With preseason camp in full swing, Penn State will open its doors on Saturday for local media day. James Franklin will speak first, followed by his program’s three new coordinators — Andy Kotelnicki, Tom Allen and Justin Lustig — before the floor is opened to assistant coaches and a good portion of the roster.
If there were ever a day to ask a burning preseason question, Saturday is the opportunity. And there are more than enough topics left to be answered before the Nittany Lions open the season at West Virginia on Aug. 31.
Here are five of the top storylines to look for ahead of Penn State’s local media day.
Two key players suspended
As coaches shouted and instructed at an open practice viewing session on Wednesday, two defensive players, defensive end Jamiel Lyons and linebacker Kaveion Keys, were notably absent. As first reported by Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times, Lyons and Keys have been placed on interim suspension to “deal with a personal matter.”
While he may refrain from comment, Franklin will certainly be asked about the situation on Saturday.
Lyons was one of only five true freshmen who burned their redshirt last season. He was anticipated to play a significant role off the edge behind Dani Dennis-Sutton and Abdul Carter. Keys appeared in only two games in 2023, but it was expected he would see increased playing time as a redshirt freshman this fall.
Checking in on Kotelnicki, Allar
It’s been eight months since Kotelnicki arrived as the Nittany Lions’ new offensive coordinator. By the looks (and, frankly, sounds) of his style in a handful of practice viewing sessions, it appears as Kotelnicki has officially meshed with his offense and, most importantly, returning starting quarterback Drew Allar.
Allar, as well as his coaches and teammates, have raved about Kotelnicki’s fun and creative coaching style. All reviews point to the former Kansas offensive guru being a hit, but the world won’t truly know until the games begin.
It’s no secret: Penn State’s playoff hopes rest largely on the shoulders of Allar and the offense. Is Kotelnicki ready for the strength of an expanded Big Ten schedule and the pressure toward achieving elite status?
Pressure is on for Hagans, WRs
Allar obviously can’t carry a passing game alone, and last season was a clear example of that. The wide receivers, who took a significant step down in 2023, will be called upon for major improvement. If it’s the same old story this fall, that could very well mean the job of second-year assistant coach Marques Hagans.
Last year’s top target KeAndre Lambert-Smith is now at Auburn, so the Nittany Lions will turn to injury-prone veterans Harrison Wallace III and Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming to not only stay healthy, but lead a struggling unit out of the muck.
Carter’s switch to DE
Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac are out of the picture, but Penn State’s edge is poised for success this year behind Dennis-Sutton and Abdul Carter, who made the move from linebacker this spring. Franklin said at last week’s Big Ten media days that Carter could “play both” defensive end and linebacker this season, a flexibility that should interfere with opposing gameplans.
Competitions
A number of position groups remain in competition for starting roles with the season inching closer.
Three of five spots on the offensive are up for grabs. Vega Ioane and JB Nelson are battling it out at right guard; Nick Dawkins and true freshman Cooper Cousins are competing at center; and Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci is fighting for a starting spot over Anthony Donkoh.
For the second consecutive year, the Nittany Lions remain in search of a third wide receiver to separate themselves from the pack. Potential candidates to earn the No. 3 role behind Wallace and Fleming are Omari Evans, Kaden Saunders and Liam Clifford.
The most significant defensive competition surrounds the cornerbacks, with as many as six names in contention for a starting role. Georgia transfer A.J. Harris and returning veteran Cam Miller are the favorites, but could see a push from fifth-year Florida transfer Jalen Kimber as well as Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington II, who both burned their redshirts last season.
Penn State will also look for a new kicker after the departure of Alex Felkins. This is a three-man competition among Sander Sahaydak, Tulsa transfer Chase Meyer and walk-on Ryan Barker. Sahaydak notably won the starting job prior to last season before he missed two straight field-goal attempts in the season opener and was benched.
