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

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BWI Live: Which Former Penn State Players Would you Add to the 2023 Roster? Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

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Penn State football is in the final days of quiet before the start of the 2023 season. Join the BWI Live football show today at 10 am to learn the latest news and what's to come from the Nittany Lions in the next few weeks.

Host Thomas Frank Carr and Penn State football experts Nate Bauer and Sean Fitz discuss recent interviews with current and former Penn State players, staffing moves, and take your questions on the BWI Mailbag.

If you want to get a question on the show, join them at 10 am on YouTube and get your thoughts in the live chat. They'll take select questions throughout the show. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube so you never miss a live event, like T-Frank's exclusive conversation with linebacker Curtis Jacobs.

Penn State News

The staff turnover for Penn State continues in July, with former Duke defensive coordinator Robb Smith joining the program as an analyst. Fitz and Bauer will discuss how the musical chairs of analyst movement opened the door for Smith, and if there are any last-minute moves to come.

Next, they'll discuss Fitz's interview with former Penn State defensive back Jordan Miner. The 2018 cornerback had his career end before it started when the Nittany Lions medical staff noticed a rare heart condition during his routine entry physical. Fitz and Miner discuss what's happened in his life since then and his role with the team.

Next, the trio discuss T-Frank's article from last week where he picked an offensive and defensive player from the last nine years under head coach James Franklin, to add to the current roster. Who could help get the team over the top? Fitz and Bauer will give their answers. Want to play along? Drop the duo you'd add to the 2023 squad in the live chat!

Finally, the trio will discuss T-Frank's interview with Jacobs. What insights did they gain and what were the major takeaways from the conversation? T-Frank will share his thoughts about Tuesday night's event.

BWI Mailbag

As always, the show ends with you. What is on your mind heading into the end of summer? Penn State fans from the Blue White Illustrated Lion's Den have submitted questions that T-Frank will ask the experts on the show. You can get in on the fun by also giving us your questions, which T-Frank will ask Fitz and Bauer. Join the show live on YouTube to get in on the action!

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Which former Penn State players would you add to the 2023 roster?

BWI Live: Penn State Linebacker Curtis Jacobs Joins the Show Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

Penn State football takes the field on September 1 against West Virginia to open the 2023 season. It’s a highly-anticipated year for the Nittany Lions who are an offseason favorite of the national media to push for a College Football Playoff spot. One of the key contributors to the Penn State defense is linebacker Curtis Jacobs. He joins the BWI Live YouTube show to discuss the upcoming season, along with other topics.

Join the show live at 7 pm to ask Jacobs a question! Host Thomas Frank Carr will field select questions from fans and members of the Blue White Illustrated Lions Den. Also, be sure to subscribe to BWI on YouTube so you know when we post special shows and breaking news.

Penn State, Jacobs in line for a big season.

One of the major reasons for optimism on defense is that Jacobs, a third-year player decided to return for another season at linebacker instead of opting for the NFL Draft. T-Frank and Jacobs will discuss that decision and how he arrived at it. They’ll also discuss Jacob’s thoughts on the team and preparation this offseason.

Jacobs has spent the offseason preparing himself mentally and physically for the upcoming season, which could be a breakout performance for the fourth-year linebacker.

“I’ve really dove deep into film study. I know I’ve been a film guy, but I really looked into NFL schemes and other teams’ schemes; just trying to learn offense at this point,” Jacobs said at Lift For Life.

“I’ve been watching a lot of pass-rush stuff too. So I’ve been watching a lot of Michah [Parsons] and Von Miller. I’ve been watching a lot of those guys and how they get to the quarterback. That’s one of the most important plays in football, knocking the quarterback off the spot.”

Jacobs is now ten pounds heavier than he was at this time last year, with his listed weight at 238 pounds. The veteran linebacker split time between positions last season after the emergence of freshman Abdul Carter.

Jacobs was third on the team last year with 29 solo tackles and chipped in 23 assists, according to Penn State’s official stat book. He also came in third with 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Jacobs was also a standout coverage defender at both linebacker positions. According to PFF, Jacobs finished the year with a 61.0 NFL passer rating when targeted, which led the Penn State Linebackers. He also led the unit with 12 passing game stops.

Recruiting Show: Is Penn State Getting Closer to Commitments? Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

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With 22 players already in the Class of 2024, July recruiting for Penn State has gone dead silent. So what's going on behind the scenes with the Nittany Lions? We'll discuss that today on the BWI Live Recruiting Show. Join industry insiders Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz as they discuss the latest news in Penn State football recruiting.

If you want to get your thoughts and questions on the show, join us live at 10 am on YouTube. Host Thomas Frank Carr will take questions from the live chat and present them to the leading insiders in the industry. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube so you don't miss any live or breaking news events.

