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Penn State football will boast one of the nation’s top rosters in 2025, and the most complete one yet in coach James Franklin’s 11th season.
But it will carry a warning label, for now.
A team primed to make another deep postseason run and play for its first national title in nearly 40 years must find answers to a couple of preseason dilemmas to legitimize its elite expectations.
While the Nittany Lions return College Football Playoff depth, experience and standouts in nearly every area, there are two glaring issues: middle linebacker and receiver.
Could the incoming 2025 recruiting class − which should be finalized by National Signing Day on Feb. 5 − provide some immediate help?
What we do know: This Top 20-rated recruiting group, at least, will supply multiple prospects for both positions, including former Penn State star linebacker LaVar Arrington’s son.
Here’s analysis of a few key positions for Penn State in 2025:
Penn State wide receiver Liam Clifford (2) jogs to the line in the first half of an NCAA football game against Kent State, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in State College, Pa.
Penn State football: Can a remade receiver room finally produce?
One statistic from the playoff loss to Notre Dame summed up this festering problem: Penn State became the only non-service academy team last season to not have a receiver catch a pass in a game.
The most unproductive group of this offense the past two seasons had reached its nadir.
And so it appears that position coach Marques Hagans is getting to hit a reset button, of sorts. Four of his wideouts, including top targets Tre Wallace and Omari Evans, left via the transfer portal shortly after the season-ending loss to Notre Dame. Another (Julian Fleming) is out of eligibility.
The reboot, for now, features junior backup Liam Clifford and five other returners who combined to make…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/penn-state-footballs-2025-depth-100717740.html
Author : York Daily Record
Publish date : 2025-01-27 10:07:00
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