Tag: Phil Steele

Penn State football returns in 10 weeks

Penn State will open its second striaght season on the road in Big Ten play, the first time that has ever happened.

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As the heat and humidity spikes back up in the Keystone State, so does the excitement for the start of a brand new Penn State football season. The Nittany Lions kick things off for their 2021 season in just 10 more Saturdays, meaning our weekly countdown is about to enter single digits.

Penn State opens the college football season on the road against formidable Big Ten West contender Wisconsin on September 4. The game has already been slotted to be FOX’s showcase early afternoon game for the Big Noon Kickoff. While the Nittany Lions are a slight road underdog, Penn State is hoping to make a bit of a statement right out of the gates of the new year after limping out to a disappointing 0-5 start during the 2020 season.

Penn State is looking to avoid losing back-to-back season openers for the first time since 2000 and 2001. Penn State lost to USC in the 2000 Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, New Jersey (29-5). Penn State opened the 2001 season at home with the inspirational entrance by Adam Taliaferro before being dominated by the Miami Hurricanes, 33-7.

This will also be the first time Penn State has opened back-to-back seasons on the road against Big Ten opposition. Penn State has only started two seasons against Big Ten opponents prior to 2021. Penn State joined the Big Ten in football in 1993 and played its first game at home against Minnesota to commemorate the occasion. Penn State opened the adjusted 2020 season against Indiana.

WATCH: Sean Clifford debates with Indiana’s Michael Penix Jr. over result of 2020 matchup

The last time Penn State opened consecutive seasons outside of Beaver Stadium came with a three-year stretch from 2013 through 2015. Penn State opened the 2013 season in East Rutherford, New Jersey against Syracuse. The 2014 season, the first with head coach James Franklin, opened in Dublin, Ireland against UCF in the Croke Park Classic. In 2015, Penn State began the season in Philadelphia against the Temple Owls.

Week In Review

Carl Nassib breaks down a big wall in NFL

One of the biggest stories in sports this week revolved around former Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib. Nassib announced to the world that he is gay, which makes him the NFL’s first active openly gay player in the league. Nassib, a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, has received praise from many including James Franklin and former Missouri Tigers player and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

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Wisconsin football is one of Phil Steele’s ‘2021 surprise teams’

The day Phil Steele’s College Football Preview magazine comes off the press and circulates around the country is one of the greatest days

The day Phil Steele’s College Football Preview magazine comes off the press and circulates around the country is one of the greatest days of the college football offseason.

For me at least, it marks the true start of daily summer preparation for the upcoming season.

The Wisconsin Badgers are an interesting case study entering the 2021 football season. They’re coming off an underwhelming 4-3 2020 season, return many of their top players and have a schedule that could cater to a return to the Big Ten Championship.

Phil Steele is high on the Badgers, calling them one of his ‘surprise teams’ for the 2021 season.

Here’s what he had to say about the Badgers:

The Badgers’ normally powerful run game had just 165 ypg (3.9) and they needed a bowl win to get to 4-3. This year the ground game figures to be back on track with 4 VHT RBs running behind their usual mammoth Oline which is now experienced. QB Graham Mertz will be one of the nation’s best and I rate their LBs #6 and DBs #10 in the nation. They have 17 returning starters and like Washington, a schedule tailor-made for success. Wisconsin has 4 true road games this year in Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers and Minnesota and none had winning records last year. They do face Notre Dame in Chicago and pull Penn State out of the East but get them in Camp Randall. Six of my 9 sets of power rankings call for an unbeaten season but then they will have to knock off Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.

Two pieces from Steele’s take on the Badgers stick out: “QB Graham Mertz will be one of the nation’s best” and “Six of my 9 sets of power rankings call for an unbeaten season.”

I’ve expressed a similar sentiment all offseason about Mertz, about the schedule and about the team’s overall outlook entering the season. Maybe Mertz is more conference-best than nation-best, but the Badgers are in line to turn some heads on the field this season.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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Phil Steele has D.J. Williams in interesting spot on Auburn’s depth chart

The college football analyst has Williams lower than expected on the running back depth chart.

For a lot of reasons, it seems that D.J. Williams has the heads-up on the starting job in the Auburn backfield once the 2020 college football season begins, but that isn’t the case according to Phil Steele.

The legendary preview magazine is out on newsstands and Steele has Williams ranked in an interesting spot on Auburn’s running back depth chart: fourth.

Yes, Williams is ranked behind Shaun Shivers, Mark-Antony Richards and true freshman Tank Bigsby in his preview which, in my opinion, is shocking at the least. While Shivers is a talented back, him being the go-to and full-time back and 5-foot-7 and 180 pounds doesn’t seem that likely.

MORE: Auburn football: Ranking the running backs on 2020 depth chart

Williams, who had a breakout game against LSU last season by rushing for 130 yards and 13 carries, is more of a workhorse-type back who can definitely fill in the shoes of the departed Boobie Whitlow.

Bigsby, at 6-foot and 210 pounds, will likely have to work his way up the depth chart but is one of the highest-rated recruits to enroll at Auburn. Richards, who missed all last season following knee surgery, has been compared to Kerryon Johnson and will also play a big role in the Tigers’ backfield this season.

Locked on Longhorns Podcast: Changing the venue for Oklahoma-Texas?

Locked on Longhorns podcast discusses the possibility of a 10-game schedule and where will the Oklahoma-Texas game be played?

The podcast kicks off discussing Tom Herman’s recent surgery. Add him to the list of Texas Longhorns who were operated on prior to the season. Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman reported the idea of a 10-game schedule that would involve only one non-conference game in 2020. Which game would the Longhorns keep? Plus there is another idea on the table in regards to the Red River Rivalry. Could the game be moved to from Dallas for the next two seasons?

Three more Longhorns were added to award watch lists. Safety Caden Sterns and Linebacker Joseph Ossai were both named to the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list. Which Longhorn is more likely to earn the hardware? Samuel Cosmi was also added to the Outland Trophy watch list. That award is given to the nation’s top lineman. Three other Longhorns have won that particular award. Plus an update on Texas high school football.

Phil Steele’s College Football Magazine is now available. Where do the Longhorns rank in his initial top 25? Who is the biggest shock in the top 10? Longhorns were also mentioned in his four surprise teams of 2020.

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