Penn State News

The trio will start the show with some news and notes from the last several days in Penn State recruiting. Two 2024 commits are moving schools weeks before the start of the upcoming high school football season. Snyder and Fitz will tell you which players are joining new teams this fall and why. They'll also discuss the potential impact of those decisions.

Next, they'll discuss the latest RPM Pick from Fitz. Which player does he see joining the Nittany Lions in the Class of 2024? The group will discuss that player's top five schools and how he could potentially fit into the class.

One player that isn't part of the recruiting group yet is star Liam Andrews. The top-100 player in this cycle has yet to choose a school and is now beyond the window most expected him to decide in. What's going on? While Andrews is an enigmatic figure in recruiting, Fitz and Snyder will discuss the impact of the decision playing out. Is this good or bad for Penn State's chances of landing the two-way athlete?

Finally, the show will shift its focus to a lighter topic. Snyder and Fitz wrote a series of articles this past week detailing the players that either exceeded or underperformed their expectations during their time following Penn State recruiting. Today, the trio will pick the players that exceeded their expectations.

Join the show live at 10 am to give your thoughts on the underrated player that blew you away with their performance at Penn State.

Hoops Show: Penn State Basketball Summer Update Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Penn State basketball held a media day on July 12 to give a glimpse into the new program’s progress under Mike Rhoades. Rhoades and several of his player met with the assembled media before the team held an open practice later that afternoon. BWI Insider Nate Bauer was there to take it all in and provides his insights on today’s Hoops Show.

Check out the full show wherever you get your podcasts, or enjoy listening to it on the embedded player in this article. Bauer discusses what Rhoades had to say about his team-building philosophy, culture, and his early impressions of his team. Bauer also gives his thoughts about what he saw on Tuesday. You’ll also hear from the coach himself as Bauer and host Thomas Frank Carr play clips from this week’s press conference.

Rhoades shedding folksy narrative

Despite leaning heavily on the homecoming aspect of his hiring back in March, Rhoades was decidedly less interested in his roots this week. He made it clear that he has one goal in mind.

“I didn’t come back here because it’s my home state. I came back here because I want to win. And I want to win in the Big Ten, I want to win at a cool university like Penn State,” Rhoades said on Tuesday.

Bauer and T-Frank discuss the tonal shift from Rhoades and what sort of culture he’s trying to establish at Penn State.

Rhoades also gave an initial assessment of his team’s performance this summer. You can hear the full quote in the podcast.

“I really like our guard play. It’s probably a little bit better than I thought it would be. I hope we’re a better shooting team than I thought. We have some guys that are really shooting the ball well right now,” he said. “But, the bleachers aren’t pulled out, as I say, and the lights aren’t on, so that’s different. The biggest thing is it’s easy in the summer because there’s no adversity. Now, the next few weeks you’re going to the Bahamas, I’ll create a lot more adversity for guys, so I’ll understand our team a little bit better with that,” Rhoades said.

Roster construction was intentional for Penn State

Bauer and T-Frank also discuss the team’s roster construction through the transfer portal. The team had to dip heavily into the portal thanks to a mass exodus from the program after Micah Shrewsberry left for Notre Dame.

Rhoades explained that the team wanted to build a program for the long term and provide stability and balance to the roster via class eligibility.

The team retained three scholarship players this offseason in guards Kanye Clary and Jameel Brown, as well as big-man Demetrius Lilley.

Recruiting Show: Major Update for Penn State in Latest On3 Recruiting Rankings Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Penn State football recruiting has been quiet over the last three weeks. What's going on with the Nittany Lions recruiting efforts? Join the BWI Recruiting Show at 10 am on YouTube to find out.

Recruiting insiders Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz join host Thomas Frank Carr to break down the last two week of Penn State recruiting news. They'll discuss a new honor for commit Cooper Cousins, the latest On3 rankings update, and how the last two weeks saw Penn State miss out on several key recruits.

Join the show live at 10 am to discuss these topics, and more with the show! If you haven't subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube so you don't miss any of our live content. Be sure to tune in Thursday night at 7 pm to hear an exclusive live conversation with Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs.

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Penn State rewarded in On3 Rankings udpate

The latest On3 recruiting rankings update largely validated Penn State's evaluations for the Class of 2024. Several three-star prospects vaulted up the rankings to bolster the program's overall profile for the class. Those rating bumps also included three players joining the top 100 players in the country. Join the show to discover which players are now in rarified air for the program.

They'll also discuss why Penn State's prospects received such a big bump. On3 scouting director Charles Power spoke with Snyder earlier this week, and Snyder will relay some of Power's most telling comments about Penn State's class.

They'll also discuss Penn State's latest commit, Mylachi Williams. Snyder also spoke with Williams' high school coach and previews what he said about the four-star edge rusher.

