want to get your question on the show, the best way to do so is to join BWI and submit a question on the official Mailbag Submission Thread.

This week, fans want to know about the new offense under Andy Kotelnicki.

Gittany asks: Kotelnicki is known for making his offenses work with the pieces he has. Who is the biggest “unused piece” from 2023 that might make an impact now?

Once again, the wide receiver room comes up in our conversation about the upcoming year. We'll discuss which player has the best chance of joining the presumed top-line players in the room. We'll also dig into the usage of six offensive linemen by team in the NFL and the NCAA and how that sub-package is growing in popularity. But that's just scratching the surface. Join the show today at 10 a.m. !

Is Dani Dennis-Sutton ready to star at DE? | Biggest unused Penn State offensive weapon | Mailbag

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The next phase of Penn State football recruiting is upon us and the BWI Live Recruiting Show is here to break it down. Junior Days for the Nittany Lions begin this weekend, with more than 40 prospects expected to attend the event this upcoming weekend. Join the show today to learn more about what players are joining the staff this weekend to learn more about Penn State football.

We'll also discuss the freshest batch of offers that went out recently to recruits. Is Penn State going to take three running backs in 2025? How will the team recruit the offensive line this year after a sizable class in 2024?

Join the BWI Live Show at 10 a.m. or catch the replay on the Blue White Illustrated YouTUbe channel and here on the site.

Penn State offers new batch of players

Despite already securing two running backs in the Class of 2025, running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider has put out offers to more running backs recently. What does that mean for the duo of Kiandrea Barker and Tiqwai Hayes?

We'll discuss how Alvin Henderson, James Simons and Jeffrey Overton fit into the picture.

The offensive line is going national in its search for the next Penn State class. Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein offered Texas native Connor Carty, Iowa's Will Tompkins, and players from California, Kentucky and Missouri. Join the show to learn more about what recruiting expert Sean Fitz thinks of this list.

Junior Day preview

Recruiting insider Ryan Snyder has been busy confirming which players will attend the upcoming Junior Day for Penn State. He and Fitz will discuss some of the biggest names coming to campus this weekend for the next cycle. That includes familiar faces like defensive tackle Trent Wilson, legacy linebacker prospect Anthony Sacca, and quarterback commit Bekkem Kritza.

Snyder explains why Kritza's visit is essential, even though he's already committed to the program. Penn State is also getting a head start on some important 2026 prospects, including mammoth offensive lineman Tyler Merrill and athlete Matt Sieg.

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The Penn State Nittany Lions haven’t closed the books on the transfer portal for 2024, but the first chapter is done. Today, we’re reviewing the staff’s work through the winter portal period and giving out grades for their effort. Join the BWI Live Show at 10 a.m. to discuss the team’s portal work based on this article from earlier this week.

You can also watch the replay on the BWI Live YouTube Channel, or here on the site.

Penn State Winter Portal Class

As we saw last year with Penn State’s winter portal additions last year, it doesn’t guarantee that a player will be a successful addition, but it does give them the chance to be one. Having players on campus for spring football allows the team to integrate pieces into the offense and defense more seamlessly for the upcoming year. It also allows the staff to better understand the competition in each room. That’s a significant reason why we’re singling out this portal window.

The biggest needs on the team are on the offensive side, with tackle and receiver lacking veteran presence at these two key positions.

The red letter, exclamation point, need for the Penn State football team has been evident since about the midway point of the 2023 season. The team needs an infusion of veteran dependability outside. While a dominant lead dog would be great, you don’t expect that out of the portal unless you’re willing to play with the big dogs in college football.

Since writing this, veteran receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith has made it clear he intends to be part of the team for the 2024 season. We’ll assess how the team’s retention and acquisition could play out this year.

Offensive tackle departures create massive hole on roster

The team lost significant experience and skill with Olu Fashanu and Caedan Wallace departing for the NFL. The team has been grooming Drew Shelton for this moment, but the rest of the roster is still very young. Enter redshirt sophomore tackle Nolan Rucci from Wisconsin. Can he fill the void?

Defensive line additions through retention

Like the receiver, the team held on to its veteran depth with Hakeem Beamon, Coziah Izzard, and Dvon Ellies all returning for the 2024 season. We'll address the impact of that move on the team's ability to maintain a defensive personality trait.

Penn State needs cornerback bodies

Not only did the team need to add veteran experience to the room, they needed to add bodies. Just six players were listed as cornerbacks on the initial 2024 spring roster before the addition of A.J. Harris and Jalen Kimber. We'll discuss what each player brings to the team for this upcoming season.

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