Tag: Arnold Ebiketie

Penn State sending five players to the Senior Bowl

Which Penn State players are going to the 2022 Senior Bowl?

There is no bigger college football all-star game than the Senior Bowl, and Penn State will be well-represented at the 2022 Senior Bowl. The current count of Penn State players who have accepted invites to the Senior Bowl has reached five, with a heavy load of defensive players making their way to the game.

Defensive backs Tariq Castro-Fields and Jaquan Brisker, defensive lineman Arnold Ebiketie, and linebacker Jesse Luketa have all accepted invites to the Senior Bowl, giving Penn State four defensive players in Mobile, Alabama to put on a show in front of NFL scouts and coaches. Luketa was among the first players to accept his invite to the all-star event. Brisker will likely be looking to put on a show to prove he is the best safety in the draft pool, with many focusing on the comparisons between him and Notre Dame‘s Kyle Hamilton.

Ebiketie has been one of the best new additions to the Penn State defense this season, and he is certainly worthy of the invite to the Senior Bowl. The former Temple Owl was a consistent force for Penn State’s defensive line, and he came up with many clutch plays all season long. He’ll head to Alabama looking to continue the legacy of Penn State defensive linemen.

Wide receiver Jahan Dotson is the lone offensive player to have accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl, and he may be the most interesting pro prospect from Penn State attending the event. Dotson is widely reviewed in NFL draft circles as a potential first-round pick and is one of the top wide receiver prospects heading into the 2022 NFL draft. Getting to watch Dotson go one-on-one in Senior Bowl practices will be an event of its own as Dotson goes to work against some of the nation’s top defensive backs.

The Senior Bowl is watched closely by every NFL team and is the primary offseason showcase for college football’s top seniors. Outside of the NFL scouting combine, the Senior Bowl is the biggest opportunity for future pros to impress the scouts and coaches in attendance.

The 2022 Senior Bowl will be played on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. ET at the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium. The game will be aired on NFL Network, and practices leading up to the game will likely be must-see television for draft junkies.

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Five things Penn State Nittany Lions fans can be thankful for

Penn State fans actually had a lot to be thankful for in 2021

OK, so the 2021 college football season did not quite go as planned for Penn State. After an encouraging start to the season, the Nittany Lions took a tumble in October and fell out of the College Football Playoff and Big Ten East division race as the weeks went by. But this is a time to look back at the reasons to be thankful as a fan.

One of the biggest things fans all around the Big Ten should be thankful for in 2021 was the opportunity to return to our favorite football stadiums across the conference, including Beaver Stadium. A year after the doors were closed to Big Ten football fans, the Big Ten was rocking all season long, from the first game of the season for Penn State in Camp Randall Stadium in Wisconsin to big games in Beaver Stadium against Auburn and Michigan, and difficult road trips to Iowa and Ohio State, it was great to see Big Ten venues in their prime.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, why not take some time to look back at what has brought you joy as a Penn State fan while also being thankful for all that life has to offer outside the world of football? Even the most disgruntled uncle at the family dinner will surely have something to be thankful for, even during the final week of what will be looked back upon as a mediocre football season for the Nittany Lions.

 

5 takeaways from Penn State’s 28-0 victory over Rutgers

5 takeaways from Penn State’s 28-0 victory over Rutgers in Week 12

Penn State managed to close out its home schedule with a win on Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium. As I suspected it may be, it was a bit of a slow burn for Rutgers as Penn State pulled away in the second half after a sluggish start to the game. But what I didn’t see coming was a backup quarterback coming into the game to provide the much-needed spark on offense. Christian Veilleux was impressive in his first career game for Penn State and the defense was once again its dominant self as Penn State handled Rutgers, 28-0, to clinch a winning season.

Here are some of my initial takeaways from Penn State’s Week 12 win against Rutgers.

1. A look to the future with Christian Veilleux?

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Fans love the backup quarterback, and Christian Veilleux gave no reason not to be looking forward to the future of the Penn State offense. For all of the focus that has been placed on Class of 2022 quarterback Drew Allar, it may be premature to completely forget about Veilleux too.

On Saturday, Veilleux quickly got himself adjusted to what he was facing from the Rutgers defense and ended his first career game with three touchdown passes and 235 yards. He also rushed for 36 yards on 10 rushing attempts.

2. It’s a shame Sean Clifford didn’t get to finish the game

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

I said after the Michigan loss last week that Sean Clifford was absolutely deserving of respect for his commitment to representing this program despite being as banged up as he has been and was against the Wolverines. I see no reason to back away from that stance this week. Clifford was knocked out of the game in the first quarter with an apparent arm injury, but he was also reportedly under the weather and not feeling great for the game. But on senior day, he wanted to get one final time to go out a winner in a Penn State uniform in Beaver Stadium.

Unfortunately, he didn’t get to do that quite in the way he would have liked. We’ll see if Clifford is available and back in the starting lineup next week when Penn State goes to Michigan State. If he is healthy, I see no reason James Franklin would not go back to Clifford. But if Clifford is not ready to play, then there should be no reason to hesitate to hand the starting job to Veilleux for the first time.

