ESPN.com presents PSU Nittany Lions http://espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/ 60 en-us Tue, 21 May 2013 22:10:02 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 It’s Rankings Week at NittanyNation. Through Thursday, we’ll rank some aspect touching on PSU heading into the 2013 season. Today we're ranking each opponent on Penn State's schedule, from the most difficult test to the easiest. Ranking the schedule 1. At Ohio State (Oct. 26). The Buckeyes last suffered a loss when Bill O'Brien was still coaching the New England Patriots. Plus, Braxton Miller returns. Does there really have to be another reason?]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9319 Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:32 EDT 9319 Good news: We are just 100 days away from the start of college football. To mark the occasion, we're pulling out a checklist today of things that Big Ten teams need to accomplish between now and the start of the season. It's not quite "The Final Countdown" (cue GOB Bluth), but we are inching ever so close to kickoff. Here's what needs to happen in the next 100 days: 1. Identify a starting quarterback at Iowa, Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin: It seems as if there are an unusually high number of Big Ten teams who don't know for sure who their starting quarterbacks will be in the fall.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post/_/id/9365/100-days-checklist-big-ten Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:09 EDT 9365 It was a Thursday night in late April and Alex Bookser (Pittsburgh/Mount Lebanon) was watching the NFL draft. A 6-foot-6, 295-pound prospect, Bookser is being recruited as a lineman on both sides of the ball. Bookser was an offensive lineman by the end of the night Thursday. “Ever since I saw the draft I decided to go O-line,” said Bookser, referring to the run on tackles in the first round, including three among the first five picks.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9364 Mon, 20 May 2013 14:40:08 EDT 9364 What is Penn State getting in run-on WR Gregg Garrity Jr.? And what can fans expect? NittanyNation turned to one of the people who best knows what Garrity is capable of on the field -- Art Walker, his high school coach at Wexford (Pa.) North Allegheny -- and asked what separates Garrity as a player, and more. Walker, on what separates Garrity from other players at his position: "Well, he's very technically sound from the standpoint of being a great route runner.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9300 Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:14 EDT 9300 It’s Rankings Week at NittanyNation. Through Thursday, we’ll rank some aspect touching on PSU heading into the 2013 season. Today we're ranking the top offensive players Penn State will face this season. Ranking the opposing offensive players 1. QB Braxton Miller (Ohio State): He finished fifth in the Heisman voting last year, led his team to an undefeated record, threw for more than 2,000 yards and rushed for another 1,271. Need I go on?]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9324 Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:05 EDT 9324 Quips go to Pitt. That is the expression in Western Pennsylvania. The elite prospects from talent-rich Aliquippa (Pa.) High almost exclusively go to nearby Pittsburgh to star for the Panthers. Jonathan Baldwin, Tommie Campbell and Darrelle Revis are all NFL players who came through Aliquippa and then Pitt. So four-star athlete and ESPN 150 member Dravon Henry feels the pressure to stay close to home. In fact, Henry is related to Revis and former NFL lineman Sean Gilbert, who also went the route of Aliquippa to Pitt.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9362 Sat, 18 May 2013 17:15:28 EDT 9362 NittanyNation reporter Josh Moyer stopped by SportsNation on Friday to chat about the state of Penn State football and answer your questions.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post/_/id/9344/chat-wrap-josh-moyer-transcript-15 Fri, 17 May 2013 14:15:03 EDT 9344 Every week, NittanyNation will pose five questions to a recruit, player, alum or coach about all things Penn State. This week's subject is J.J. Cosentino, a four-star quarterback out of Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic. Cosentino committed to Florida State but recently received an offer from Penn State and has been recruited by the in-state program since his freshman season. NittanyNation: Penn State's offer came when you already had committed to Florida State, so what was your reaction with that offer?]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9284 Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:43 EDT 9284 The Big Ten released its 2014 league schedule earlier Thursday, completing what its architect Mark Rudner called a "long, arduous process" of crafting a slate with two new teams, two new divisions and a second open week. ESPN.com caught up with Rudner, the Big Ten's senior associate commissioner for television administration, to discuss how the 2014 schedule came together. It's important to note the Big Ten compiled the 2014 slate based upon principles green-lighted by its athletic directors.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post/_/id/9283/how-the-b1g-2014-schedule-came-together Thu, 16 May 2013 16:00:33 EDT 9283 OT/DE Noah Beh (Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep) finds that thoughts of his two top schools -- Boston College and Penn State -- often pop up in those quiet times when he's by himself. He's thought heavily on the merits of each school for about a month. And, Beh said, that time alone and the talks with those close to him has helped him realize one thing: He's favoring one school, and he could commit soon. "I think I'm pretty close to making a decision," he said.]]> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/psu/post?id=9235 Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:24 EDT 9235