With spring practice out of the way, and summer still to come, Penn State fans will have a long time to wait for football season to arrive.
Coaches can only have limited contact with players.
They’re out recruiting more than anything else, if for no other reason than to keep active.
Scouting for the first few opponents will begin, but really all of this is to simply mark time until camp begins again.
When that time finally comes, so too will a host of new faces — freshman who will enroll and find out what Penn State football is really all about for the first time. Some players will make an impact right away. Others will redshirt, either for their own good or simply because their position is already deep and experienced.
Penn State may be out of its darkest hours, but the rebuilding process has only just begun. With that in mind, here are five freshman James Franklin and his staff might be glad to see on campus this fall.
WR Brandon Polk:
At 5-foot-9 Polk isn’t going to be the biggest target on the team but he has speed and skills to make up for it. Penn State hasn’t had a pure slot receiver in years and Polk might just fit that bill. There are certain advantages to not being the biggest guy on the field and it will be interesting to see how Polk exploits those advantages.
OL Ryan Bates:
Franklin and offensive line coach Herb Hand have been pretty open about their viewpoint as it pertains to an offensive lineman’s career. Waiting, growing and working into the role is the ideal situation. With that in mind, Bates may not be a part of the equation anytime soon.
But if Penn State’s offensive line is a question mark already, Franklin and Hand might just have to play the cards they’re dealt and put younger players in as soon as they are ready. In a normal year Bates probably redshirts under Franklin, but these haven’t been normal years for Penn State football.
RB Saquon Barkley:
Barkley is super compact, strong and agile. Nick Scott, Johnathan Thomas and Mark Allen all will be competing for roles in the running game behind Akeel Lynch but still have to prove themselves. If Barkely can live up to his high school film there is no reason he can’t have an impact on the running game right off the bat.
Even if he doesn’t play, it’s one more talented player pushing the rest of his position group. Depth on the field during a game is important, depth at practice is what makes you better.
DE Shareef Miller:
Miller might be the star in the making out of this bunch and that could spell trouble for opposing offenses. Penn State could opt to sideline Miller for a season to get him bigger, better and stronger, but if Nassib and company don’t get the job done on the outside this year (which seems unlikely) Miller could get thrown into the mix.
Again, it all comes back to Franklin’s willingness to play talented players now, to get an immediate return, or saving their eligibility for down the road. Miller could find a role this season, it’s just a matter of if Franklin will let that happen.
OLB Manny Bowen:
There isn’t a lack of linebacker talent on this roster, but Bowen’s smarts, athleticism and potential makes him an interesting prospect to watch heading into camp. Bowen seems he’s equally likely to be a redshirt or the first man off the bench if Penn State needs him.
Then again, Bob Shoop’s defense seems capable of making any player look good, so Penn State might plug someone else in if injuries occur while keeping Bowen for down the road.
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