Arnold Ebiketie has been so much fun to watch this season

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

It seems as though Arnold Ebiketie has been involved in some big moments all season long for Penn State. And on a line that lost PJ Mustipher recently, having Ebiketie making plays is always welcomed. The former Temple player who transferred to Penn State appears to be taking advantage of the opportunity to be a defensive force in Happy Valley and scouts will surely be intrigued to see how he looks in the draft prep cycle.

Penn State’s other transfer addition on the defensive line, Derrick Tangelo from Duke, also had an early impact with some big plays to set the tone.

4. I still am in awe of Jordan Stout

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Maybe I have been covering Penn State and Big Ten football too long, but I have really been enjoying the art of Penn State punter Jordan Stout. In a game of field position early on, Penn State and Rutgers were each well equipped in the punting department with two of the best punters in the nation showing off what they can do. Stout was pinning the Scarlet Knights offense deep in their own end throughout the first half, and he ended up getting more of a rest in the second half and the offense got going.

Having a punter like Stout is a luxury that can fly under the radar, but Penn State has one of the best punters in the country.

Let’s not revisit the Iowa game too much

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Going back to Christian Veilleux, it is difficult not to go back to the Iowa game and wonder what could have been if James Franklin opted to go with Veilleux instead of Taquan Roberson when Clifford was knocked out of the game by the Hawkeyes earlier this season.

That is easy to do after witnessing what Veilleux did against Rutgers, but I have a feeling not much would have been different if Franklin had a do-over. Even if Veilleux was inserted in the game in place of the injured Clifford against Iowa, Veilleux would have been put in the same awful situation Roberson was. On the road against the Iowa defense off the bench would have been as stiff a challenge as you could be put in. Veilleux had a much better situation in front of him in Week 12 against Rutgers at home and with the benefit of roughly twice as many weeks’ worth of practices under this belt.

But still, it’s hard not to wonder what could have been. Could Veilleux have led Penn State to one scoring drive that would change the outlook of the game? Maybe, but there is no guarantee.

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Report Card: Grading the Nittany Lions after a win against Rutgers

Report Card: Grading Penn State’s victory over Rutgers, where the defense and special teams earn high honors

Things didn’t exactly go as planned for Penn State on senior day against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, but the Nittany Lions still managed to get to the end of its final home game in Beaver Stadium on the winning side of things. And after the second half of the season playing out the way it has, that is not to take for granted.

Here are the grades for Penn State’s performance against Rutgers on Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium.

Quarterback: A-

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps this is more a grade specifically for Christian Veilleux, but we’ll go with it in this situation. Sean Clifford started the game but didn’t reach the end of the first quarter. things were tough for Penn State’s starter before getting knocked out of the game for the second time this season, and it took a little bit of time before Veilleux got in a groove.

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But it was difficult not to be impressed by Veilleux’s anticipated debut, especially given the circumstances. Veilleux threw three touchdown passes and made a few plays with his feet as well. And, best yet, it all helped lead to a win in a game that started off as sluggish as it could get.

NEXT: Running Back

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Here are all 32 football players being recognized on Penn State’s senior day

Sean Clifford, Jahan Dotson, Jaquan Brisker, Journey Brown among those being honored at Penn State’s senior day

Penn State will play its final game in Beaver Stadium for the 2021 season on Saturday afternoon against Rutgers. And with this being the final home game of the season, it is the final opportunity for 32 players to step foot on the field inside Beaver Stadium for a game. Penn State will recognize 32 players for senior day festivities prior to kicking off against Rutgers on Saturday.

Of course, this is a slightly different type of senior day. Of the 32 players being recognized on Saturday afternoon, three players will be going through the senior day ceremony for a second time. Jaquan Brisker, Tariq Castro-Fields, and Ben Wilson were all recognized in Penn State’s senior day ceremony last season, but the NCAA allowed all players to take advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the entire sports world. So those three players opted for one more season in Happy Valley.

Of note, Penn State will recognize Sean Clifford, who could still potentially return for another season in 2022 (also a result of the NCAA’s decision on extra years of eligibility for all). Clifford isn’t the only player who can take advantage of that option, but there remains plenty of discussion on whether or not Clifford will return for another season.

Clifford’s top receiving target, Jahan Dotson, will also be recognized. Although Dotson could return for another season as well, there is no suggestion he will do so. Dotson is expected to be one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2022 NFL draft, and some believe he could be a first-round pick.

Penn State will also recognize Journey Brown. Brown was forced to medically retire prior to the 2020 season after learning of a health concern that made continuing playing football a risky endeavor.

