John Donovan is crippling this offense, and the team is suffering in the win-loss column as a result. I've tried to hold my tongue. I've tried to remain optimistic. But I've had enough.
As fans, we tend to forget that the NFL is a business. When there are handful of talented players all vying for the same spot, roster cuts become a numbers game, and Devon Still fell victim to this cruel side of the business on Saturday as the Cincinnati Bengals whittled its roster down to 53 before the 4:00 p.m. deadline.
The utter catastrophe that was Penn State football's deflating season-opening loss against Temple probably dampened the spirits of Nittany Lion supporters everywhere. Luckily, football wasn't the only sport being played on Saturday. The No. 1 ranked Penn State women's volleyball team took on No. 2 Stanford in a heavyweight clash in front of a packed house at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions lived up to the ranking, erasing the Cardinal in straight sets in what turned out to be the team's best collective performance of the 2015 season thus far.
The metaphorical tire-fire all of you have been forced to endure has probably made you feel a litany of emotions -- most of which include anger, disgust, confusion, and rage. Penn State's inept showing in a game in which it was favored shouldn't have made you feel any different, but at least you're not alone! A number of notable Penn State alumni -- including Allen Robinson, Anthony Adams, and Donovan Smith -- took to social media to voice their displeasure about the team's lackluster performance, with the majority of the criticism centering around the team's egregious play calling.
With two days left before the Nittany Lions set course to Philadelphia to take on Temple, Paris Palmer is a changed man. After undergoing a physical transformation during the offseason, Palmer looks and plays the part of a Big Ten caliber tackle. At 6-foot-7, it's easy for weight to be dispersed across his lanky frame, which is why his 283 pound frame could've been easily mistaken for that of a 240-pound athlete. But 19 pounds later, Palmer will have no problem taking on much stronger, more skilled defensive ends than those he faced at the junior college level.
Penn State experienced a relatively low turnover rate from 2014 to 2015, but certain positions lost crucial starters to graduation or the NFL Draft. Player turnover is a natural phase in the college football ecosystem – as unfortunate as it may be, it’s simply unavoidable. Luckily for James Franklin and his staff, the draft bug was relatively kind to his roster, making way for what should be a smooth transition. Let's take a look at some of the new faces taking on larger roles for Penn State in 2015.