Penn State knows where it's ranked (not that it matters).
They'll sign up for finishing where they start, too.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, co-hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin of The Times-Tribune in Scranton discuss the Nittany Lions' season-opening No. 8 ranking in the Associated Press poll, which was released on Tuesday. Obviously, they will be happy to finish there in the College Football Playoff rankings, considering a No. 8 will get them a home game in the first round of the 12-team tournament. But are they overrated in that spot, or underrated?
Donnie and Sam discuss that, as well as the overrated-or-underrated question on the rest of the nine teams that comprise the top 10, including three other Big Ten teams: No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon and No. 9 Michigan.
In the second segment, the hosts discuss the most important players on the Penn State roster this season, drafting their top 6 players in terms of importance. Some may surprise you. Others might not.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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Penn State's depth took a hit last week.
Or, maybe more accurately, the reality of Penn State's depth at certain positions came to light.
But as the Nittany Lions' local media day came and went last weekend. one theme emerged: There's guarded optimism around the program that enough players are ready to take the next step that we could be seeing a new era of Nittany Lions football once the season starts on Aug. 31 in West Virginia.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss that gap between Penn State's hopes and the expectations of the programs at the top of the food chain in the Big Ten and around the nation. How close is Penn State this season to potentially getting to that level? What do they need to happen? Are there too many unknowns?
Donnie and Sam also discuss the value of captains, the depth at cornerback, and the level of their confidence in where the program is at now in relation to a year ago.
Plus, should Michigan's national championship be stricken from the books after the NCAA came down with a "heavy" sanction against head coach Jim Harbaugh for recruiting violations? Tune in to find out their take.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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Penn State will play football this month, so let the conjecture begin. And, there is certainly plenty to conject (granted, that might not be a word) about as the Nittany Lions opened training camp this week.
Hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin give their thoughts on the suspensions of second-year standouts Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys and what their current status means for a defense that is on the thin side without them, especially at defensive end. Who could step up there, and is there any chance it means not having to roll the dice on a young player with little experience?
Donnie and Sam also delve into some of the issues on offense, including the issue brought up in recent weeks by an unlikely source: Leadership. Is quarterback Drew Allar ready to take the offense by the scruff and guide it to newer heights? Is that necessary? 
All that, and more, on the Season 3 debut episode of the Penn Stated podcast.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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Co-hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin of The Times-Tribune in Scranton wind down the second season of the Penn Stated podcast with a look ahead to training camp opening in a month.
But, they also celebrate Independence Day with an honest look at the realities the program and its head coach are facing.
In the opening segment, the hosts discuss the stories they're looking at closest as camp approaches, with each picking one of the new coordinators. They wind down with a look at the role coaching plays at Penn State, why it's so important and how difficult James Franklin's job realistically is to do, with the expectations on him and the team to make the inaugural 12-team playoff this winter.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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The Penn Stated podcast returns with discussion about expansions, and contractions.
The Board of Trustees' approval to spend up to $690 million on the long-awaited renovation of Beaver Stadium dominates the discussion between hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin of The Scranton Times-Tribune, with both expressing concerns over the project and also recognizing its necessity.
In the second half, they talk about Penn State baseball's sudden rise to prominence over the past week in the Big Ten tournament, signaling a potential turnaround for the program under first-year coach Mike Gambino. But as it always seems to do, the conversation turned to the impact NIL is having on roster management in college football after a slew of players entered the NCAA transfer portal this month.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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Fresh off the weekend's NFL Draft, Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin took some time this week to discuss the landing spots for eight Nittany Lions chosen and the plight of some who weren't.
Who went earlier than anticipated?
What does the influx of Penn State players taken higher in the middle rounds than anticipated say about the program -- positively, or negatively?
Penn State had twice as many players selected as Ohio State...what does that say about the 2023 season?
And, does the order in which the players were ultimately selected matter much? It probably does to James Franklin.
Donnie and Sam discuss all of that and more this week.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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Well, the changes in the wide receiver room that most expected to see in the Blue-White Game last week started to take shape a few days before. Former top target KeAndre Lambert-Smith is in the transfer portal, and so is another veteran, Malick Meiga, who could have contributed toward replacing him.
The question now for Penn State is, what's next at a position that has caused plenty of consternation in recent months? Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss Lambert-Smith's departure, and perhaps more importantly, how the coaching staff plans to replace his production.
Is it going to be through the transfer portal? One of the hosts has his doubts, especially after a decent outing in the Blue-White Game for a few younger players.
Donnie and Sam also discuss the players who impressed them most in the spring scrimmage, and debate the best use of converted defensive end Abdul Carter, who will certainly add to a lethal rotation at defensive end but who also showed Saturday how valuable it is to have him on the field, somewhere.
All that, and more, in this week's edition of Penn Stated.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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Sam Fremin will be on the desk on Saturday, but Penn Stated co-host Donnie Collins will be at Beaver Stadium for his "favorite" day of the year, the Blue-White Game at 2 p.m. on Saturday. But both hosts think this game has a chance to be one of the most educational spring-practice-ending games in recent memory.
On this week's episode of Penn Stated, the hosts break down the positions to watch in Saturday's game, led by a group of talented but inexperienced cornerbacks and a receiving corps that underachieved and underwhelmed in 2023. Which players in that group have the best chance to stand out heading into the summer?
Donnie and Sam also spend some time discussing the commitment of Spring-Ford High School quarterback Matt Zollers - one of the top prospects in Pennsylvania in the 2025 recruiting class - to Missouri. What does that say about the role NIL is playing in college sports? And, is it necessarily a bad thing for the game to see a top prospect eschew the top schools in favor of better opportunities at an up-and-coming program? 

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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It's finally over.
And we're not just talking about the All-James Franklin team, either.
As spring practice inches closer to the annual Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium on April 13, Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin open this week's podcast by breaking down the most interesting storylines of the spring to this point...and how they can manifest themselves in the spring-closing scrimmage next weekend.

• How much of new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki's offense should fans expect to see in the Blue-White Game?
• Who are some of the players at key positions who need to have big games?
• Can the offense and defense work together in the game to achieve some goals heading into what is going to be a hotly contested fall camp with plenty of change afoot for the Nittany Lions?

But the main event of this edition of the show is the conclusion of the All-James Franklin team. Celebrating Franklin's 10 seasons with the Nittany Lions, Donnie and Sam spent the last several weeks picking the best players at each position during the Franklin era, and they wind that team down this week with their picks at punter and kicker, and their four wild-card selections. Who didn't make the cut originally at their positions, but do now? And, what do the hosts feel was the most competitive position to pick a first-teamer at during this process? The answer might be surprising.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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As spring practice started in the last week, much of the conversation revolved around two position switches: The oft-talked-about move of Abdul Carter from linebacker to defensive end, and sophomore safety Mekhi Flowers' much-less-bandied-about move to receiver.
Head coach James Franklin said during a press conference last week that both moves were precipitated by player request, which of course piqued the interest of both Penn Stated hosts, Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin.
Is that indicative of a shift in philosophy for coaches who are more likely now to give a player what he wants to keep him happy and on the roster? Is it more about players feeling more empowered to ask for those changes?
Or, is it simply something that happened all the time behind the scenes anyway, and just happened to be a big topic of discussion this year at two positions that needed extra manpower?
Donnie and Sam discussed their thoughts on all of that, plus other positional battles that are intriguing them as the Blue-White Game approaches next month.
The hosts also make their selections at Quarterback and Defensive End on the All-James Franklin team, which will wind down with a full roster next week.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at [email protected], or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

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