It’s mid July, and for college football fans, it’s a pretty boring time period. Recruiting is relatively quiet, and summer practice doesn’t start for a few more weeks. 43 days until kickoff still seems like a long way away, but luckily, there are magazines with previews and analysis to pass that time. If Phil Steele isn’t doing the job and you want more of a local fix, the Patriot News has you covered with their annual PRIDE magazine.

The 2012 edition — available either online or in grocery and convenience stores for $6.95 — features junior running back Silas Redd on the cover with a powerful statement displayed in this photo. Redd looks to be a focused individual right now based on this and some of his quotes during last Friday’s Lift for Life charity event. The magazine also promises to have stories on senior linebacker Gerald Hodges, junior guard John Urschel, and of course, Bill O’Brien.

The magazine was put together by writers Bob Flounders, Dave Jones, and Stefanie Loh. Jones has produced some really well-written columns over the last few weeks about Penn State and Joe Paterno. The magazine can also be had for free with a subscription to the Patriot News, and the website provides a sweepstakes for two tickets to the home game against Ohio State on October 27th in primetime.

One thing in particular that jumps out from the archives is the hope that a Madden esque curse is not creeping in here. Michael Mauti and Evan Royster were the last two cover boys respectively. Mauti suffered an ACL tear in the fourth game of the season against Eastern Michigan last year, and Royster got off to a very slow start in 2010. Redd will look to eliminate any semblance of that notion this fall.

Forty three more days until kickoff!