BWI Live: A Penn State football podcast from Blue White Illustrated

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BWI Daily: Ryan Snyder Explains the Recruiting Calendar Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Penn State recruiting is in the middle of one of the dead periods in the NCAA recruiting calendar, so things have slowed down on that front for the Nittany Lions coaching staff. While recruiting never stops, this is an excellent time to learn more about the process and how things work to acquire more talent for head coach James Franklin's team.

With that in mind, recruiting insider Ryan Snyder joins the BWI Daily Edition to teach host Thomas Frank Carr and the viewers how the calendar's rhythm works and when fans should expect commitments or news to break.

Before they get into the recruiting calendar, T-Frank asks Snyder about his conversation with new Penn State commit Hunter Nourzad out of Cornell. The Nittany Lions picked up his commitment in a tight race between Iowa and Illinois. So why did Nourzad pick Penn State? Snyder shares that and more information about the portal prospect's decision-making process. He even gives some insight into what position Nourzad might play going forward.

After that and a quick conversation about the offensive line, Snyder and T-Frank dive into Penn State recruiting talk. The NCAA recruiting calendar spans all 12 months of the year, so they pick up in February for a real-time discussion. Snyder explains why this month is a dead period and how that's a very recent change to the annual flow.

After that, Snyder explains what fans should expect this spring, detailing what sort of contact and visits are allowed in March and April. Then, with spring football just around the corner, it's a big season for Penn State recruiting to lay the groundwork for future commitments with unofficial and official visits.

Before moving on, T-Frank asks Snyder to explain the difference between the two types of visits. After his explanation, T-Frank asks if fans should read into future news about one type of visit and its meaning over the other. Then, the pair discuss that and more topics related to how Penn State manages spring football.

Snyder and T-Frank work their way through the rest of the calendar, highlighting critical months and different types of contact allowed by coaches during those times. Finally, they end with the cycle Penn State recruiting completed, December and January, which are a mad-dash to the traditional signing day for most teams.

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BWI Daily: Will the Penn State offensive line be better or worse next year? Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

This offseason, there might not be a bigger topic for Penn State football fans than the offensive line. Yes, quarterback always dominates the discussion but with sixth-year player Sean Clifford coming back to start another season, his protection is paramount.

After a run of offensive line commits over the past two weeks, has Penn State gotten to the point that they will be markedly better in 2022? Host Thomas Frank Carr and reporter Dave Eckert debate that topic on the BWI Daily Edition.

Dave takes the side of optimism on the show and gives his reasoning for Penn State taking a step forward next season up front. He sees the situation improving for several key factors that he lists out in his allotted time.

Next, T-Frank, debating on the side of things not getting better, gives his argument. He points to one recurring issue that Penn State had heading into 2021 that they will have again in 2022. What is it? He details that problem and then explains why despite a surge in new players, not all of the pieces fit this offseason perfectly.

After they wrap up their arguments, Dave and T-Frank have a chance to respond to the other's presentation with closing thoughts. Then, finally, they wrap up with a general discussion about the offensive line and where some of the issues, positive and negative, might go this year.

From there, they discuss Penn State basketball's low-scoring loss to Michigan at the Bryce Jordan Center on Tuesday night. Dave explains how once again, the Nittany Lions put together a great effort but failed to come away with enough offense to win the game.

What are the factors that led to this week's loss? How did Greg Lee's absence affect John Harrah? Eckert gets into those details, while T-Frank asks if there's a common theme in losing quality leads in games they need to win. Finally, Dave gives his thoughts before they wrap up, looking ahead to the next game.

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Recruiting Pod: Hunter Nourzad and Jven Williams commit to Penn State Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

Penn State may be in the midst of a dead period, but it's been anything but over the last couple of weeks for the Nittany Lions.

As we detailed last week, Penn State added 2022 offensive lineman Vega Ioane on National Signing Day, as well as 2024 prospect Cooper Cousins a few days prior.

Now, they've added two more coveted offensive linemen, the first of which was from 2023 On300 prospect Jven Williams from Wyomissing, Pa. His commitment came this past Saturday, Feb. 5. The nation's 87th-ranked prospect according to the On3 Consensus, Williams is also the top-ranked player in Pennsylvania for the upcoming class.

