Penn State football 2016 scouting report

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Here is a look at this year’s edition of the Nittany Lions, who have gone 7-6 each of the past two seasons:

Offense
New offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, the former Fordham head coach, has a need for speed. His no-huddle spread attack appears well-suited for the new quarterback, Trace McSorley, not to mention the other skill players. It might also ease the burden on the beleaguered offensive line. Tackle Andrew Nelson, who got a look on the left side in the spring, returns to the right side. The new center is Brian Gaia, who played right guard last year. The new right guard is Derek Dowrey, who started four games at left guard in 2015. The new left guard is redshirt freshman Ryan Bates. The new left tackle is Brendan Mahon, who in his first two seasons played left guard and right tackle. Lots of moving parts, but it needed to happen.

Defense
The back seven is largely proven, but the line, not so much. Of the projected regulars up front, only end Garrett Sickels has started a game before, and three linemen — Austin Johnson, Anthony Zettel and Carl Nassib — have moved on to the NFL. So while linebackers Jason Cabinda, Nyeem Wartman-White and Brandon Bell are all solid players, and while the secondary (led by Marcus Allen, who said earlier this week he wants to become the best safety in the Big Ten, if not the nation) appears set, this unit might be a house of cards if the line doesn’t hold up. Something else to watch: Brent Pry was promoted to coordinator after Bob Shoop left for Tennessee. No telling what impact that might have on a unit that thrived under Shoop.

Coaching
Langhorne native James Franklin and his staff have recruited well in two years on the job, in the process restocking a roster left threadbare by the NCAA sanctions handed down in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual-abuse scandal. (Case in point: Franklin had nine scholarship offensive linemen at his disposal when he arrived. He now has 17.) There might be questions about Franklin’s game-day abilities, but there is no question about his ability to assemble a team.

Player to watch
Running back Saquon Barkley carried one time for one yard in last year’s opener against Temple, later missed two games with an ankle injury and didn’t start until the eighth game of the season. He nonetheless rushed for a school freshman-record 1,076 yards. Barring injury, he should be one of the conference’s top backs.

Game to watch
The Lions renew their rivalry with Pitt the second week of the season. The two teams have not squared off since 2000, and the Panthers, playing at home, will no doubt be favored this time. A PSU upset (or, at least, a competitive outing) would put the rest of the season in a different light.

Season prediction
It’s a difficult schedule, and it’s hard to see Penn State beating Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State or Pitt. Iowa’s always respectable. Temple beat the Lions last year. Maryland did so the year before (and nearly made it two straight in ’15). Rutgers played PSU tough when the Lions visited the Garden State two years ago. Who does that leave? Well, Kent State, the opponent in Saturday’s opener, and one or two others.

So … eight wins, tops. And probably more like six, with another minor bowl appearance to follow.

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