2024 Penn State Nittany Lions

Don Wassall

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Since 2005 the number of White starters for Penn State has been 8, 10, 9, 8, 12, 10, 8, 10, 9, 10, 8, 8, 8, 6, 8, 5, 2, 4, and 3. A huge uptick to 4 in 2024 at James Franklin’s plantation.

It’s depressing to do the write-ups for Penn State and Pitt each year, my two alma maters. I was the booth statistician for two years for televised Penn State football games in the late 1970s and those teams, besides being in contention for the national championship each year, had White players at every position. Joe Paterno eventually began to “grow” and darkened the team, but nowhere near the level that Franklin has.

Starting QB Drew Allar threw for 2,631 yards in 2023 with 25 TDs and just 2 interceptions. He also rushed for 206 yards and 4 TDs. A five star recruit, he’s 6’5” and 238 pounds.

Speaking of recruits, Penn State actually has a starting White linebacker, Dominic DeLuca. But he’s a walk-on of course. In fact, of the ten linebackers at the top of the depth chart, Ben Chizmar is the only other White one. He’s tenth and is also a walk-on. The other linebackers are Black and all of them are three and four star recruits. No agenda at work here of course, no racial discrimination and slotting, and it’s like that at all the major programs.

Redshirt junior Liam Clifford is a second string WR and gets minimal usage, just 8 receptions in 2022 and 13 last year.

Tyler Elsdon is a second string LB; the rest of the second string defense is Black. Amazingly, buried at sixth on the depth chart is a White running back, Tyler Holzworth, a 6’0” 219 pound redshirt junior (walk-on of course). Franklin has put him in a game a few times for shits and giggles, as he had 6 carries in 2022 and 3 last season.

QB: Drew Allar
RT: Nolan Rucci
TE: Tyler Warren (34/422/7 last season)

LB: Dominic DeLuca
 

Phall

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Liam Clifford is former PSU QB and current 'White Purge 2024' subject Sean Clifford's younger brother. It sounds like he has a realistic shot at starting this weekend and at least getting way more targets this year.

PENN STATE: Clifford, receivers make big improvements at camp

Franklin has made it clear that Harrison (Tre) Wallace III and Liam Clifford have emerged as the best wide receivers since preseason practice began in late July. They’re likely to start when Penn State opens its season at West Virginia Saturday at noon (TV-FOX).
Wallace was a starter last season, but Clifford has been a reserve his entire Penn State career.
“With Liam, it’s really not one specific area,” Franklin said. “I think he’s more confident. I think he’s more comfortable. He’s much more consistent, which this is all about for all of these guys at this level. His college career is like his high school career. He just kept getting better every year.”
The 6-1, 205-pound Clifford, the younger brother of former Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, was a three-star prospect who was the Ohio Division I Offensive Player of the Year in 2020. In three previous seasons with the Lions, he had 21 catches for 219 yards and no touchdowns, including 13 for 130 last year.
“He’s faster (4.45 in the 40-yard dash) than people give him credit for,” Franklin said. “He has a big catch radius. He’s shown some flashes in the past. He has a chance to be a playmaker for us this season.”
https://www.citizensvoice.com/sport...cle_69df8dea-48a6-5300-a8be-7fe0f7ae98d9.html
 

Bucky

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Hope Allar does well, besides that uninspiring to say the least.
 

Don Wassall

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Liam Clifford is former PSU QB and current 'White Purge 2024' subject Sean Clifford's younger brother. It sounds like he has a realistic shot at starting this weekend and at least getting way more targets this year.

PENN STATE: Clifford, receivers make big improvements at camp

I didn't put two and two together on the sibling relationship, however I'll be surprised if Liam actually does start. With Franklin and his dislike of playing more than a sprinkling of Whites, actions speak louder than words.

There's actually some criticism of St. James in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Some excerpts:

"Franklin. . . guided the Nittany Lions to at least 10 wins for the fifth time. . . and it felt a little hollow because Penn State once again struggled against the Big Ten's best. . .

"While I'd argue that [Pat Narduzzi, Pitt's head coach] is probably under more pressure to prove the 2023 struggles were a fluke. . . there's no shortage of expectations for Franklin in Happy Valley. With the introduction of the 12-team College Football Playoff, the national net has now been widened to the point where it should theoretically include Penn State. (Penn State missed the 8-team format every season under Franklin.)

". . . Before getting too far into who could make a difference for Penn State, the issue remains whether Franklin can get his team over the hump, with a 3-11 record against Michigan and Ohio State since 2017 and a 12-26 mark against ranked teams during his tenure at the school."

Sounds a lot like Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, stuck in a rut and either unable to make the playoffs or quickly being dispatched when they do. But like Tomlin, Franklin is undoubtedly very entrenched for years to come unless PSU becomes a conference bottom feeder.

The Post-Gazette is subscription only but one can usually read three free articles per month. Here's the url for the one quoted above written by Jason Mackey: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports...tt-or-penn-state-s-james/stories/202408260070
 

Don Wassall

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Just as I expected, Liam Clifford is nowhere to be found in the PSU-WVU box score. James Franklin starting a White WR? Reminds me of Bobby Bowden nearly collapsing from laughter after he was asked if he'd ever recruit a White RB.

Drew Allar was 11 of 17 for 216/3/0. He also rushed 6 times for 44 yards, nice start for him.
 
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Clifford started the game and played a majority of snaps, just wasn’t involved much.

In fact, Rappleyea started as well in a two TE set.
 

Leonardfan

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https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ght-end-tyler-warren-comparisons-travis-kelce


Warren has been a phenomenal player this season. Nice to see him getting some positive press. He should be a 1st round prospect come the draft. Just a notch below the elite Brock Bowers if you ask me.

The big show down with Ohio State this weekend will be a big game. Tons of playoff implications. Allan is questionable but it seems that the backup Pribula is more than capable if called upon.
 

Bucky

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Pribula is nice! Tore up Wisconsin! I wish they had a decent QB. Someone who could run and throw.

I like Will Howard but go Penn State in this one.
 
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