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

Latest Episodes:

BWI Daily: Brent Pry hired to be head coach at Virginia Tech with Greg Pickel Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

News broke early Tuesday that Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry would be named the next head coach at Virginia Tech. Reporter for Blue White Illustrated, Greg Pickel, and host Thomas Frank Carr discuss the news and how it affects Penn State heading into the 2021-2022 offseason.

Before getting to the Penn State side of things, Pickel briefly discusses his time covering Pry as a defensive coordinator and gives his opinion on the job he did at Penn State. Next, they discuss the situation from Pry's perspective and how Pickel saw this situation break down for Pry this offseason with so many coaching vacancies open up in the mid-Atlantic region. He also gives his thoughts on how Pry will fit in at Virginia Tech and whether Pry is a good hire for the Hokies. Also, Pickel recalls a moment speaking with Pry back in 2016 that is relevant to the discussion now. Next, Pickel discusses how Pry kept his viewed coaching opportunities during his time at Penn State. Finally, he shares the timeline of how all of this news came together.

Next, they discuss how Pry's leaving will affect the recruiting process for Penn State, with only a few weeks left until the early signing period. Pickel says that while Pry is an essential piece of the puzzle at Penn State, he doesn't think it will affect Penn State's recruiting in a significant way. First, he tells you why and how Penn State sets up its recruiting process. T-Frank then asks specific players on the defensive side of the ball who might be more affected by this news. Four-star linebacker Abdul Carter is committed to the program, while fellow four-star linebacker Jaishawn Barham is considering doing the same. Are either of them at risk considering that Pry is also the linebackers coach? Pickel weighs in.

However, Pry isn't the only coach on the move for Penn State this offseason. Could he pluck one of his former assistants to join him in Blacksburg? T-Frank and Greg discuss which coaches make the most sense for Pry and might leave for a higher position on the defense. They also consider which coaches Penn State would fight to keep on the staff if there was a conflict. This conversation then spins off into assessing some of the other assistants on defense and how well they've performed during their time at Penn State.

With that in mind, they discuss which coaches could fill the role internally for head coach James Franklin, with the two apparent candidates being cornerbacks coach Terry Smith and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter. They weigh the merits of each coach taking a more prominent role on the defensive side of the ball. If no one gets promoted, how does that affect the staff? How would an outside hire shake up the staff anyway? T-Frank and Pickel discuss.

They look at the coaching contact period going on right now and how Pry's departure affects how Penn State handles their in-home visits with recruits in the Class of 2022. How will they cover his territory, and how will they deal with the news talking to players in person? Finally, they finish the show considering players who might leave the program to follow Pry to Virginia Tech via the transfer portal.

BWI Daily: Is Spencer Rattler a Fit for Penn State? Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

The 2022 offseason kicked up a notch on Monday when former five-star quarterback from the class of 2019 Spencer Rattler declared his intentions to enter the transfer portal. Penn State football is in need of fresh blood at the position and will be looking for a player at that position this offseason. So host of the Blue White Illustrated Daily Edition Thomas Frank Carr takes a look at all of the factors that go into how Penn State recruits in the portal and if Rattler would be a fit for James Franklin in the program and Mike Yurcich on the football field.

Before getting into Rattler, T-Frank brings up head coach James Franklin's comments about the transfer portal and how he likes to conduct business in regards to college football's version of free agency. Based on those comments, T-Frank brings up a timeline of when Penn State fans should expect to hear something if the Nittany Lions coaching staff were interested in the former Oklahoma quarterback.

The next area T-Frank examines is cultural fit. Does Spencer Rattler the person fit Penn State's program under Franklin? T-Frank cites comments about Rattler's maturity off the field, while also doing his best to put those comments in perspective based on where most of them originate from. He borrows some quotes from ESPN and ABC commentator Kirk Herbstriet to illustrate the concern about Rattler's maturity and how that may affect his playing style. Does that sort of player, who creates big plays but also big problems, work for Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich? T-Frank gives his thoughts.

From there he takes a look at the timeline with Rattler at Oklahoma that includes two benching's in two seasons, but also includes incredible production in 2020. T-Frank gives touchdown to interception ratios from both seasons that led to his departure from Oklahoma and some unsettling metrics from PFF that he thinks speak to an unstable playing style. After that he makes the case for Rattler's talent and his ability to change games with prolific, big-play ability.

Finally he takes a look at one final, key piece of the puzzle, familiarity. Did Yurcich or Franklin recruit Rattler? Is there an obvious and common link between the program and the player? T-Frank shares why this is important to understanding the process by which Franklin operates the transfer portal. With all oft that information in hand, T-Frank gives you his final verdict about whether or not Rattler is a fit for the Nittany Lions.

