Penn Stated: Talking Penn State Football with Donnie Collins

With the latest round of betting odds on who will win the 2024 Big Ten football championship coming out this week, Penn State finds itself in a typical position: Behind both Ohio State and Michigan, with Oregon having better odds as well, at least when it comes to public perception.
But, is that necessarily an accurate way to look at how the Big Ten is shaping up this fall?
On this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss the odds, and why the Nittany Lions might be in a better position than many might think to finally break through at the top of the Big Ten standings for the first time in eight years come December.
They also continue to round out the All-James Franklin Team, honoring the top players at each position during the head coach's first 10 years at Penn State. This week, they break down two loaded positions: Receiver and linebacker.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

It sure seems that way, if the reaction to Penn State's typically benign "competitors of the day" for winter workouts is any indication. 
With backup quarterback Beau Pribula practically sweeping the honor from quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien in the early going during workouts, many commenters on social media are wondering if that gives the sophomore any edge in a potential quarterback battle with starter Drew Allar this spring. Well, Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin have some news for those of you looking forward to the backup quarterback knocking off the incumbent.
It isn't going to happen.
Donnie and Sam also delve deep into the decision to move star junior Abdul Carter from the linebacker spot to defensive end for the 2024 season; Which of the hosts thinks it still might not happen, and which is convinced it will wind up being a boon to the defense that has thrived on a consistent pass rush the past few seasons?
They both discuss the Board of Trustees' fumbling of backroom talks to name Beaver Stadium after former head coach Joe Paterno, and continue to build the current coach's All-Franklin team in the second segment - it's time to add the tight ends, offensive tackles and defensive tackles to the first and second teams - on a jam-packed episode of the podcast this week.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Another week has passed, and college football has changed even more. That's the story of the game now, and it will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss Bill O'Brien to Boston College, Chip Kelly to Ohio State, and more moves that wouldn't have been expected in college football as recently as just a few years ago. They also talk about James Franklin's thoughts on the subject from his winter workouts press conference on Tuesday.
What is the one area that needs to be fixed most for the health of the game in the free agency era? The answer Donnie and Sam provide might surprise you.
The guys also spend the second segment discussing the latest additions to their All-Franklin Team, and there are some potentially controversial ones as they pick their top cornerbacks, guards and centers. Who is the Penn State star one host insists wouldn't have made his team despite multiple years worth of All-Big Ten honors?
They also close with a tribute to near-Super Bowl MVP Ji'Ayir Brown, whose rookie season ended with a loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

National Letter of Intent Signing Day -- the "traditional" one, anyway -- came and went rather silently for Penn State in 2024. But there was still plenty of recruiting talk on the latest edition of the Penn Stated podcast.
Hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin broke down the fall of the February signing period and delved into the reasons why arguably the biggest non-gameday of the year in college football lost importance and will continue to do so. But in celebration of what the day used to be, they also further broke down Penn State's 2024 recruiting class that signed during the "early" signing period in December. Their focus: The handful of players in that class who did not yet enroll at Penn State. Which three do the hosts think have the best shot at enrolling during the summer and still seeing some playing time in the fall?
After that, they got down to the real business of the show: The long-awaited start of the selection process for the All-James Franklin team.
Donnie and Sam picked the first and second-team running backs and safeties in celebration of Franklin's recently completed 10th season as Nittany Lions head coach, and there may be a handful of surprises.
A particular NJCAA powerhouse based in Scranton might have a few names on the list already, too.
Find out who got the first spots on Donnie and Sam's All-Franklin team starting now...

