Spring Practice 2014: A "Way Too Early" Preview of the RB Position

With Spring Practice starting in a little over a month on March 17, we will be doing a "way too early" preview of each position group. With this being the first Spring Training Camp under new head coach James Franklin, there are plenty of questions to be answered. In this post, we dissect the Running Back Position.

Running Back:

1. Zach Zwinak OR
2. Bill Belton
3. Akeel Lynch 
4. Nick Scott OR
5. Johnathan Thomas

Returning Players:
Zach Zwinak: Zach Zwinak came into his junior season garnering high expectations after managing a 1,000 yard season as a sophomore. However, Zwinak experienced a very up and down season. He started the year with modest yardage but a bevy of touchdowns. Yet, partway through the season he was benched as a result of a series of very costly fumbles. During that stretch, fellow Junior Bill Belton took the reigns. After several games with a lesser workload, he reemerged, now donning running back gloves, to finish the season off with 4 straight 100 yard games, including two 149-yarders and a 150-yarder.

Bill Belton: After starting the season opener in 2012, Bill Belton has had a bit of a roller-coaster ride at PSU. With the emergence of Zach Zwinak, Belton has been pushed out of the "every down back" spot and primarily into change-of-pace role. But with fumbling problems forcing Zwinak in and out of the lineup, Penn State fans have seen the shifty back produce some great games, primarily a 36 carry 200 yard performance this past year against Illinois. With Zwinak reemerging as the starter down the stretch of the 2013 season, he could get the bulk of the first down carries, but don't be surprised to see Belton get between 10-15 carries a game. Belton and Zwinak complement each other very well, so I expect to see a fair mix between the two to start the season. With a new regime, we could see either as the starter in Ireland.

Akeel Lynch: Akeel Lynch is a player that is very popular among Nittany Lion fans despite limited action. Lynch received very positive reviews by O'Brien's staff in his redshirt year, and he looked very impressive in the non-conference season this past year. Once the conference season came around, playing time was hard to come by. Many people believe that the staff was simply not yet comfortable enough with his pass protection ability to give him a consistent workload. However, in games against Eastern Michigan (13 car., 108 yds.) and Kent State (14 car., 123 yds.) he showed what he's already capable of as a runner. Time will still be tough to come by, but with a new staff it will be interesting to see how much time Akeel Lynch is able to earn.

Newcomers:

Johnathan Thomas: Johnathan Thomas was one of three Nittany Lion recruits to deal with ACL injuries in high school, and unfortunately Thomas's came partway through his senior season. The former Maryland commit was having a monster season, including a game the night he received his Penn State scholarship offer in which he ran for 263 yards and 3 TD's. He is the most prototypical running back of the 3 newcomers, with a solid frame to build on. Unfortunately, James Franklin has mentioned that Thomas likely won't be fully healthy until around Week 1 of the upcoming season.

Nick Scott: Nick Scott is an intriguing prospect. Scott had an extremely impressive senior season, as evidenced by his selection to the Washington Post's first team All-Met team. He is an extremely versatile athlete, considering he played QB, RB, LB, and even occasionally put his hand in the dirt and rushed off the edge for his high school team this year. While Scott is expected to enter his freshman season as a RB, there is always a chance we could see him in a different role, such as Safety, later on. This seems unlikely right now, especially with how talented he is as a runner. But, with several highly ranked RBs considering PSU in the class of 2015, it is possible PSU will find themselves with a surplus of talented runners in the coming years. However, Scott has adequate size and impressive speed and vision, so he has the ability to be a very successful RB at Penn State.

Mark Allen: Mark Allen, Penn State's fist commit for the class of 2014, could be used in a very unique role at Penn State. Some think that Bill O'Brien recruited him to fill a Danny Woodhead "do-it-all" type role with the team. At 5'7", he is a very small player, but he possesses tremendous speed. He is, as James Franklin said at "The Signature Event," a home run threat every time he touches the ball. He doesn't possess the size to be an every-down back, but could excel as a change of pace back that is capable of catching passes out of the backfield. Allen saw the offseason after his junior year derailed by an ACL injury that plagued him all the way up through his senior year, so he was not able to play as much as he would have liked in his final high school campaign. This makes Allen more of a mystery than many of Penn State's other recruits.

Key Question Marks Heading Into Spring Practice:
Kyle: I think, first of all, what everyone is interested in seeing is who is going to start. Zwinak and Belton both received several starts last year, and are successful, but very different, runners. At the same time, Franklin has mentioned that no starting spot is guaranteed. Theoretically, this leaves the door open for the talented Lynch to garner major playing time. We don't know much about Franklin's preferences, but it is worth noting that his starting RB last year at Vanderbilt was built much more like Bill Belton, coming in at only 5'7", 200 lbs. This battle will undoubtedly be one of the more interesting story lines at Spring Practice.

Brian:
While the starting position is the biggest question mark going into spring practice, I am interested in seeing what creative ways Franklin and his staff will attempt to utilize all the running backs. During 2011, many fans may recall Belton being used in wildcat formations, specifically during the Ohio State game. Could we see the wildcat with Belton make a return to Beaver Stadium?  I also wouldn't be surprised to see Belton used as a receiving option due to his quickness and agility, especially considering his prior experience as a slot WR. With that being said, it is quite possible we could see either Zwinak, Belton or Lynch start in Ireland, but all three backs will see the field, due to their ability to change the game in different ways.

Summary: Running Back is a position of strength for the Nittany Lions heading into 2014. Zwinak is a tough back that can wear down the opponent, Belton is quick and versatile, and Lynch is an exceptional runner. How this will all be sorted out will be a central issue during spring practice. Where the young guys fit in will be a more prevalent issue by the Summer/Fall. For now, though, this is a position that Franklin and staff will heavily utilize in the coming year.

Spring Practice 2014: A "Way Too Early" Preview of the QB Position

With Spring Practice starting in a little over a month on March 17 we will be doing a “way too early” preview for each position group.  With this being the first Spring Training Camp under new head coach James Franklin, there are plenty of questions to be answered. First up, we take a look at the QB position.

Quarterback:

1. Christian Hackenberg
2. Trace McSorley
3. Michael O’Connor
4. D.J. Crook

Returning Players:

Christian Hackenberg: Year 2 of Christian Hackenberg may be the thing that many Penn State fans are most excited to see for next year. Hackenberg appeared to to take a big step forward in his last game of the year last year, throwing for 339 yards and 4 TD’s against a good Wisconsin defense. James Franklin has said it himself multiple times, if you have a QB, you have a chance, and Penn State may have the best pocket passer in the conference for next year. Moving forward, he will be Penn State’s greatest asset, and the Nittany Lions will likely be relying on him heavily in the upcoming season.

Newcomers:

Michael O’Connor: Penn State was fortunate to hang on to the 247composite 4-star Under Armour All-American QB after O’Brien left. O’Connor actually arrived on campus for the first day of classes this spring as an Early Enrollee with plans to meet James Franklin and then make a decision on whether or not he would be staying or heading back home. Ultimately, he chose to stay, and the Nittany Lions are getting a very intriguing prospect. O’Connor has NFL size and a very powerful arm. He also displayed an impressive amount of mobility in the UA All-America game, especially for his size. Despite transferring to IMG Academy from his home in Canada to learn under former Heisman winner Chris Weinke, there is still plenty of polishing to be done with O’Connor’s game.

Trace McSorley: McSorley was one of Franklin’s several Vanderbilt flips. The 3-star prospect comes to Penn State after having one of the most successful prep careers in history. McSorley was the second QB in Virginia state history to lead his team to the state championship game all 4 years, along with recent Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. McSorley, like Wilson, is undersized for a college QB and boasts impressive athleticism. While he is a capable passer, the most notable part of McSorley’s game is undoubtedly his explosiveness when he tucks it and runs.

Question Mark Heading into Spring Practice

Kyle: One of the essential conditions that got Michael O’Connor to Penn State was that he would be redshirted his freshman year to create a little distance between himself and Hackenberg in terms of class standing. While Franklin has not commented on this matter yet, the fact that O’Connor chose to attend Penn State after his last-minute on-campus meeting with Franklin makes me think that he liked what he heard. I expect him to be redshirted.

Brian:  If that is the case, we could see Trace McSorley backing up Hackenberg. The fact that McSorley is a dual threat style quarterback could ease his transition to being a college QB. A decorated quarterback in high school, McSorley brings a 4 time State Championship attitude to this group, which is part of why he could be backing up Hackenberg in the fall of 2014. Eventually, McSorley, a successful safety in high school, could be moved to the secondary where his athletic talents can be fully utilized.

Kyle: Also, the coaching staff seems hot after some pretty highly ranked dual-threat QB’s for the 2015 class, so their decisions could ultimately seal the deal on McSorley’s potential move into the defensive backfield.

Summary

Heading into spring practice, this position group is relatively set. At the very least, we know who the starter will be. So, most of what there is to be learned will occur behind Hackenberg on the depth chart. With every QB on the roster being a true sophomore or younger, there is a lot of growth yet to occur at this position.

Why Firing Pat Chambers Won't Fix Penn State Basketball's Problems

Another year has almost past, and we have another year of fans maligning the state of Penn State Basketball. Amidst all of the frustration, it is very easy to submit to the idea that the program is treading water and that no progress has been made. The overall impatience of the sports world right now drives most fans to looking at wins as the only barometer of progress. With this program, however, we don't have the luxury of only measuring success by wins. The fact of the matter is that building this program will be a long process, with many steps along the road; and to this point, Chambers has facilitated progress.

If we backtrack to Pat Chambers' first team at Penn State, two whole years ago, you begin to understand the state of the program that Chambers inherited. That team was the 290th oldest team in the country. Translation: they were young. When Trey Lewis wasn't hurt, he and Ross Travis both received major minutes as freshman. Cammeron Woodyard, a hard-working senior, was the team's 3rd-leading scorer, and he had never received consistent minutes in his career until that year. At different points in that conference season, walk-ons Nick Colella and Kevin Montminy saw playing time. In 18 Big Ten games, the team lost 11 by double digits. The lone bright spot on that team was obviously Tim Frazier, as he finished the season with 1st-Team All Big Ten honors.