James Franklin and Phil Trautwein then added arguably their most important offensive line commitment yet in Cornell graduate transfer Hunter Nourzad.

This past season, Nourzad earned second-team All-America honors by the American Football Coaches Association at the Football Championship Subdivision. He was also named the Ivy League Offensive Lineman of the Year.

On today's Blue White Illustrated recruiting podcast, host Greg Pickel and recruiting analyst Ryan Snyder get into both of these additions. They discuss what they mean for Penn State moving forward, as well as what they potentially bring to the team.

The pair also take a look at two new RPM predictions that Snyder logged on Saturday in linebacker prospects Ta'Mere Robinson, from Pittsburgh, and Tony Rojas, from Fairfax, Va. Ryan gives his reasoning for picking both players when he did, as well as when a potential decision could come from each.

They finish out the podcast discussing what else Penn State fans could look for between now and when the dead period ends in March.

BWI Daily: Dan Connor joins Penn State Staff, offseason discussion Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

This week, Penn State football made some off-field additions to their coaching staff, with a former Nittany Lion legend headlining the group. This week, the all-time leading tackler in Penn State history, Dan Connor, joined the program as an off-field analyst. Former Temple running backs coach Gabe Infante and Manny Diaz assistant at Miami, Rick Lyster round out head coach James Franklin's latest acquisition of support staff this year.

That's where host Thomas Frank Carr and Senior Editor for Blue White Illustrated, Nate Bauer start. They examine each hire, starting with Connor. The emotional tie to the university is real, and Bauer thinks that Connor is an excellent fit after beginning his coaching career in high school in this current role. So what will he, Infante, and Lyster be doing? T-Frank lays out some of the essential functions that Penn State needs from their analysts and illuminates how they can add value in multiple ways outside of just x's and o's.

From there, they discuss Penn State's other job openings. The university posted a job for an analytics director this week, so T-Frank and Nate discuss the merits of the position and how valuable an in-house data scientist can be.

That conversation morphs into one about scheme, talent, and football tactics. T-Frank looks at the Penn State offense through the prism of analytics and explains football reasons why simply following the numbers doesn't work and why only relying on football information can leave you blind. Did Mike Yurcich want to run a specific type of scheme last season? Is that a helpful plan? Did he use it as much as he has in the past? T-Frank takes you through his evaluation of the Penn State offense this season and what you can find when looking at the data and applying football logic.

Next, he asks Nate the question, "What did you learn about football this year?" They discuss what lessons they picked up from their football viewing in 2021, and their answers might surprise you.

Finally, they wrap up discussing Penn State basketball, which takes on Michigan Tuesday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.

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BWI Live: Monday Feb 7th Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

As the 2022 offseason marches on, current, former, and future Penn State football players are making news over the past week. The BWI Monday Live Show distills all of that information into 60 minutes to start each week. Join host Thomas Frank Carr, reporter Dave Eckert and senior Editor Nate Bauer live on YouTube today as they discuss various topics surrounding the football and basketball team.

They'll start with updates to previous topics on the show over the past week. Penn State announced late in the week that they have reached a deal with the clothing brand Fanatics to sell player jerseys for the upcoming season. How will that work? How does that factor into players' names, images, and likeness deals? Bauer, Eckert, and T-Frank all give their thoughts about the news and how things are shaping up for head coach James Franklin in his push to keep the Nittany Lions on pace with the rest of college football.

From there, they'll shift gears to the 2022 Senior Bowl, which wrapped up on Saturday. Former Penn State hybrid defender Jesse Luketa had a standout performance with two sacks and a fumble during the game. So how does that change his draft stock, if at all? The trio will give their thoughts.

After that, they'll open up the show to questions from the live audience and give their thoughts on any opinions relevant to the week's topics. From there, they'll get into this week's game. First, each panelist will predict the breakout player for the 2022 season on offense and defense. Then, this week, they'll make a case for why that player is the correct answer, and then the audience will vote on who has the best answer.

Finally, they'll discuss Penn State hoops and their recent, close loss to Wisconsin on the road. How did Penn State keep it close in the low-scoring affair? Then, Nate and Dave give their thoughts on the team as it heads into the home stretch of the 2022 regular season.

Join the BWI Live Show at noon today, only on YouTube!

