keandre lambert-smith

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.

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Penn State's defense so thoroughly dominated Iowa in the White Out last week, the numbers were difficult to believe. 
The helpless Hawkeyes went three-and-out -- or worse -- on eight of their 10 drives. They gained 2 total yards from the end of the first quarter until a garbage-time drive in the fourth. 
In a clinic on how creative, how explosive, the Nittany Lions can be, the question remains: Did the Nittany Lions set an impossible standard against a confused and overwhelmed Iowa team that came into the game unbeaten with a No. 24 ranking?
Penn Stated co-hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss whether there's possibly more big things coming with a Nittany Lions defense that has forced nine turnovers in the last eight quarters of football this season. With the innovative Manny Diaz calling the shots and a talented corps of youngsters like Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac and Abdul Carter implementing them, anything seems possible right now for the Nittany Lions defense.
Donnie and Sam also talk about the Penn State receiving corps and its yet-undisplayed ability to make big plays, and there's a spirited debate about which team is the best in the Big Ten West division.
They also talk about much more pressing matters, like nicknames and coffee. 

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

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The 2023 season is just a few days away, and plenty is going to change for Penn State. 
What shouldn't is what should be clear by now.
Hosts Donnie Collins and Sam Fremin discuss the No. 7 Nittany Lions' season opener on this week's edition of the Penn Stated podcast, with a focus on the should-be starting quarterback Drew Allar and what he potentially brings to the offense. Do Donnie and Sam think the former five-star prospect can actually start off strong and be a catalyst against West Virginia?
Other topics on the agenda include the Big Ten's long-overdue policy requiring teams to release pregame availability data -- and why Donnie thinks this will be a sad goodbye to the halcyon days of the overly paranoid head coaches around college football. 
Donnie and Sam also discuss not just how West Virginia can pull off an upset, but whether it seems likely.

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

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For sure, there was plenty to talk about after last Saturday's Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium.
Omari Evans and Kaden Saunders may have cooled some of the doubt about the readiness of Penn State's second batch of receivers. For backup defensive ends, Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zuriah Fisher sure did look like gamebreakers. For true freshmen who would normally still be in high school, Tony Rojas and Ta'Mere Robinson sure did look like potential stars at linebacker. KJ Winston might be a stud at safety. The defense potentially looks dominant, even if the kicking specialists left a bit to be desired.
But with special guest Cory Giger of DK Pittsburgh Sports on as his special guest this week, of course Penn Stated host Donnie Collins is going to put the focus back on the quarterback position and the performance of sophomore Drew Allar in what, in all reality, was his first career game as the Nittany Lions' starting quarterback.
Donnie and Cory went in-depth on the receiver battle and made themselves GMs while discussing their view on what positions Penn State coaches should look to bolster through the transfer portal this summer.
Still, most of the talk centered on Allar, who threw for more than 200 yards in the game, with just one touchdown, and had to battle a hard-charging defense throughout the overcast afternoon. Is he ready to help Penn State contend for a Big Ten East title sooner rather than later? And, how important is he for a program that wants to get itself on an accelerated national title pace?
Plus, Donnie and Cory give their opinions on realistic timelines for the Nittany Lions to win a national championship. (Hint: Don't hold your breath waiting.)

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

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Well, the end of the line is finally here: For the 2022 regular season. The career of longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford. The rookie seasons of several of Penn State's biggest stars.

But, in many ways, the beginning has arrived for Penn State football's future, too.

Penn Stated host Donnie Collins will navigate the fine line between beginning and end that major bowl games have become for some of college football's top programs and delve into what all of it will mean for the No. 11 Nittany Lions on Monday when they face No. 8 Pac-12 champion Utah in the 109th Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Donnie will break down the game and discuss the stark similarities coaches from both programs see in each others' products. But he'll also look to the one position where Penn State can show what the future holds starting with Monday's game.

You'll hear insight from head coach James Franklin on the game, as well as wideouts KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Omari Evans and Harrison Wallace on what this one means as they prepare for the future. And no less a source than wideout Liam Clifford shares what he thinks would be the ideal way for his brother to leave the program after four seasons as a starter.

All that and more on a special Rose Bowl edition of Penn Stated, from Los Angeles and Pasadena.

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

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Sean Clifford is playing well, but Drew Allar is the future. There's no doubt about either, and on this week's episode of Penn Stated, host Donnie Collins chats with former Penn State star quarterback and West Scranton legend Matt McGloin about which signal-caller gives the Nittany Lions the best chance to win, right now?

Also, what does Donnie believe this team needs to do much better to be a factor in the Big Ten title race? And, a prediction for the upcoming game against Northwestern at Beaver Stadium.

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

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