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

The longer you go without rules, the harder it will be to make rules.
The NCAA might learn that lesson the hard way as it pursues sanctions against Tennessee for alleged recruiting violations stemming from a collective that works closely with athletes at the university in the Name, Image, Likeness realm.
It's a story that affects all of college football, including Penn State, as collectives play a bigger and bigger role in attracting star athletes to the universities they choose to represent, promising cash and business opportunities.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, host Donnie Collins talks about what the Tennessee case could mean for Penn State and other major programs. But he also brings in a special guest - legendary Scranton Times-Tribune high school sports beat writer Joby Fawcett - to discuss the positives and negatives of NIL as it trickles down into the high school ranks.
We know how it's likely affecting some athletes now.
But, will high school sports exist in its current form in a decade or so after NIL gets done changing them, and the attitudes of high school-aged athletes and their parents?
Donnie also delves into the postseason all-star games in college football, where a handful of Penn State's draft-eligible players are looking to make names for themselves in front of NFL scouts. Which one has impressed Donnie the most over the last week?
That answer might surprise you.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Shall they inherit the playing time?
That's the question hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin set out to answer on this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, when they break down the 16 early enrollees on Penn State's spring roster.
Which of them do Donnie and Sam believe will have the best chance to compete for playing time immediately with a big spring? Who is the prospect we'll learn most about simply by which position the coaching staff chooses to start him at?
And will the highest-rated -- and arguably best -- prospect of them all have perhaps the most difficult road to earn a shot at seeing the field with regularity in the fall?
The guys then spend the second segment discussing the new NIL-based methods by which the Ohio State Buckeyes are loading their roster this offseason. Is overloading the roster with talent out of the transfer portal necessarily the best way to build a cohesive team? Free agency in other sports indicate it isn't necessarily a clear path to greatness.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Changes abound in college football, and of course, Penn State wasn't immune to them in the last week.
With special teams coordinator Stacy Collins off to Boise State, head coach James Franklin worked quickly to replace him by bringing in Vanderbilt's Justin Lustig. But the greater coaching chaos around the country obviously dwarfed the third coordinator change on Penn State's staff this offseason.
This week on the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin talked about what areas Lustig could make an immediate impact in Happy Valley, and why one less talked-about part of his position might actually be a boon for the coaching staff.
They also take a deep dive into Nick Saban's retirement at Alabama and the ripple effect associated with it around college football. When coaches talk about necessary change around the game, maybe the University of Arizona would be a good example to look toward.
Donnie and Sam also...finally...delve into some listener requests and talk about whether there should be a legitimate quarterback competition heading into 2024 after Drew Allar's performance in his debut season as a starter. The bottom line: Of course there should be. But, it also comes with a bit of advice. Calm down. And understand the importance of development, especially at the quarterback position.
All that -- and, of course, more! -- on the podcast this week.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

On a super-sized edition of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin don't just talk about the many issues of the day surrounding the Nittany Lions and college football.
They break down the scary hypotheticals.

• What happens when the transfer portal doesn't bring in a difference-maker? Penn State battled that at receiver next year; Does that make it even more important for Julian Fleming to succeed in 2024?
• Is "fit" more important than "numbers?" Probably. But one can be measured, while the other is more an art.
• Is it a big deal that Kalen King couldn't risk injury in the Peach Bowl, but will at the Senior Bowl? To some, sure. But, should players who are sure-bet top picks really be playing any college games once they've established their draft stock?
• If former Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is granted a fifth season of true NCAA eligibility, what does that mean for eligibility's very existence moving forward? Will we see professional college football players?

Oh, and Michigan won the national championship. Donnie and Sam talk about that, and what it means for Penn State football -- even if fans won't love the means by which the answer came about.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Penn State lost the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.
Penn State also played the game without four of its top players and saw a handful of other stars play only in the first half.
In this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (The Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (The Citizens Voice) review the 38-25 defeat at the hands of Ole Miss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with an eye toward the game's greater meaning. With Nittany Lions fans frustrated by the performance, it's worth asking: Does a game played without Olu Fashanu, Chop Robinson, Kalen King and Johnny Dixon -- and with Curtis Jacobs, Adisa Isaac and Caedan Wallace playing just about a half -- tell us anything about what the Nittany Lions really were in 2023?
Also, and perhaps most importantly, does it have any meaning for 2024? Or is it, as one of the hosts suggested, a glorified exhibition that ranks ahead of only the Blue-White Game in importance among games played in the last calendar year?
In a landscape where opt-outs have become a major storyline outside of the College Football Playoff, does losing a New Year's Six game mean anything at all, really?
Donnie and Sam also discussed the theme of the season further, the apparent lack of development of the wide receiving corps, which didn't record a catch in the Peach Bowl until the fourth quarter. The hosts discuss that position, and even got some breaking news during the recording about a top transfer target committing to the Nittany Lions who could have a major impact on the position next year.
All that, and more. Including pressing discussions on...

• Hypothetically, would the Penn State fans who want to move on from James Franklin as head coach be welcoming to a replacement who might be eager to take the job, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin?
• Why would the College Football Playoff even consider putting a Group of Five team in the 12-team championship tournament if they fall outside the top 12 in the rankings?
• Who will win the national championship?