Recapping Penn State's bad recruiting luck

But it wasn't all good news for the Nittany Lions. Penn State missed on several critical recruits over the last few weeks. Snyder and Fitz will review the losses of Nick Marsh, Benedict Umeh and Deyvid Palepale and others.

Lastly, the trio will review the players still on the board for Penn State. That list includes top target Liam Andrews among others. What's the situation there? The trio will try to contextualize the remaining prospects and give fans a road map of what's coming up this month.

Want to be part of the show? Join us live at 10 am and join the live chat! T-Frank, Fitz, and Snyder will take select questions and comments from viewers during the show.

BWI Live: Top Five Under-the-Radar Penn State Football player Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

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Penn State football starts fall camp in less than a month so today, the BWI Live Show discusses the most under-the-radar players for this coming fall. Join the Show live at 10 am on YouTube to discuss which players you think are of sneaky importance in September.

Host Thomas Frank Carr, reporter Greg Pickel and senior editor Nate Bauer give you their top five players and discuss the recent news in Penn State sports. Penn State basketball meets with the media this week so Bauer will preview what you should expect. Meanwhile, Pickel will discuss the latest werstling news, with former champion Bo Nickal in the news recently.

They'll also tackle the recent Penn State football news regarding NIL and staff changes. If you'd like to participate with the show, join in at 10 and give your questions and comments in the live chat. BWI's experts will interact with the audience and take the best question in the BWI Mailbag segment to end the show.

Penn State News

Penn State analyst Danny O'Brien got a new role this week when he was moved to a graduate assistant position with the program. Bauer, Pickel, and T-Frank will discuss what this means for the program. They'll also review James Franklin's latest plea for fans to donate to Penn State NIL. Is the timing with recruiting a coincidence?

Once again, they'll dive into the world of NIL, and Bauer will give his thoughts on how the situation for Penn State is heading into a vital stretch with the football team with a potential national championship window ahead of them.

With training camp only weeks away, the panel will discuss the most underrated players heading into the season. The superstars alone don't produce winning seasons. This fall, Penn State will need key players to step up in underrated roles to help the team achieve its goals. Which players that aren't household names will shape the season to come? Each panelist will give their top five players. Put yours in the chat during the show, T-Frank might put them on air!

BWI Mailbag

Lastly, the trio will answer questions from the live audience on YouTube during the BWI Mailbag. Each week T-Frank and his cohosts answer questions from you, the viewer. Join the show at 10 am to get your questions on the show. As always, subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube so you don't miss any Penn State football content from BWI!

BWI Live: The Top Five Penn State Position Groups Heading into 2023 Season Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

We're weeks away from the start of the 2023 fall season with Penn State training camp at the end of next month. So to get you ready for the season, the BWI Live show is previewing the team by ranking the team's top position groups.

You'll also get an NIL update from insider Nate Bauer and hear about one of Penn State's newest basketball recruits. All of that, plus your questions and thoughts! Join the show live at 10 am on YouTube to get your questions on the weekly mailbag segment. Bauer and host Thomas Frank Carr will take questions from the Lions Den message board, but will also ask for your thoughts live on the show.

Be sure to subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube so you don't miss any of our live content.

Penn State NIL update

Penn State's NIL efforts continue to play out in the quickly changing landscape of college football. Bauer, Blue White Illustrated's front-office insider, shares what he knows about the situation and what Penn State is trying to do in order to compete with other top schools.

The duo will also discuss Penn State basketball's first member of the 2024 Class, Jahvin Carter.

Next, Bauer and T-Frank will have some fun, ranking Penn State's top five position groups heading into the 2023 season. Bauer gave his answer earlier this week, and now T-Frank wants to respond on the show. They'll debate what criteria matter to the ranking and which groups they disagree about the most. Want to give your top five? Join the show and submit an answer!

BWI Mailbag

As always, the show ends with your thoughts and comments in the BWI Mailbag. This week they have a handful of preselected questions from the members at bluewhiteillustrated.com. T-Frank and Bauer will discuss Penn State's right tackle situation with a question about Caedan Wallace. Next, they'll pair up freshmen with veterans and discuss when players take the most significant leap in their development.

Recruiting Show: Previewing July Commitment Surge Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

Penn State football recruiting is reaching a fever pitch heading into July. Join the BWI Live Recruiting Show today at 10 am to find out what happened this weekend and to get a preview of what's coming as the calendar flips to July.

Recruiting Insider Ryan Snyder and host Thomas Frank Carr bring you the latest news in Penn State recruiting today. They'll preview the upcoming flurry of decision dates at the end of the month heading into the first week in July. Then, they'll review the Penn State White Out camp, which took place Saturday at Beaver Stadium. They'll also take your questions live on the show!

