Tag: Joey Porter Jr.

Every Penn State player on Athlon Sports preseason All-Big Ten selections

What Penn State players made the Athlon Sports preseason All-Big Ten roster for 2022?

The preseason accolades and honors are beginning to flow this summer. Athlon Sports released its preseason all-conference teams as the annual preseason magazine begins to hit newsstands, and the Big Ten preseason all-conference teams have a nice handful of Penn State players sprinkled throughout. Defense is the story of Penn State’s preseason All-Big Ten honorees from Athlon Sports with two defensive fixtures named first-team All-Big Ten for the preseason.

Defensive lineman [autotag]PJ Mustipher[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag] each appeared on the preseason All-Big Ten defense first team from Athlon Sports, and cornerback [autotag]Joey Porter Jr. [/autotag]and linebacker [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] made the second team.

In all, Penn State has eight players appearing on Athlon Sports’ four-deep All-Big Ten preseason team, with five defensive players and three offensive players. A notable exemption from the list is quarterback [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag], who is returning for his sixth season in Happy Valley. The preseason All-Big Ten quarterback according to Athlon Sports includes CJ Stroud of Ohio State, Aidan O’Connell of Purdue, Taulia Tagovailoa of Maryland, and Payton Thorne of Michigan State.

You can check out the entire Athlon Sports preseason All-Big Ten teams here, but below is a look at where each Penn State player landed in the preseason mix.

The Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list for 2022 is released

The first watch list of the college football season is out with the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.

As the temperatures begin rising and the summer months come our way, the reminders that another college football season is on the way continue to roll out. While it will still be some time before we hit our stride with watch list season later this summer, the Lott IMPACT Trophy got the ball rolling this week with the release of its watch list for the upcoming college football season.

A total of 42 players appear on the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is awarded to one of the nation’s top defensive players in the country with a special focus on an individual’s character and impact on the field. Penn State cornerback [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] is the lone Nittany Lion appearing on the watch list for the award going into the 2022 season.

Last year’s winner of the Lott IMPACT Trophy was Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. It was the second season in a row that a Big Ten player won the award, following Northwestern linebacker Paddy Fisher in 2020.

Penn State has one Lott IMPACT Trophy award winner in program history. [autotag]Carl Nassib[/autotag] received the award in 2015.

NEXT: The full Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List for 2022

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Taking an early look at the top 15 CB prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class

After the Eagles passed on adding defensive backs to the roster last weekend, we’re taking an early look at the top 15 CB prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class

The 2022 NFL draft came and went with the Eagles passing on a cornerback and safety in all seven rounds, choosing to address the position via undrafted free agency.

Cornerback was deemed an urgent position of need with no established starter at the position opposite Pro Bowl corner Darius Slay.

It’s the third time in four years that Philadelphia has bypassed selecting a cornerback in the draft. It’s the fifth time in six years they haven’t selected a safety.

The Eagles really like the young cornerback already on the roster and add former Clemson All American cornerback Mario Goodrich via undrafted free agency as well.

If 2022 doesn’t produce a starter opposite Slay, the 2023 NFL draft offers an opportunity to find a successor and starter at both spots.

Here are the top 15 cover guys to watch heading into the next college football season.

Blue-White Game Report Card: Grading Penn State’s spring football game

The grades are in for Penn State’s performance in the Blue-White Game.

Penn State’s spring game wasn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard, even in a modified scoring system. And fans wanting to see drastic improvement from the program that has gone .500 over the past two seasons may be left wondering if Penn State is set up for another mediocre season in Happy Valley after watching the Blue-White Game. But Penn State’s final spring practice of the year had some positive developments and some reminders that help is on the way over the summer.

And now the grades are in for Penn State’s performance during the Blue-White Game. Here’s how each position group was graded for the spring game in Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

Quarterback: C

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

A recurring theme when it comes to the offensive grades following Penn State’s game is probably chalked up to a simple “Eh, it could have been better.” That was the basic takeaway from the performance of the quarterbacks overall, but any expectation of any passer just lighting up the spring game may have been unreasonable.

We were never likely to see a whole lot out of [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag], the sixth-year senior who really has little more to prove at this point. We know pretty much exactly what Clifford is, and if given time to process the field, he can make plays. But he had some overthrown passes at times. He did, however, throw the game’s only touchdown of the game.