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

And so it ends for Penn State in 2023.
The Peach Bowl kicks off on Saturday at noon, and the Nittany Lions are a prohibitive favorite to end the 2023 season with 11 wins and hope for the 2024 season.
But, will whatever happens on Saturday in Atlanta at Mercedez-Benz Stadium against No. 11 Ole Miss matter going forward?
Hosts Donnie Collins (The Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) discuss that and just about every other topic surrounding Penn State -- opt outs, the transfer portal, and even some recruiting -- in their breakdown of the 2023 Peach Bowl.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

There's a lot going on at Penn State and around college football, weeks after the regular season ended.
The transfer portal remains open.
Bowl prep is ongoing.
National Letter of Intent Signing Day is a week away, and coaches everywhere are trying to lock down their final verbal commitments on the recruiting trail.
Plus, in Happy Valley, there's the matter of finding someone to run the defense after Manny Diaz took the head coaching position at Duke last week.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (The Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) try to sort out as much of the goings-on as possible, focusing on the areas Penn State needs to address as the Peach Bowl approaches on Dec. 30.
It starts with finding a successor for Diaz: Does his familiarity with the roster and experience working alongside Diaz make current safeties coach Anthony Poindexter a favorite? Or, should head coach James Franklin look to the outside, for a bigger name with more recent results as a defensive coordinator?
But, Penn State also needs to get busy in the transfer portal, where they're hoping to host a slew of players on campus this weekend. Obviously, they need receivers, but who would be the best fits? And, what kind of message does it send to high school recruits if players who spurned Penn State in the past are asked to return?
Donnie and Sam also chat about which players on the current roster who are on the borderline between the NFL and returning would best be served coming back -- and which ones Penn State needs back the most.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Penn State has its bowl destination. It has another berth in a New Year's Six game. It has another chance to build excitement for 2024 with a signature win.
Players have the transfer portal open, the right to reevaluate their current standing with a program, the chance to pursue something greater if they choose.
It's the week of opportunity around college football (unless you're Florida State, of course), and the Nittany Lions are in the thick of it.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (The Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (The Citizens Voice) discuss the Florida State dis, whether the CFP committee got that right, and whether Penn State should be playing Ole Miss at all (one of the hosts says it should be Oklahoma).
The also debate whether this is a "dangerous" matchup for a Penn State team that isn't going against a blueblood, is likely to be favored, and yet is facing a team with plenty of offensive weapons and an underrated defense that may be better than the nation thinks. In short: Would winning this game move the needle much for the Penn State fan base?
Donnie and Sam also discuss defensive end Chop Robinson's declaration for the NFL Draft and rank where he fits among Penn State ends of the last 30 years. 
Plus, as the transfer portal opens, they talk about why Penn State hasn't been as affected by the transfer portal as other programs have been this season, the ways they've used it better than anybody, and why head coach James Franklin is handling the challenges of program leadership in a more individual-focused era better than others in his position.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Penn State made it official on Friday, announcing the hiring of former Kansas assistant coach Andy Kotelnicki as its next offensive coordinator.
The news broke Thursday, and Nittany Lions fans have largely been expressing their pleasure with the move since. So have the national writers and analysts who praise Kotelnicki for his creativity and innovation.
But, that doesn't mean there won't be questions about how successful he'll be at Penn State.
Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins (Scranton Times) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) break down the hire in a special episode of the podcast and discuss whether this is the home-run hire many think it will be.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

At some point in the next few days, it seems possible -- if not likely -- Penn State will name its next offensive coordinator. 
On this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, host Donnie Collins (Scranton Times-Tribune) makes his pitch against a big-name, outside-the-program hire to esteemed co-host Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice). That begs the question: Did running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and tight ends coach Ty Howle do enough in their role as interim coordinators to make a case the job is best kept in their hands heading into 2024?
At the very least, their work the last two games shows that complimentary and collaborative works.
Donnie and Sam also get into the all-Big Ten teams, which as usual raised a lot of questions about what voters really value when it comes to voting for players. Which host thinks free notebooks might have a big say?
And with the transfer portal set to open next week, and a slew of players already announcing intentions to enter this week, Donnie and Sam become the latest to debate the positives and negatives of a rule that continues to shake up college football.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

You may have heard, Penn State is in the market for an offensive coordinator. But, the most important coordinator to this team in 2024 is one that already is on the sidelines.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (The Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) discuss both the contributions of defensive coordinator Manny Diaz over his two seasons with the program, and what keeping him around would mean for the future.
Do either think Diaz would consider leaving Penn State to take another defensive coordinator's job somewhere else? 
On the Thanksgiving edition of the podcast, Donnie and Sam also discuss the quarterback situation, where Beau Pribula's running ability added a different dimension to the offense once starter Drew Allar left the Rutgers game with an injury last Saturday. They discuss whether a case could be made that Penn State should go with a two-quarterback system, or whether sticking it out with Allar is the best way to go for the future.
Plus, what is Sam's favorite Thanksgiving meal? Since James Franklin never asked, it's time to get that information out there.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Mike Yurcich is gone. Penn State's Big Ten championships hopes are, too. James Franklin is under questioning. And the Nittany Lions are going to be under the microscope as the season winds down.
On this week's episode of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (The Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (The Citizens Voice) break down Franklin's decision to fire Yurcich and pursue his sixth offensive coordinator in 11 seasons.
What does it mean for Penn State's head coach, as he approaches what Sam calls the most critical hire of his tenure? And, what traits should he be looking for in the next coordinator? Donnie and Sam both give their thoughts on that, and make their picks.
Plus, they discuss why Yurcich failed to get the offense to reach the levels most expected he would, the negative fan reaction after the loss and...of course...2-point conversions and the value of common sense.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Coming off its best offensive performance in a month, No. 10 Penn State has a shot at redemption.
The problem is, it comes against No. 3 Michigan.
On this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) talk about what the dominant performance against Maryland might mean this week against the mighty Wolverines.
But...does it mean anything?
Donnie and Sam also talk with Scranton Times-Tribune wrestling writer and copy editor Joe Baress -- Northeast Pennsylvania's resident Michigan Man -- who is unashamedly pro sign-stealing (sort of). 

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

Guard your WiFi passwords. That man you don't know, sitting in your rocking chair...could be a Michigan operative.
The rogue, low-level staffer still still seems quite chummy with Jim Harbaugh and his Michigan assistants as the Wolverines alleged signal-stealing scandal inches into November. And with new photos alleging that staffer, the ever slippery Connor Stalions, was on the Chippewas sideline to pilfer all the information he could during a game against Michigan rival Michigan State earlier this season, the controversy is only heating up.
On this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, hosts Donnie Collins (Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) talk about the affectt the scandal could have not just on the Nittany Lions' clash with Michigan on Nov. 11, but the Wolverines' perception in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Speaking of, Penn State ranks No. 11 in the initial CFP rankings. Is that a fair spot to place the Lions? And, what does that potentially say about the future. Donnie and Sam discuss that, after they take a deep dive into the key positions on offense the NIttany Lions need to improve if they still want to be a title contender this season.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

It's the question most Penn State fans have been wrestling with since the Nittany Lions lost the latest in a long line of existential struggles against Ohio State last Saturday, and frankly, they should be used to the feeling by now.
Penn State's 11-game winning streak and circled the drain yet again against the Buckeyes, leaving the rest of what once was viewed as a potential breakthrough season very much in doubt.
Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins (Scranton Times-Tribune) and Sam Fremin (Citizens Voice) talked about many of the issues that now surround a program that just can't seem to get past the top-level teams in the Big Ten. Even when it seems as if it has every reason to believe it should.
They give their thoughts on whether fans should have belief in the program as it stands right now. They also delve into their thoughts on who is most to blame for the latest Buckeyes defeat, and who is getting too much of the blame. Is head coach James Franklin the right man for the job, and should one poorly-coached loss change that?
Should this be a defining moment for quarterback Drew Allar, who did not play well?
As usual, there are a lot of questions with this program.
And, the answers aren't as easy to come by.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify

The date that has been circled for months is almost here.
For Penn State, it's the day that means everything.
With the No. 7 Nittany Lions preparing for its annual existential struggle against No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus, Penn Stated hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss every angle of the Big Ten's biggest game to this point in the 2023 season. The winner will be positioned to face Michigan in the de facto Big Ten East championship game in November, but for Penn State, the game feels bigger.
It feels like a moment in time.
Like an opportunity to make another step long awaited since the Nittany Lions last defeated Ohio State in 2016, since head coach James Franklin's now famous "elite" speech in 2018.
Donnie and Sam look at the impact of quarterback Drew Allar, playing in his first-ever national-spotlight game on the road -- and in his home state. They talk about the strengths, and rare weaknesses, of the Buckeyes offense. And, they give their predictions on who will win and what will be the biggest reason why.

To contact Donnie, drop an email at dcollins@scrantontimes.com, or send him a message on Twitter @PennStateTT.

Listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Google podcasts

Listen and subscribe on Spotify