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code 20PSU at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

BWI Live: Monday Recap of Penn State's loss to Michigan State Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

The Penn State football team lost 30-27 on Saturday to Michigan State amidst a snowstorm. The loss concludes a second-half slide for head coach James Franklin's squad that started 5-0 but only won two games the rest of the way. Not only that, but those two wins came against Big Ten East basement dwellers Maryland and Rutgers.

What should you make of Saturday's loss? What about the season? Join the BWI Live Monday recap crew as they discuss the game, season, and context of Penn State's 7-5 record. Host Thomas Frank Carr interviews senior Editor Nate Bauer and reporter David Eckert to get their thoughts on the situation. The trio also takes your questions and looks ahead to what is next for the team.

Tune in to the BWI Live: Monday Recap Show at noon on YouTube!

BWI Live: Penn State vs Michigan State Postgame Nov 28, 2021

Show notes

Penn State fell to Michigan State 30-27 on a snowy day in East Lansing to finish the 2021 regular season 7-5. Host of the BWI Daily Edition Thomas Frank Carr is joined by host of the Paydirt Podcast Tom Hannifan to break down the game and what it means for Penn State in the bigger picture.

T-Frank and Tom discuss exactly how the weather affects players' ability to perform as well as what challenges the Penn State team has that Michigan State did not in terms of playing style. They also take a look at how the season and the loss measure up to James Franklin's 75-million dollar contract extension.

Tom and T-Frank also look ahead to what is next for Penn State football and how Franklin, the University and the program can rebound from back-to-back sub-par seasons.

BWI Daily: Penn State Bowl Preview Show Nov 26, 2021

Show notes

The Penn State football team enters their final game of the regular season on Saturday against Michigan State with postseason implications on the line not only for the Nittany Lions but the rest of the Big Ten. So what happens if Penn State wins? Which bowl are they likely to be attending? What if they lose? Host Thomas Frank Carr, reporter Greg Pickel and recruiting insider Ryan Snyder give you their insight into how it can all shake out for head coach James Franklin's squad. They list three of the most likely bowl games in order of probability and discuss the merits of each.

They start by discussing how the selection process works and the current situation for Penn State heading into the game on Saturday. Pickel says that it's not just the win-loss record that decides and explains the politics behind bowl season. With all of that in mind, they discuss the first bowl game, The Music City Bowl. T-Frank takes you through the details of the game when Penn State fans can expect to watch the Nittany Lions on TV and then asks the guys to fill him in on the possible opponents. The game has some exciting storylines with its potential SEC opponents.

The next game is the Las Vegas Bowl. This particular game has some challenges for Penn State fans based on when it's played, but it's a wonderful holiday getaway location, as Snyder points out. The PAC 12 contest also has some unique advantages for Penn State, according to Snyder.

According to Snyder and Pickel, the final bowl viable bowl is an outside shot, but the Outback Bowl is still in play for Penn State. While they previously discussed the machinations necessary for each bowl, the Outback Bowl presents an interesting situation for the Big Ten for Penn State to reach a Florida destination.

During the show, they also break down the race for the Big 10 East and Big Ten Championship game and how they believe that will play out.

Once they close the bowl portion of the show, the trio gets into Ryan Snyder's Best Bets for the last time in the college football regular season.

This week's list, with guest sharp Greg Pickel includes:

ALABAMA (-19) AT AUBURN

OREGON STATE AT OREGON (-7)

WISCONSIN (-7) AT MINNESOTA

OKLAHOMA AT OKLAHOMA STATE (-4)

PENN STATE (-1) AT MICHIGAN STATE

As always, they close the show with a preview of Penn State's game on Saturday. Then, they get into some details about what they expect from Penn State and Michigan State on Saturday.

JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annual

SUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmation

Bookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/

Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.com

Download our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/

BWI Daily: Practice Observations with Nate Bauer Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

On Wednesday, Penn State Football held its final open practice of the regular season, and senior editor Nate Bauer joins host Thomas Frank Carr to share what he saw and heard. They also discuss what head coach James Franklin said after practice about their health heading into Michigan State. It's also Franklin's first time addressing the media since announcing his 10-year contract extension, so Bauer shares what Franklin said and his interpretation of it. Finally, they wrap up with a conversation about Michigan State and what they see in the game coming up this weekend.

BWI Daily: What Tyler Rudolph entering the transfer portal means for Penn State Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

On Wednesday, Penn State football had its first transfer of the upcoming offseason when former four-star safety Tyler Rudolph entered his name into the transfer portal. Host of the BWI Daily Edition, Thomas Frank Carr, looks at the impact of Rudolph's exit on the safety position and how the transfer portal affects mid-level programs in college football.

He starts by setting a baseline of how Penn State head coach James Franklin prefers to deal with the portal from an influx and exit standpoint. Then, he plays Franklin's comments to BWI's Nate Bauer during this week's Tuesday press conference. Finally, Franklin explains how recruiting, transfers and the NFL make the situations challenging to predict.

