2017 PREVIEW
QUICK FACTS
SEASON NOTES
NITTANY LION NOTEBOOK
FORTY-FIVE LETTERWINNERS RETURN
LIONS WELCOME FOUR EARLY ENROLLEES
• Penn State returns 45 lettermen from last year’s Big Ten Championship squad – 24 on defense, 18 on offense and three on special teams. • Of the 45 overall lettermen returning, 35 have starting experience – 16 on defense, 15 on offense and four on special teams. • The Nittany Lions lost the services of 17 lettermen – nine on defense, five on offense and four specialists.
• The Nittany Lions welcome four scholarship student-athletes who enrolled in classes in January, participated in winter workouts and will compete in spring practice. All four graduated high school early to enroll in Penn State. • The list includes the 2016 Mr. Pennsylvania Football and Gatorade State Player of the Year and a trio of all-state honorees. • The January early enrollees are: linebacker Brelin FaisonWalden (Greensboro, N.C.), wide receiver KJ Hamler (Pontiac, Mich.), offensive lineman Mike Miranda (Stow, Ohio) and cornerback Lamont Wade (Clairton, Pa.). • Wade won the Mr. PA Football and Gatorade Player of the Year honors. It is the third consecutive season that a Nittany Lion has won the Mr. PA Football award (2014 - Saquon Barkley; 2015 Miles Sanders & Michael Shuster).
EIGHTEEN STARTERS RETURNING • The Nittany Lions return 18 starters – nine on offense, six on defense and three on special teams. • Seventeen additional Penn Staters have starting experience – six on offense, 10 on defense and one on special teams. • Among the returning starters are 2016 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley, All-Big Ten first team selection Tyler Davis, All-Big Ten second team honorees Trace McSorley and Mike Gesiski, as well as All-Big Ten third team choices Marcus Allen and Jason Cabinda.
2017 PENN STATE SCHEDULE Sept. 2 AKRON Sept. 9 PITTSBURGH Sept. 16 GEORGIA STATE Sept. 23 at Iowa * Sept. 30 INDIANA ** Oct. 7 at Northwestern * Oct. 21 MICHIGAN ** Oct. 28 at Ohio State ** Nov. 4 at Michigan State ** Nov. 11 RUTGERS ** (1) Nov. 18 NEBRASKA * Nov. 25 at Maryland ** (1) Homecoming; *Big Ten Conference games; **Big Ten East Division games.
Photo credit: Mark Selders, Steve Manuel, Campus Photography, Penn State Department of Public Information, Big Ten Conference.
EIGHT BOWL TEAMS HIGHLIGHT SCHEDULE • The Nittany Lions will face eight teams which participated in a bowl game during the 2016 campaign. • Northwestern topped Pitt in the Pinstripe Bowl, 31-24. • Ohio State earned the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff and lost to Clemson, 31-0, in the Fiesta Bowl. • Iowa fell to Florida, 30-3, in the Outback Bowl; Indiana dropped a tough 26-24 decision to Utah in the Foster Farms Bowl; Michigan lost to Florida State, 33-32, in the Orange Bowl; Nebraska suffered a 38-24 loss to Tennessee in the Music City Bowl and Maryland suffered a 36-30 loss to Boston College in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Location: University Park, Pa. 16802 Enrollment: 41,359 (undergraduate); 47,261 (University Park overall) Nickname: Nittany Lions Colors: Blue & White Stadium (Capacity): Beaver Stadium (106,572) Stadium Surface: Natural Grass Conference: Big Ten President: Dr. Eric Barron Athletic Director: Sandy Barbour Deputy Athletic Director/COO: Phil Esten Football Coach: James Franklin Chief of Staff: Jemal Griffin Director of Football Administration: Kevin Threlkel Director of Football Operations: Michael Hazel Football Office Phone: (814) 865-0412 Penn State Athletics Website: GoPSUsports.com
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communications: Jeff Nelson Associate Director of Strategic Communications/ Football Contact: Kristina Petersen Secondary Football Contacts: Mark Brumbaugh, Greg Campbell, Arielle Sargent Associate/Assistant Directors of Strategic Communications: Alissa Clendenen, Mark Brumbaugh, Greg Campbell, Pat Donghia, John Hanna, Will Rottler, Megan Samassa, Arielle Sargent, Jeff Smith, Steve Sommer Administrative Support Assistant: Vonda Harpster Strategic Communications Phone: (814) 865-1757 Strategic Communications Fax: (814) 863-3165 Strategic Communications Address: 101-D Bryce Jordan Center University Park, Pa. 16802
TEAM INFORMATION
2016 Record: 11-3 2016 Big Ten Conference Record (finish): 7-1 (T-1st East) Lettermen Returning/Lost: 45/17 Starters Returning/Lost: 19/7 Additional Returnees with Starting Experience: 17 Blue-White Game: Saturday, April 22, 3 p.m.
RUTGERS IS HOMECOMING FOE • When the alumni return to Happy Valley for the 2017 Homecoming game, the Penn State faithful will cheer their Nittany Lions against Rutgers. • The Scarlets Knights will provide the opponent for the 2017 Homecoming contest on Nov. 11. • This is the third time that Penn State will meet Rutgers in a Homecoming game. The Nittany Lions defeated the Scarlet Knights in 1987 (35-21) and 1991 (37-17) in Homecoming contests. • Penn State owns a 70-22-5 record all-time on Homecoming, including wins in 10 of its last 12 games.
HISTORY
First Year of Football: 1887 All-time Record: 867-385-42, 130 seasons; 3 8th nationally in victories All-time Bowl Record: 28-17-2; 3 3rd nationally in bowl victories Years in Postseason Play: 47; 3 9th in all-time bowl appearances
www.GoPSUsports.com U. Ed. No. ICA-17-2
2017 PENN STATE FOOTBALL SPRING GUIDE
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