Penn State Opens Training Camp Ready for the Spotlight
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In the short time he has spent with Penn State's freshman class, senior Ji'Ayir Brown has found the group polished and ready to play. So has head coach James Franklin.
And though Franklin still wants to assess the class through the lens of a full training camp, he has seen potentially the biggest group of young players ready to contribute in his career at Penn State.
"I love our overall depth," Franklin said at Big Ten Media Days. "I think our overall depth is as good as it's been in a number of years. ... There's probably a larger number of those young men that we feel like are going to be able to impact our program and our organization earlier in their careers than in our normal recruiting classes. So we're excited about that."
Penn State begins 2022 training camp Monday having addressed an issue that undermined its 2021 season. The Lions struggled with depth at key positions, notably quarterback, which contributed to its 7-6 finish.
But the Lions are better there, and at other positions, and are convinced they have assembled a roster that can challenge Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten East.
"Last year the injuries that we sustained happened to be at positions that we did not have proven, experienced depth," Franklin said. "... We lose our starting quarterback, and the backup quarterback had not had significant reps.
"There's still question marks, and we've got to resolve them as quickly as we possibly can. But we seem to have either less questions this year than we had last year, or where we do, we have more legitimate possibilities as answers behind them."
What questions must Penn State resolve before opening the season Sept. 1 at Purdue? Let's address them.
Does Penn State Have a Backup Quarterback Who Can Start?
Sean Clifford brims with confidence entering his fourth starting season, and the position is appreciably better with Christian Veilleux, Drew Allar and Beau Pribula in the room. As a result, Penn State must have a backup ready in case Clifford gets hurt or is ineffective.
Clifford hasn't played an injury-free season yet at Penn State. Though he started all 13 games last season, Clifford played through an injury that kept him well below full strength during the second half. He also left the Outback Bowl because of an injury.
Clifford returned to take a fourth swing at the Big Ten title. But Veilleux also wants to prove himself this season after leading Penn State to a relief victory over Rutgers in 2021. Veilleux is best positioned to begin the season as the No. 2 quarterback, though Penn State needs him to believe he could start in Clifford's place.
"With Veilleux, it's different," former receiver Jahan Dotson said after that 28-0 win over Rutgers. If Veilleux is different this year, Penn State should feel much better about its circumstances should Clifford confront another injury.
When Will Penn State Produce a 100-Yard Rusher?
Penn State didn't have a 100-yard rusher last season for the first time since 1978. Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider called that statistic "unsettling," but change might be coming.
The Lions' freshmen backs, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, should rise up the depth chart as August turns to September. Keyvone Lee is the likely starter for the opener at Purdue, but Singleton and Allen are going to play. And one of them could be the leading rusher at season's end.
"They’re really good just because of their get-off, their first step and the way they hit the holes," offensive line coach Phil Trautwein said. "Watching both of them after contact, their vision is really great. You wouldn’t know walking out here watching practice that they should still be in high school. ... They don't look like freshmen to me."
What Are Reasonable Expectations for the Offensive Line?
James Franklin wouldn't set public expectations for his offensive line, since that approach has bitten him before, but quietly believes this group will be better. Trautwein, though, said he's "100 percent" confident that the line will front an improved run game this season.
"We looked at that in the spring and we attacked it and we got better," Trautwein said. "We know what we need to do and we’re fixing it and we’re going to show you guys."
Added Trautwein for emphasis, "I know how to run the ball."
One lineman to watch is Caedan Wallace, who returns at right tackle. Wallace hit a wall last season, Trautwein said, but concluded spring drills playing his best football.
"I played tackle in the SEC [at Florida], and he’s way more athletic than me," Trautwein said. "I know he can do it. He has to work on his technique. Sometimes, he plays more like an athlete than an offensive lineman and he's starting to understand that he can play both and still be physical and drive people off the ball and still be athletic."
Does Penn State Have an Elite Pass Rusher?
Franklin has sent some first-rate defensive ends to the NFL, notably Arnold Ebiketie, Odafe Oweh, Shareef Miller, and Carl Nassib. The Lions need one to emerge this season, particularly in a Manny Diaz defense that prizes the pass rush.
Interestingly, three of the leading pass-rush candidates didn't play for Penn State last season. Adisa Isaac missed the 2021 season with an injury but returns expecting to build on the promise he showed in 2020.
Demeioun 'Chop' Robinson played linebacker at Maryland last year but is a pass-rusher at heart. And then there's true freshman Dani Dennis-Sutton, who at 6-5, 254 pounds looks physically ready to carve a role in the pass-rush rotation.
"I think [Robinson has] a chance to be a high-production, low-maintenance guy, which is what we want," Franklin said. "But the other thing is, having a guy that we did not have available last year in Adisa Isaac back. There's a number of guys that are going to be competing at that position that we feel really good about now."
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