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Penn State prospect commitment preview

Despite having 20 commitments in the Class of 2024, Penn State fans should expect a flurry of activity for the Nittany Lions in the coming two weeks. Snyder discusses what he knows and what he's expecting from the top uncommitted prospects on Penn State's radar. With so many players already in class, including three receivers who committed last week, will players wait to choose their destination?

They'll discuss what surprises Penn State fans should expect and how this time of year goes for college programs trying to secure their top prospects. Also he and T-Frank will also give you the notable dates they're watching over the next several days.

Penn State White Out Camp review

Next, they'll discuss what happened over the weekend at Penn State's elite White Out prospect camp. They'll discuss which players stood out during the afternoon evaluation session at the Lasch practice facility. They'll also discuss how Cooper Cousins has used Penn State's resources best.

Beyond Blessed

With two camps in the same week, Penn State has gotten its eyes on hundreds of prospects. From that, a handful of important offers have gone out to players recently. Snyder and T-Frank discuss the important names to know in their regular segment, Beyond Blessed.

If you'd like to get your thoughts or questions on the show, join the BWI Live Recruiting show at 10 am on YouTube!

BWI Live: Lift For Life Preview Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

Penn State football hosts the last stop before fall camp on Thursday with the annual Lift For Life charity event. To preview what fans need to know about the annual lift-off to raise money for rare diseases, the BWI Live crew sits down to preview the event.

Join host Thomas Frank Carr and BWI experts Sean Fitz and Nate Bauer as they discuss the summer months of Penn State football. They'll also take your questions, and comments live on the show!

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Penn State Lift For Life

Each offseason, Lift for Life marks the last time the media meets with the Penn State staff or players before fall camp. In many ways, it's a preview of what's to come. So what are Fitz, T-Frank, and Bauer interested in learning? They'll discuss that topic on today's show.

For most media members and fans, Lift for Life is the first chance to see the newest additions to the team that arrived since the end of spring camp. Which players are T-Frank, Bauer, and Fitz most interested in getting their first look at? They'll give their list on the show.

Bauer also spoke with Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich earlier this week. He'll share some of the nuggets he took away from that conversation as well.

BWI Mailbag

But today's show is all about you, the viewer. Want to ask the experts a question? The BWI Mailbag is open! Join the show at 10 am on YouTube and ask your question in the live chat. The best questions will make it on the show and be discussed by the panel of experts.

As always, the mailbag contains questions from the Lions Den message forum. T-Frank has selected a number of them to kick things off in the show's final segment. Some of the topics for today's show include:

Where can Penn State's best players improve?

What non-Big Ten teams would you select for Penn State's protected rival?

How does Tre Wallace fit into the wide receiver picture for next fall?

If you'd like to submit a question to the mailbag thread, join Blue White Illustrated and gain access to the Lions Den Message Forum.

Recruiting Show: Where Penn State's D-line recruiting is heating up Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

Penn State football made it through the third official visit weekend of the year. For the first time this cycle the team took a step back in recruiting with a decommittment. We'll address that, and how things went this weekend with some top prospects on the BWI Live Recruiting Show.

Join host Thomas Frank Carr and BWI recruiting insider Sean Fitz to discuss the impression Penn State made on its top defensive line prospects, how the team positioned itself heading into the final week of official visits, and what to expect next with the class.

They'll discuss that, and take your questions and comments live on the show. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube and join the show at 10 am!

Penn State about to break through at defensive tackle?

New position coach Deion Barnes has one recruit committed at his position but hosted several of the top interior prospects on the team's board this weekend. How did the visit go for Canadian Benedict Umeh? What about out-of-region prospect TA Cunningham? Fitz reveals some of what he learned about this weekend, which was focused on the defensive line.

But receiver is the defensive line's roommate in the underserved part of the 2024 class. With several receiver prospects already through campus, Penn State receiver's coach Marques Hagans has positioned the team very well heading into the final weekend. How did things go with Pittsburgh native Peter Gonzalez? And when will one of Penn State's top receivers make a move?

Outlook for the rest of the summer

Finally, T-Frank and Fitz will sit down and examine where Penn State's class stands right now. They'll break down the recruits by position and go through the latest news outside visit weekends. Fitz explains the situation with recently decommitted lineman Deryc Plazz. Then they'll highlight other trouble potentially brewing on the class roster.

Finally, they'll wrap up the show by looking at the latest Penn State offers, which include two legacy players in the Class of 2024 and 2026.

Penn State's current 2024 class stands at 17 commitments and ranks 12th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten. On3 has begun officially including USC and UCLA in Big Ten rankings, bumping the Nittany Lions down below the Southern California school in the conference rankings. Wisconsin is the next closest school, ranking 23rd in the nation.

Join the show at 10 am to discuss these topics and more!

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