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BWI Daily: Penn State transfer portal win, wrestling and 2023 recruiting with Greg Pickel Feb 07, 2022

Show notes

Penn State received word Monday afternoon that they were getting their second commitment via the transfer portal. BWI Daily host Thomas Frank Carr starts the show with the news that Cornell offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad chose the Nittany Lions over Iowa. Nourzad is the latest in a fistful of commitments along the offensive line by assistant Phil Trautwein. T-Frank details who can participate next year and which positions are getting the most significant overhaul. Finally, he details where Nourzad will play for the Trautwein and gives a quick scouting report of Nourzad's skills.

After that, reporter Greg Pickel joins the show to recap another undefeated weekend for the Nittany Lions that saw them capture the Big Ten regular-season dual title for 2021-22. Yes, Penn State was undefeated in Big Ten action, but it hasn't been smooth sailing for head coach Cael Sanderson's squad this year. Pickel explains why it was another bumpy weekend for the Lions lineup with more starters absent from competition. It was also a weekend of close finishes that Pickel describes.

After discussing the details of the match, T-Frank and Greg have a big-picture conversation about Penn State's BJC duals and how there may be room to grow the sport as a whole with spectacles like the one on Friday night. Finally, they discuss the title-clinching dual on Sunday and how Penn State once again fought through lineup issues to get a win.

Next, the duo discusses Penn State's latest commit to the Class of 2023, Jven Williams. This weekend, Williams committed to the Nittany Lions, choosing Penn State over multiple Power Five programs, including Kentucky and Michigan. It's an impressive run by Trautwein, but should Penn State fans be encouraged? Pickel gives his thoughts on the matter.

Finally, they look at the Class of 2023 as a whole. The Nittany Lions have traditionally gotten a fast start with classes under head coach James Franklin. Will they be able to keep up the pace and land another top ten class? Or will they fade once five-star prospects choose other schools? Pickel gives his thoughts and examines the difference between in-state and in-region recruiting.

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BWI Daily: Class of 2023 big board and top targets Feb 04, 2022

Show notes

Penn State football wrapped up the Class of 2022 earlier this week so it's on to the next cycle. That's not just true for the Nittany Lions, but also Blue White Illustrated recruiting insider Ryan Snyder and the rest of the recruiting world as well. He joins host Thomas Frank Carr to give you Penn State's top targets at each position in the upcoming Class of 2023.

They start, as you always should, at the quarterback position. So what's the update with the Nittany Lions' efforts to land their top target, Dante Moore, out of Martin Luther King high school in Detroit? Why are they offering more quarterbacks like Florida prospect Marcus Stokes? Snyder gives his impressions on offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich's efforts to find his next signal-caller.

After that, they dip into the equally murky waters of running back for 2023. Is Treyaun Webb the most likely candidate to land in Happy Valley? Can JaJuan Seider work his magic in Florida and get the four-star runner to Pennsylvania? Or will more players emerge and this list expand? Bauer and T-Frank discuss the state of this position before moving on to tight a much clearer position.

Receiver has an apparent leader for the Nittany Lions in four-star wideout from the Pittsburgh area, Rodney Gallagher. How many players can Penn State take in this cycle? Snyder gives his thoughts on four-star prospects Noah Rogers, Ejani Shakir, and local Dallastown product Kenny Johnson.

Tight end is another set position for Penn State after the commitments of Exeter Township's Joey Schlaffer and four-star prospect Neeo Avery from Good Counsel. It's also the position that's had the most change, with players like Mathias Barnwell likely switching positions and Avery showing great promise as a defensive end. So could Penn State add another player here? Snyder gives his thoughts.

The offensive line is not as set as the tight end but already has three committed prospects. Penn State has already secured commitments from two interior players in high four-star talent Alex Birchmeier, Trinity Christian guard Josh Miller and tackle/guard prospect Anthony Donkoh from Alide, VA

So, as always, who are the tackle prospects? Snyder mentions several, including national candidates like Luke Montgomery and Chase Bisontis, but Gonzaga's four-star tackle Evan Link is his top target. He explains why. He also brings up several other important players like Thayer Academy's Samson Okunlola but has reservations about where they stand at the moment.