Here is the full list of players Penn State will honor during the senior day, as provided by Penn State’s athletics department;

  • Jaquan Brisker
  • Ellis Brooks
  • Journey Brown
  • Tariq Castro-Fields
  • Rafael Checa
  • Max Chizmar
  • Sean Clifford
  • Jahan Dotson
  • Arnold Ebiketie
  • Winston Eubanks
  • Henry Fessler
  • Fred Hansard
  • Drew Hartlaub
  • Vlad Hilling
  • Des Holmes
  • Bradley King
  • Will Knutsson
  • Kaleb Konigus
  • John Lovett
  • Jesse Luketa
  • Jordan Miner
  • Mike Miranda
  • PJ Mustipher
  • Jordan Stout
  • Cam Sullivan-Brown
  • Johnathan Sutherland
  • Derrick Tangelo
  • Dan Vasey
  • Justin Weller
  • Anthony Whigan
  • Ben Wilson
  • Eric Wilson

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Defensive keys to Penn State beating Rutgers

Here are the top three defensive keys for Penn State to win this game against Rutgers.

Penn State’s defense has been a big reason why they have been in so many games throughout the season. This weekend should be a fairly easy matchup for them as they take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Rutgers offense has struggled all season and is near the bottom of the Big Ten offensive rankings for this season.

Here are the top three defensive keys for Penn State to win this game against Rutgers.

Jim Harbaugh was impressed by what he saw out of Sean Clifford

What did Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh say about Penn State QB Sean Clifford?

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh had plenty of reasons to smile after coaching his Wolverines to a hard-fought victory over Penn State on Saturday in Week 11, but he was more than willing to heap praise on a few individual Nittany Lions on Monday. Harbaugh served up some high regard for Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford and defensive linemen Arnold Ebiketie and Jesse Luketa during his regular Monday media availability.

“I’ve gotta say Sean Clifford really was impressive in the football game,” Harbaugh said of Penn State’s starting quarterback, according to our friends at Wolverines Wire. After sharing some comments on his quarterback, Cade McNamara, and how both defenses were knocking people down all afternoon, Harbaugh turned to the other side to commend Clifford for the way he battled.

“The amount of times we knocked him down, it was multiple,” Harbaugh recalled. Michigan sacked Clifford a total of seven times in the game. “Had some really tough, aggressive hits — for him to bounce back the way he did, for him to come back and make some of the throws that he made, that was really impressive.”

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Despite a rough afternoon behind a Penn State offensive line with few answers for Michigan’s defensive front, Clifford managed to lead Penn State to a lead on the Wolverines midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for Penn State, the defense was unable to protect the lead in the fourth quarter and Clifford was unable to come up with the heroics needed with one final offensive opportunity.

Harbaugh also had some good things to say about two of Penn State’s top players up front on defense, Jesse Luketa and Arnold Ebiketie.

“We have really talented pass rushers, well-documented — David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson — and they had tremendous games,” Harbaugh said of his two top defensive players before once again turning to praise Penn State’s defensive contributors. “And also Penn State’s outside backers, defensive ends — 40 and 17 — they were really good, too. It was a real battle out there. Both sides really battled in this game. Both teams I thought were a credit to football.”

This has been a particularly tough second half of the season for Penn State, but it is clear they are battling and winning the respect of their opponents even in defeat.

Helmet sticker to Isaiah Hole of Wolverines Wire for sending along the transcription of Harbaugh’s media availability to us for use in this post.

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Inside the Box Score: The key stats from Penn State’s loss to Michigan

Inside the Box Score: The stats from Penn state’s loss to Michigan showed some promise, but not enough to grab a win

Penn State was in for a tough battle with the Michigan Wolverines in Week 11, and it showed. Sean Clifford was under stress from the start of the game until the bitter end against the Wolverines defense, and Keyvone Lee made a push to gain 100 yards on the ground after his big performance against Michigan a season ago. But Penn State’s efforts came up short at home as Michigan left Happy Valley with a  21-17 victory to keep their Big Ten East Division hopes, and College Football Playoff hopes, in front of them coming down the final stretch.

Here is a look at some of the key players and stats from Penn State’s loss to Michigan in Week 11.

Report Card: Grading Penn State’s win over Maryland

Report Card: The early grades are in following Penn State’s win against Maryland. Jahan Dotson earned very high marks

Penn State had a very up-and-down performance against Maryland in Week 10, but they finished much better than how they started the game. With a 31-14 victory over the Terrapins on the road, Penn State snapped its three-game losing streak and clinched bowl eligibility for the 2021 season.

Let’s take a more in-depth look and grade the performance of the Nittany Lions win today.

Quarterbacks: A-

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Clifford finished better than how he started. Penn State’s offense started off very shaky to open up the game. Even though he didn’t have consistent protection, Clifford had a very up-and-down performance in the first half. Clifford has played much more like himself ever since their loss to Illinois two weeks ago.

Next: Running Backs

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Report Card: Grading Penn State’s performance at Iowa

The grades are in for Penn State after its first loss of the year. Some highs, but too many lows.

Penn State fell to Iowa 23-20 in a nail-biter. As predicted by many, this was merely a defensive battle between both teams.

Let’s take a look at the report card and grade the performance of Penn State today.

Quarterbacks: D+

Joseph Cress-USA TODAY Sports

There were certainly a few flashes here in there from Sean Clifford, but the quarterback play was not there today once Clifford was knocked out of the game. The offense was off to a bad start, but then slowly started to get things going. Overall, it wasn’t the best performance from the quarterbacks.

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Next: Running Backs

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