GBI Magazine

Gold and Black Illustrated, July-August 2014

Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.

Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/339722

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 112 of 122

ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 113 f PENN STATE'S FIVE BURNING QUESTIONS: 1. How well will Christian Hackenberg adjust? How well he adapts without uber-teacher Bill O'Brien is key. 2. Can the offense produce without Allen Robinson? A near-complete over- haul at WR is in the offing with only two players with a single reception in their college careers returning. 3. What can be expected of Penn State's defense? Experience returns, but the issue comes in the form of depth, especially at linebacker. That unit needs to stay healthy. 4. How is the program adjusting to its third head coach since 2011? The enthusiasm James Franklin has brought in his first months on the job has alleviated what could have been an ugly transition. 5. How are the NCAA sanctions affecting Penn State in Year 3? A catastrophe was avoided by last year's sanction reductions, but depth is still an issue. —Nate Bauer, BlueWhite.com Penn State Bill Belton gained more than 800 yards with five TDs sharing carries with Zach Zwinak. Penn State Nittany Lions 2014 PREVIEW • NOT ON PURDUE'S SCHEDULE OF NOTE: At 42 years old, James Franklin enters the Big Ten as the second-youngest coach behind Northwestern's Pat Fitzger- ald, who is 39. "They're energized by their new coach and they should be, but depth is going to continue to be an issue in State College. There have been some scholarship limitations that have com- promised their numbers. Yet, if Penn State can stay healthy, it has a chance to do something Bill O'Brien did for two years: Win seven or eight games." — Tom Dienhart, Big Ten Network TOM'S TAKE (7-5 overall, 4-4 Big Ten, 3rd Leaders) Date Opponent . . . . . . . . . Results 8/31 vs. Syracuse*. . . . . . . W, 23-17 9/7 EASTERN MICHIGAN . . W, 45-7 9/14 CENTRAL FLORIDA . . L, 31-34 9/21 KENT STATE . . . . . . . . . W, 34-0 10/5 at Indiana . . . . . . . . . . L, 24-44 10/12 MICHIGAN . . . . W, 43-40 (4OT) 10/26 at Ohio State . . . . . . . L, 14-63 11/2 ILLINOIS . . . . . . W, 24-17 (OT) 11/9 at Minnesota . . . . . . . L, 10-24 11/16 PURDUE . . . . . . . . . . . W, 45-21 11/23 NEBRASKA . . . . . L, 20-23 (OT) 11/30 at Wisconsin . . . . . . . W, 31-24 * MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Who's in Charge? COACH JAMES FRANKLIN Record at Penn State: 0-0 Record vs. Purdue: 0-0 Date Opponent 8/30 vs. Central Florida* 9/6 AKRON 9/13 at Rutgers 9/20 MASSACHUSETTS 9/27 NORTHWESTERN 10/11 at Michigan 10/25 OHIO STATE 11/1 MARYLAND 11/8 at Indiana 11/15 TEMPLE 11/22 at Illinois 11/29 MICHIGAN STATE *Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland 2013 RESULTS 2014 SCHEDULE Fabulous Freshmen Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg was fourth among all freshmen quarterbacks in passing yards in 2013. Jameis Winston (Florida State) 4,057 yds Jared Goff (California) 3,508 yds John O'Korn (Houston) 3,117 yds Christian Hackenberg (Penn State) 2,955 yds Davis Webb (Texas Tech) 2,718 yds For daily headlines on recruiting and other Purdue sports news, check out

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of GBI Magazine - Gold and Black Illustrated, July-August 2014