The backup competition behind Clifford is the real storyline here, and the future of [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] is what fans are eager to witness. But a rough spring debut for the true freshman shows there is still work to be done in the big picture. If based solely on one afternoon, [autotag]Christian Veilleux[/autotag] proved he should be the team’s primary backup option heading into the season, although Allar should improve quickly.

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Next: Grading the running backs

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Five big questions for the Penn State defense

5 big questions for Penn State’s defense this spring.

Penn State’s defense was a strength in 2021 but faces some big questions this spring ahead of the 2022 season. With a number of notable departures to the NFL and a new defensive coordinator, this spring has plenty to be watching in Happy Valley on the defensive side of the football.

Penn State’s biggest change this season is the addition of defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. The former Miami head coach comes to State College to replace Brent Pry, who has left the program to become the head coach at Virginia Tech. Diaz brings a solid reputation as a defensive coordinator and Penn State appears to have found a terrific replacement for Pry. But Diaz will have some work to do in shaping the defense with a number of key starting jobs up for grabs this spring.

Penn State is set to open spring football practices on March 21, with the annual Blue-White Game currently scheduled for Saturday, April 23.

Here are five questions I have for Penn State’s offense that may be addressed this spring (we addressed the questions for the offense last week).

Where are they now? Penn State football’s Class of 2019

Here is where every player from Penn State’s Class of 2019 sits today, four years later

The 2022 college football season will mark the fourth year since the Class of 2019 was signed by Penn State. One of the top classes in the Big Ten, coming in at No. 2 in the conference according to 247 Sports, Penn State’s recruiting haul for 2019 was certainly full of potential for big things. And entering 2022, some of those players signed by the Nittany Lions are living the dream while others are looking for some clean starts, and others remain in Happy Valley hoping to end their college careers on a high note.

With so much happening in the offseason, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at Penn State’s Class of 2019 to see where everyone is currently stands.

Outback Bowl: Defensive keys to a Penn State win over Arkansas

Here are the top three defensive keys to a Penn State win over Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.

With Penn State’s matchup against the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Nittany Lions defense will have a tough obstacle to overcome after losing many of their key players to opt-outs. However, they do still have the talent to keep this game close and even go back to State College with an Outback Bowl victory.

Here are the top three defensive keys to a Penn State win over Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on Saturday.

Amid opt-outs, Anthony Poindexter says defense still has a standard to live up to

Penn State defense still has a high bar to clear for the Outback Bowl despite missing so many key players to opt-outs

There is no question that Penn State’s defense has been hit hard to early NFL departures heading into this weekend’s Outback Bowl matchup with Arkansas. The Nittany Lions are down four key starters on the defensive side of the football due to NFL declarations, but Anthony Poindexter says that will not be an excuse for the defense against the Razorbacks.

“Everybody wants to play,” Poindexter said when meeting with the media after practice in Tampa on Tuesday (according to Blue White Illustrated). “A lot of guys who probably didn’t play as much as they wanted to in the regular season, here’s their chance to play. We got a standard for how we play defense here, and we expect them to play the way we’re used to playing.”

Poindexter, Penn State’s safeties coach, will be taking on the play-calling duties for the defense in the Outback Bowl. James Franklin confirmed Poindexter will be leading the defense following the departure of Brent Pry to be a head coach at Virginia Tech, while new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz will take on the role after the bowl game.

Poindexter is taking over the defense that will be playing without safety Jaquan Brisker, defensive end Arnold Ebiketie or linebackers Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks. All four players have opted out of the bowl game to begin focusing on their NFL futures, leaving Penn State’s defensive depth being put to the test against Arkansas.

“I think we’ve got enough leadership that we don’t have to ask these young guys to be leaders, but they’re gonna have to communicate,” Poindexter said. “Any time you play a team like Arkansas that’s running tempo offense, you’re going to have to communicate and be on the same page. They’ve been practicing. They know what to do. Now they’re just going to have to go out there and do it.”

Penn State’s defense will be put to the test by the Razorbacks. Although Arkansas is without its top wide receiver, Treylon Burks, after opting out himself, the Razorbacks have plenty of ability to do some damage on offense with a mobile quarterback in KJ Jefferson and a decent ability to run the football, something Penn State has struggled containing against quality opponents this season. But odds are probably pretty good Poindexter and the rest of the staff and defense had a better expectation of who will and will not be available for this game, so it’s probably not likely these opt-outs of Brisker or Ebiketie were accounted for in game planning in recent weeks.

