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Big Ten Network Visited Penn State Football Practice. Here's What We Learned

The Nittany Lions continue to earn rave reviews ahead of the 2025 season.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State football head coach James Franklin smiles during a practice session outside Holuba Hall.
Penn State football head coach James Franklin smiles during a practice session outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Big Ten Network arrived at Penn State just in time for a lovely evening practice at Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lions made their training camp debut Tuesday night. The network's cameras and crrew shared some moments and perspectives from the practice, which was a showcase for the Nittany Lions' national championship hopes.

The Michigan-Ohio State comparisons continue

Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins, a sixth-year senior, goes through Nittany Lions practice outside Holuba Hall.
Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins, a sixth-year senior, goes through Nittany Lions practice outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A dominant preseason Penn State theme has been comparisons to Michigan's championship team of 2023 and Ohio State's 2024, specifically regarding experience. The BTN crew brought up an interesting stat in that regard: Penn State returns 14 all-conference players, more than Michigan and Ohio State had during their title runs.

Further, Penn State has a third-year starting quarterback, in its system, in Drew Allar. Neither Michigan nor Ohio State had that to begin their championship seasons. Because of that high-level experience, Penn State is "further ahead" in camp than usual, Franklin said.

Penn State's wide receivers are making a difference

BTN host Dave Revsine brought up the lingering stat from last year, that no receiver caught a pass in the Orange Bowl. He also noted this for the future: Penn State's three transfer receivers (Kyron Hudson, Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross) combined for 23 touchdown catches last season at their previous schools. Penn State's receivers combined for 12.

BTN's Jake Butt said on the broadcast that the trio have upgraded the room physically, are "twitchy" and run precise routes. Both Butt and Gerry DiNardo highlighted Hudson, the USC transfer, as a vertical threat. But quarterback Drew Allar said that some young receivers, notably Koby Howard and Lyrick Samuel, have made plays in camp.

"If this group was out there against Notre Dame, that would not be the story," BTN's Butt said on the broadcast.

Drew Allar is taking the right steps

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar puts his helmet on during a Nittany Lions practice session outside Holuba Hall.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar puts his helmet on during a practice session outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Allar is a different quarterback this season from multiple perspectives, not the least of which is physically. He's just a few pounds lighter but noticably leaner. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has called Allar more agile. Further, the quarterback has taken advantage of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' scouting report from last season, when Knowles was at Ohio State.

“I want him to win a Big Ten championship,” Franklin told the BTN crew regarding Allar. “I want him to have a chance to win at the very highest level in college football, a national championship, and then be a top-10 pick, all those things combined, and even the first pick. And we talk about it all the time, with team success comes individual recognition. But I think [since] last year, he changed his body significantly, which allowed him to be more athletic, extend plays, and make big-time throws. So it’s not really one glaring area that I feel like he needs to get better. It’s just continually growing in every area. And now they’re smaller steps, but they still add up and they matter."

Penn State's offense could be the Big Ten's best

It was notable that BTN highlighted the receivers, the tight ends (specifically Khalil Dinkins) and the offensive line, showing little need to linger over running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. The offensive line drew considerable praise from Butt and DiNardo, with Butt suggesting that the group will write Penn State's story this season.

“Specifically on offense and special teams, we’re way ahead," Franklin told the BTN crew. "Defensively, we can’t describe it the same way. Obviously, with a new defense coordinator in coach Knowles. But once again, installing your defense in today’s college football with what you’re able to do in the summer and the meetings and things like that allows you to get further ahead.”

Speaking of the defense...

As BTN noted, Penn State has ranked among the top-6 nationally in several major statistical categories under three different coordinators (Brent Pry, Manny Diaz, Tom Allen) over the past three years. Though Franklin said the defensive install obviously is going more deliberately than on offense, Butt found that the Nittany Lions "look like they're already graduate level to me."

Butt also thought Penn State's very deep secondary "won the day" against the receivers, and DiNardo was impressed with the look of the defensive line, which still has some questions. Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton sounded ready, though.

"Half of our plays are just me getting to the quarterback," he told the BTN crew.

The last word on Penn State

The term "national championship" underscored every bit of BTN's coverage. Butt said that Penn State has a "championship-level roster," a statement DiNardo raised.

"That's as good a team as we've seen in the Big Ten in 19 years," DiNardo said. "... They're definitely a national-championship contender."

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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