Last year's team, after Frazier went down with a season ending Achilles injury, was even worse than the previous team. It took them 14 games to garner a win in the Big Ten, when they delivered maybe the most shocking upset of the college basketball season against #4 Michigan. They lost 7 games by double digits, including 2 by 23 and one by 29. Several games saw only 6 players get major minutes. Quite simply, that team wasn't even "close."

What is the point in looking back at those teams? Well, simply put, with the current Penn State basketball team, being "close" is not only an improvement, but a marked improvement. This team has the ability to go 10 deep without seeing too significant of a drop-off and has two freshman seeing minutes in the Big Ten and looking solid doing it. Furthermore, this team has seen 7 separate players score double digits on more than one occasion, a number that the last few teams couldn't even touch. Yes, many of those players have struggled to achieve consistency, but if you consider talent to be a measure of what a player is capable of, it's hard to argue that this team doesn't have more talent than it has the last few years.

Another major development during Chamber's reign has been his ability to break into the city of Philadelphia for recruits. Since before I was born, people have been begging for Penn State to draw from places you would expect to be their "natural recruiting environment," like Philadelphia, but they never succeeded. The team that Chambers inherited had 0 players from Philly, and after 2.5 years the team has 4 current players and 2 recruits hailing from the City of Brotherly Love. That is progress, to say the least.

Long story short, Pat Chambers has not gotten the most out of this team. It's overall performance has been underwhelming and even disheartening. He has a lot to learn, specifically regarding late game management. Yet, this does not mean progress has not been made. The team's talent and depth have been upgraded, PSU has finally broken into the Philadelphia area for recruiting, and the team is knocking on the door of winning. At one of the hardest jobs in NCAA Basketball, the idea of scrapping it now and starting over should be beyond consideration.  The only thing that would accomplish is negating what progress has been made and setting the program back another couple of years. Besides, Penn State fans should know better than anyone that a team can go from "close" to "bubble" very quickly, with Penn State's last NCAA tournament appearance coming on the heels of a 3-15 Big Ten season in which the Lions lost nearly every game by single digits, much like this year. In a program that will take much longer than 2.75 years to turn around for the long run, it doesn't make sense to set that process back another couple of years by firing the coach.

Penn State basketball is currently an exercise in futility and frustration, but the program is in fact showing improvement. So, Penn State fans, try utilizing patience with this program, because this time it just might pay off.

Oh, and maybe show up for a game or two. That might help.

Penn State vs. Illinois Men's Basketball Preview: The Anatomy of a Losing Streak

The first time these two teams met, it was monumental for each team. For Penn State, because it might have been the bottoming out in terms of quality of play; and for Illinois, because that was the last time they won a game. At the conclusion of that contest, Illinois sat at 13-2 and ranked 23rd in the country. Now? They're 13-10 and last in the Big Ten. What happened? The short answer: All kinds of things.

First of all, this team is a nightmare on offense right now. In the non-conference, Illinois went 11-2, including a ranked win over Missouri, and averaged 71 PPG. In conference, however, the Illini have dropped that down 9 points to 62 PPG. Along the same lines, Illinois' team FG% is last in the Big Ten. If you then factor in the non-conference games, the percentage jumps up 4%, illustrating just how bad the conference games have gone. Quite frankly, this is an entirely different team offensively from the non-conference to now, and no player is more emblematic of that than leading scorer Rayvonte Rice.

Rice, a transfer from Drake University, is one of the 5 leading scorers in the Big Ten, at 16.9 PPG. He's shooting 43.7% from the floor, which seems pretty standard for him if you look at his career. However, since the conference season started, his shooting percentage is a mere 33%. In the non-conference, his shooting percentage was an amazing 53%. With as many shots as Rice takes, it's not hard to imagine how Illinois' PPG has dropped by 9 points.

On the other hand, one thing that Illinois does well is hold onto the ball, especially for a losing team. The Illini have the second lowest number of turnovers in the Big Ten during conference season. So, this would lead you to believe that they likely also have a respectable Assist/Turnover ratio. But, this is far from the truth. In fact, Illinois averages only 8.1 APG, good for last place in the Big Ten (1 spot worse than Penn State at a measly 8.8 APG). This is likely a result of the teams' ineffectiveness to get the ball in the basket, as well as an offense that is not moving the ball as well as it needs to.

All things considered, Illinois' defense is pretty good, but not good enough to overcome their offensive shortcomings. Also concerning for Illini fans is that their most recent recruiting class, one that was believed to be quite good, is not getting a lot of minutes. They have two freshman receiving double digit minutes per game in Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill, but they are only getting 13.1 and 10.8 MPG, respectively. So, this team is struggling mightily, with a majority of juniors and seniors getting minutes. That is never a great sign.

All of this points to a Nittany Lion win on Sunday. However, years as a PSU Basketball fan makes me worry that Illinois is due, and that Sunday will be the day they snap out of it. Penn State needs to find a way to rebound from Thursday's beatdown at the hands of MSU, and all things considered, I think they do.

Penn State 69 - 64 Illinois. Also...

For old time's sake, ya know?