Penn State did get some good news with some key defensive players deciding to return for another season, thus will be available for the Outback Bowl. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and Jonathan Sutherland all confirmed they will return in 2022. And despite speculation, he may also be moving on, Jesse Luketa has arrived in Tampa and is practicing with the team this week. Luketa could see more time at linebacker this week as Penn State adjusts its defense.

Penn State faces Arkansas in the Outback Bowl in Tampa on Saturday, January 1, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

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Joey Porter Jr. confirms he will return to Penn State in 2022

Penn State’s secondary is beginning to look stabilized in 2022 with the latest decision made by Joey Porter Jr.

Another key member of Penn State’s defense has made a decision to some back for another season. Joey Porter Jr. announced with a statement on his Instagram account on Christmas Day, that he will be coming back for another season with the Nittany Lions, providing the defense a key player to help anchor the defensive secondary in 2022.

“At this time in my life, staying in college and completing my college degree is important to me and my family,” Porter said in his statement. “After much prayer, and discussion with my parents, I have decided to return to Penn State University.”

The return of Poirter Jr. is a big lift for the Penn State defense, which is slated to lose Jaquan Brisker and Tariq Castro-Fields in the secondary and is already losing a pair of starting linebackers in Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks. Jonathan Sutherland recently announced his decision to return for one more season, which could see him take on an increased role in the defense. Penn State is also getting Ji’Ayir Brown back for another season at the safety position, which is a big lift as well. And the return of Porter should give Penn State a key cornerback to count on next season.

Porter has shown great athleticism in Penn State’s defense since his arrival, although he has been at the center of some untimely penalties for the Nittany Lions during the 2021 season. Returning for another year should help continue to improve his professional outlook, following in his father’s footsteps to the NFL a year from now. The decision to put those NFL dreams on hold for another year apparently was not an easy one for the Penn State cornerback.

“This decision was not easy to make,” Porter went on to explain. “Playing in the NFL has been my lifelong goal and dream, but right now I think it’s important for me to finish what I started alongside my brothers & coaches at Penn State.”

Porter, potentially paired with Kalen King at the cornerback positions, should give Penn State a fun cornerback duo in 2022.

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What Penn State players were named All-Big Ten for 2021?

What Penn State players received all-Big Ten honors or honorable mention from B1G coaches and media in 2021?

Award season is upon us, and a number of Penn State players are receiving Big Ten accolades. The Big Ten unveiled its all-Big Ten rosters for the 2021 season as selected by the coaches and media around the conference. The Penn State defense landed two first-team All-Big Ten players after a very strong season.

Jaquan Brisker was one of four defensive backs to receive first-team accolades by the Big Ten coaches. Brisker joined Michigan’s Dax Hill and the Iowa duo of Dane Belton and Riley Moss on the first-team list.

Defensive lineman Arnold Ebiketie also landed on the first team after an impressive fall season after transferring from Temple. Ebikeitie was listed on the first-team defensive line along with Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Ohio State’s Haskell Garrett, and Purdue’s George Karlaftis. That would be one monster of a defensive line, for sure.

Jahan Dotson was the only Penn State player to receive All-Big Ten recognition on offense. Dotson was named to the second-team All-Big Ten along with Garrett Wilson of Ohio State. Ohio State’s Chris Olave and Purdue’s David Bell took the first-team honors.

On special teams, punter Jordan Stout was named first-team All-Big Ten. Of course, that should have been expected after Stout was named the Big Ten’s punter of the year. Dotson also received a third-team nod for All-Big Ten as a return specialist.

PJ Mustipher and Ellis Brooks each appeared on the second-team defense. Brandon Smith, Ji’Ayir Brown, and Joey Porter Jr. all appeared on the third team All-Big Ten list.

Sean Clifford, Juice Scruggs, and Rasheed Walker all earned honorable mention for the offense by the coaches. Walker was named third-team All-Big Ten by the Big Ten media, while Brenton Strange and Mike Miranda received an honorable mention by the media. Defensive honorable mentions went to Tariq Castro-Fields and Jesse Luketa as well. Luketa received third-team All-Big Ten by the media. the media also gave honorable mention nods to Mustipher, Brooks, Brown, and Curtis Jacobs in addition to those appearing on the coaches honorable mentions list.

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