The defensive line is chocked with talent, so T-Frank and Snyder start at edge defender and work inside. Five-star edge rusher Nyckoles Harbor leads the list but is joined by his teammate at Archbishop Carrol, Joseph Mupoyi. It's a deep list that includes Top 250 players David Ojiegbe, Dylan Gooden and Desmond Umeozulu. But the list also includes under-the-radar candidates Mason Robinson, and Michael Kilbane. Snyder gives viewers a sense of their possibility, interest level in Penn State and vice versa.

The defensive line is not short on talent as we switch to defensive tackle. Penn State already has athlete Mathias Barnwell verbally committed, and the 6-6 athlete prospect recently told Snyder that he'd like to play tackle. Throw on top of that Dematha Catholic standout Jason Moore. The list is already strong before getting to four-star prospects Jason Moore, Derrick LeBlanc, Will Norman, John Walker, Joel Starlings, Justin Benton, and Sydir Mitchell. How many can the Nittany Lions take? How many will they want to take? Snyder gives his thoughts about the group.

Finally, T-Frank and Snyder wrap up the show discussing the most important players and positions mentioned that are "can't miss" players for Penn State in this cycle.

BWI Daily: State of the Program Pt. 2, mailbag Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

BWI Daily: State of the program update and signing day Feb 02, 2022

Show notes

Penn State head coach James Franklin spoke with the media on Wednesday about various topics during the traditional signing day in college football. Host Thomas Frank Carr and senior editor Nate Bauer discuss a number of those topics on today's BWI Daily Edition.

They start with rules. Penn State, the Big Ten, and the NCAA are all governed by laws changing each year. Franklin brought up several examples of inconsistencies in regulations at the state or university levels that cause conflict and advantages for specific programs. What are those rules? T-Franks plays a clip of one example from Franklin's remarks, and then he and Bauer discuss.

How can Penn State stay competitive in the current environment? Bauer has some overarching thoughts. First, he touches on Franklin's personal feelings about change and then University's feelings on the matter.

Next, they discuss antiquated aspects of the college football world, including hard scholarship limits. How does that play into a world that has a transfer portal, early enrollees, and NIL? Bauer gives his thoughts on the matter after T-Frank asks him for a possible solution.

After that, they discuss Franklin's admitted personal resistance to change. Franklin mentions in a clip that he would prefer things to stay as they were but acknowledges that it doesn't matter what he feels. T-Frank extrapolates that into a deeper conversation about Franklin and his personality.

From there, they discuss the football news of the day. Franklin was asked whether or not Sean Clifford will be the starter or if there is an open competition this spring. T-Frank plays Franklin's response, and then he and Bauer discuss what the head coach said.

Finally, they touch on the reason for Wednesday's press conference, signing day. Penn State got a rare, traditional signing day committment in a three-star lineman from Washington, Vega Ioane. Franklin gave some information during his press conference that completely changed T-Frank's view of the Graham, WA native. What was it? Bauer asks T-Frank to explain why that news is so important and how it changes what Penn State could be next season.

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Recruiting Pod: National Signing Day discussion, Cooper Cousins commits Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

Penn State finished up its January contact period on a high note Saturday, adding a commitment from Pennsylvania four-star offensive lineman Cooper Cousins.

It was one of a variety of topics that have grabbed headlines in recent days, giving Blue White Illustrated's Greg Pickel and Ryan Snyder plenty to discuss on our latest recruiting podcast.

Of course, National Signing Day is set for tomorrow, Feb. 2, but with only one committed player left to sign for Penn State, junior college safety Tyrece Mills from Lackawanna College, we're not expecting a ton of drama.

Or are we?

Penn State is still in the mix with one uncommitted 2022 offensive lineman in Washington native Vega Ioane. The three-star flew out to State College this past weekend for an official visit, and all signs point to him deciding between the Nittany Lions and Washington Huskies tomorrow. Ioane has already announced publicly that he'll decide at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Of course, the early signing period and its impact on National Signing Day is also a popular topic now, especially after a hectic coaching carousel and the implementation of the transfer portal. Ryan and Greg discuss their thoughts on that, and whether the early signing period will still be around in years to come.

The guys finish off today's podcast with some discussion surrounding the transfer portal. This past week, Penn State offered former North Texas players Gabriel and Grayson Murphy. Both are expected to be important to the Nittany Lions, as they remain in search for linebackers and defensive ends.

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