After that, T-Frank addresses the reason that Rudolph is likely exiting the program; playing time. He shows just how little the redshirt sophomore has gotten since the start of the season based on the expectations set by the staff and his progress this summer. Rudolph has likely been jumped on the depth chart by a younger player, but T-Frank doesn't think that necessarily means that the Connecticut native would be stuck there heading into 2022.

T-Frank also thinks this announcement signals the conclusion of one other situation for 2022 at the position.

The transfer portal presents the real issue for programs that recruit multiple four-star players at one position each year. First, T-Frank explains how it puts pressure on younger players that did not exist before. Then, he lists the likely players that will have to contribute going forward and how razor-thin the margin of error is for the safety group as it stands.

He wraps up by exploring all the possible options to add depth to the position outside of the portal. Finally, he gives the notable players on roster and the players incoming in the class of 2022.

Black Friday Sale! Get 25% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code 20BlueWhite & 20PSU at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

BWI Daily: What Franklin deal means for Penn State Football Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

On Tuesday, Penn State University made a significant investment when the Board of Trustees agreed to a 10-year contract extension of football coach James Franklin. But, outside of the numbers, what does that mean for the trajectory of Penn State football? Host Thomas Frank Carr and senior editor of Blue White Illustrated Nate Bauer discuss just that.

T-Frank and Bauer focus on a portion of the press release issued by Penn State for the majority of the podcast. It reads,

"...we've been able to create a roadmap of the resources needed to address academic support, community outreach, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), facility improvements, student-athlete housing, technology upgrades, recruiting, training table and more."

T-Frank starts by asking Bauer what each of those individual areas means to him and what projects may be implemented sooner rather than later. Bauer thinks an intentional list of items shows how this contract and Franklin's visions go just beyond facilities upgrades.

With the landscape of modern college football such as it is, T-Frank asks Bauer if there's a future for Penn State that is competitive but doesn't include over-building of facilities and luxury.

T-Frank also lists some facts and figures about the Penn State head coach, including his recruiting resume, bowl record, NFL players, and recent win-loss record. Finally, he asks the question many Penn State fans have afterward; Is Franklin worth this investment?

With all of the talk about investments, competition, and pushing Penn State into the future, T-Frank and Nate wrap up with a conversation about where this moment fits in Penn State football history.

Recruiting Pod: Where Penn State is in the latest On300; Rutgers visitor recap, more Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

While Penn State fans wait to hear the outcome of a Board of Trustees meeting that's expected to confirm a contract extension for James Franklin this afternoon, there's still plenty to recap over the past week on the recruiting trail.

The big news this week is the updated On300, which saw two Penn State commits, QB Drew Allar and RB Nick Singleton, earn a five-star rating. Hosts Greg Pickel and Ryan Snyder get into their rise, especially Allar, who has jumped from outside the top 15 at his position to the No. 1 quarterback in just 11 months.

The list also includes top Penn State prospects like DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, LB Abdul Carter, RB Kaytron Allen, CB Cam Miller and Saf. KJ Winston, among others. Ryan and Greg get into some of the reasons they're ranked where they are.

Ryan also feels as if future Penn State WR Kaden Saunders, who's down at No. 231 overall, needs to be someone On3 looks at closely when he participates in the Under Armour All-America game in January.

The pair finish up the podcast discussing a few notable recruits who attended the game against Rutgers this past Saturday. Notable names include Saf. Dakaari Nelson, OL Sam Pendleton and LB Kamar Archie.

JOIN Blue White Illustrated: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/join/?plan=annual

SUBSCRIBE to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and enable alerts - new highlights and videos uploaded regularly: https://www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo?sub_confirmation

Bookmark our homepage: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/

Subscribe to BWI Magazine and Newsletters: http://bluewhiteonline.com

Download our podcasts: https://bluewhiteillustrated.podbean.com/

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BlueWhiteIllustrated/

BWI Daily: Freshman Tengwall shines in first game Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

While the headlines are about true freshman quarterback Christian Veilleux this week, he wasn't the only true freshman to play on Saturday. Landon Tengwall, a four-star prospect in the Class of 2020, made his collegiate debut as well and, according to host Thomas Frank Carr, stood out.

Tengwall didn't start the game, but after starting tackle Caedan Wallace exited midway through the first quarter with illness, Tengwall was inserted at the most challenging position on the offensive line.

T-Frank looked at the film and was impressed with the physical aspects of Tengwall's performance and the mental ones. He provides the data to back up what he saw on film as a pass protector and explains just how hard that is to do. He also explains how Rutgers was trying to confuse the young tackle and the rest of the reshuffled offensive line and how it didn't work.

It's not just the fact that Tengwall was solid protecting Veilleux. He made a significant difference in the run game as well. T-Frank breaks down the techniques that the Maryland native used to his advantage and just how well he performed at them.

Finally, he wraps up with what he would do with Tengwall moving forward in the season's final two games.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

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

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected