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

Latest Episodes:

BWI Daily: Previewing the five most interesting players at Junior Day Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

Blue White Illustrated recruiting insider Ryan Snyder and host Thomas Frank Carr discuss the five prospects attending Penn State's junior day on Saturday that intrigue Snyder the most.

Hoops Show: Recapping Penn State basketball's showdown with Purdue and the fallout after the loss Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Penn State basketball had a wild week filled with ups and downs, or "downs-then-ups" according to basketball insider Nate Bauer. Today on the Blue White Illustrated Penn State basketball hoops show, Bauer and host Thomas Frank Carr discuss the loss to top-ranked Purdue and the fallout from that game. Then they turn to the win against Indiana and how you can see the imprint of the previous game on that win. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated wherever you get your podcasts, so you don't miss the show.

BWI Daily: Penn State receiver reset; Why are the Nittany Lions pushing so hard for a portal receiver? Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Blue White Illustrated reporters and Penn State football insiders Nate Bauer and Sean Fitz discuss the latest news in the transfer portal for Penn State football. They'll discuss the issues landing a wide receiver and then shine a spotlight on the roster to see what Penn State brings back for 2023.

BWI Daily: Ideal linebacker lineup for next season- Mailbag Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

Host Thomas Frank Carr and senior editor Nate Bauer discuss listener submitted questions on the BWI Mailbag show. To get your questions on the show, submit a five-star review on Apple podcasts and leave your question as a comment. Today, they address the return of Curtis Jacobs and how Penn State can go about building its linebacker room for next season.

Recruiting Show: Penn State weighing need and value in the transfer portal Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

Penn State's portal recruiting has been up and down this season. The BWI Recruiting show looks at the wins but also the issues that are cropping up with NIL and the portal. They'll also preview the first Junior Day, which is this weekend.

BWI Live: In era of transfers, Penn State winning in roster retention Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

Penn State football season never ends despite the 2022 season ending a week ago. Now, the team is in the thick of the transfer portal window, trying to secure the talent for next year's run at a Big Ten Championship and beyond. The BWI Live show will discuss the latest news on YouTube to get fans up-to-date on the latest roster moves at 8 pm. Join the show and ask your questions of host Thomas Frank Carr and senior editor Nate Bauer. https://bit.ly/3KzEcqK

The biggest news this weekend is that defensive end Adisa Isaac will return to Penn State next season. According to PFF, the redshirt junior defensive end put together a bounce-back season for the Nittany Lions with 36 pressures, four sacks, and eight quarterback hits. So what does his presence on the roster mean for the defense? And what does he hope to get out of returning to Manny Diaz's scheme? The panel of experts will discuss that and more.

But Isaac's return isn't the only good news for Penn State this week. That's because defensive tackle D'Von Ellies followed up behind his teammate on Monday with the news that he'll also be returning. Penn State's search for a defensive tackle in the transfer portal has been slow, so the trio will discuss how Ellies can impact the depth chart next year.

Finally, one player isn't coming back next year. Right tackle Bryce Effner decided to step away from football after multiple injuries during his college career. Penn State has been looking for tackles in the portal and in recruiting, so how does Effner's absence affect the team next year? T-Frank and Bauer will discuss how that position will shake out next spring.

Lastly, they'll look at how Penn State has been able to retain critical players from both the NFL and leaving via the transfer portal. What are the factors driving players to return and not leave? Is this a sign that something special is brewing in Happy Valley?

Despite that success, the portal hasn't been kind to the Nittany Lions' efforts at bringing in talent. They've lost out on several top targets, including Monday, when two players announced that they were transferring to other schools.

Penn State football got a lot of good news in player retention this weekend. Join BWI Live at 8 pm to discuss who's returning to Penn State.

Finally, they'll discuss the national championship game and the notion that you need an elite quarterback to make the college football playoff.

BWI Daily: Penn State adapting to new portal window Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

The glow of the 2023 Rose Bowl hasn't left yet, and the Penn State football staff is already hard at work securing the next round of Nittany Lions. There are several different avenues of player acquisition this time of year. Today on the BWI Daily Edition, Sean Fitz and Thomas Frank Carr discuss the transfer portal, recruiting in 2023, and previewing the next wave of 2024 recruiting. Don't miss the BWI Daily Edition on YouTube by subscribing to the channel. https://bit.ly/3KzEcqK

Despite their "signing day draft" last month, Penn State is still pursuing players in the class of 2023. The main name to know is Chimdy Onoh, a four-star offensive tackle from Dundalk, MD. The former Old Dominion commit opened up his recruitment right before the early signing day and has extended his recruitment into February. He recently named new top-four schools. So, where does Penn State stand in that lineup? Fitz discusses the outlook and what the Nittany Lions would get if they could secure his services.

Next up are junior days. The significance of these events has changed in recent years, so Fitz and T-Frank discuss what they are and how they're used. Fitz also looks back at the list of players that attended Junior Day last year and notices an important trend.

Now that Penn State has secured a high-visibility win in the Rose Bowl, does that change the level of players they can attract to such an event? Is that a real-world example of momentum at work? Fitz has his doubts and explains how that's probably not the case.

Next, they dive into the hectic world of the transfer portal. Thanks to a new NCAA rule, there has been an acceleration on the timeline of transfer portal recruiting, which Fitz outlines. Next, he and T-Frank discuss the players that visited Penn State this week and which players fans should focus on.

From there, they break portal recruiting down by position and look at Penn State's areas of need and some potential weak spots that fans may think the team needs to address. They also discuss Devin Carter, who committed to the program on Monday.

Lastly, they preview the high school All-Star games that started this week. Penn State offensive line commit Jven Williams is at the All-America Bowl this week, so they discuss the meaning and position of high school all-star games. They also explain how they view these events to give fans some context on what to take from them.

Hoops Podcast: Penn State vs Purdue Palestra game preview Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

Penn State basketball fell to 11-4 after a loss to Michigan on Wednesday, and they have another tall task on Sunday when they face Purdue at the Palestra. Join the Blue White Illustrated Hoops show as Nate Bauer and Thomas Frank Carr discuss both games. Make sure to subscribe to the Blue White Illustrated podcast feed and leave a comment on the show!

The Nittany Lions didn't put out a collective best effort on Wednesday, losing 79-69 to Michigan on the road. T-Frank and Bauer discuss the critical components that went into the defeat in a game that featured scoring runs by both teams throughout the game. What contributed to that and in what aspects did Penn State fall short during the game? They'll discuss that and which players need to step up now that there's a clearly defined strategy for defending the offense.

After wrapping up the discussion on Michigan, they turn ahead to preview the showdown with Purdue at the Palestra. It's a game for Penn State where the venue is as much the story as the opponent. So how will the home court be for the Nittany Lions against the top team in the country? Bauer has been to each of the last two games in Philly and explains to T-Frank the environment and how it could affect the game. Can Penn State get a home-court advantage? They'll discuss that and how the crowd could specifically affect Purdue.

After wrapping up their discussion on the venue, Bauer and T-Frank get to the game. Bauer breaks down what he's seen from Purdue and provides context with some stats he found to back up his observations. Then, they discuss Penn State's three-point shooting skills and how that can play into the game, and how turnovers shouldn't be a factor.

Finally, with a game that amounts to a White Out game at Beaver Stadium, how will this affect recruiting? Bauer details the players that he's confirmed plan to attend the game and how important they are to Penn State.

BWI Daily: Does the Rose Bowl win cement James Franklin's legacy? Jan 06, 2023

Show notes

Blue White Illustrated sent a host of reports to the 2023 Rose Bowl to give you coverage from every angle of the game. Today on the BWI Daily Edition, reporter Nate Bauer, will join the show live to discuss his impressions of Penn State's historic win. If you'd like to ask questions or get your opinion on the show, join live at 8 pm on YouTube! https://bit.ly/3KzEcqK

Bauer was there in Los Angeles in the days leading up to the Rose Bowl and got a chance to speak with several Penn State football players at the open media day. Most notably, the freshmen, whom Penn State does not allow to speak with the media their first year, were available for interviews. Bauer spoke with Nittany Lion's breakout star running back, Nicholas Singleton. He'll give his impressions of Singleton and the other players he spoke with on the show Thursday night.

They'll also discuss the most interesting players he spoke with, regardless of grade on the show. To help give context and narrative to the story, he'll share his conversations with KeAndre Lambert-Smith and PJ Mustipher.

Finally, as the Blue White Illustrated team's big-picture expert, Bauer and T-Frank will discuss the legacy impact of winning the Rose Bowl. Penn State head coach James Franklin became the first head coach since Joe Paterno in 1994 to win the Rose Bowl while wearing Blue and White. Does this win to secure his legacy as a head coach at the university? After nine seasons, is it time to have that conversation?

Obviously, that story is only complete with discussing quarterback Sean Clifford. So, what does this win and this season do for his place in Penn State lore? They'll discuss this topic and then look to the future of the program and the highly anticipated 2023 football season. So, join the show and ask whatever questions we miss!

BWI Daily: Ryan Snyder's Rose Bowl recap from the field Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

Today on the BWI Daily Edition, we take you down on the field to get an up-close retelling of Penn State’s 35-21 win over Utah in the Rose Bowl. Reporter Ryan Snyder was at field level for Blue White Illustrated, and he joins host Thomas Frank Carr to discuss what he saw and heard, to add context to what fans saw on television during the game. Subscribe to the BWI Daily Edition on YouTube, so you don’t miss an episode! https://bit.ly/3KzEcqK

However, before they get to the game, T-Frank and Snyder discuss the breaking news after the win. Former NC State receiver Devin Carter committed to the program during the victory celebration, giving Penn State a much-needed boost at the position. Snyder recaps how the commitment went down and what he might bring to the table for the team. Next, T-Frank reviews his time at NC State and expands on what Snyder discussed regarding his role on the team.

Once they’ve wrapped up their discussion on Carter, T-Frank dives into the game to get Snyder’s perspective on the events leading up. They discuss the magnitude of the game and its place in football fan lore. Then, Snyder comments on whether or not the Rose Bowl lived up to those expectations.

Next, they talk about the mood and the observations pregame. He talks about what he saw from the players preparing for the game. Finally, they discuss the tribute to Franco Harris that Penn State players and coaches made by wearing his jersey while arriving at the stadium. Snyder and T-Frank discuss not only the sentiment of that moment but how it’s an important bridge between two factions of the Penn State fan base.

But the game itself takes center stage during the rest of the show. Snyder talks about how impressive quarterback Sean Clifford was and how he seemed to be in command of the offense. T-Frank grills him on key plays, and they discuss what each saw from their vantage points. Finally, they talk through what Snyder saw and heard while standing on the Utah sidelines and observing the game. He has some fascinating insights about which moments the game turned on and how Cam Rising’s injury affected the Utah bench. Meanwhile, T-Frank discusses how his absence on the field unlocked a key element of the game for Penn State.

Lastly, they talk about the next step for Penn State, the momentum winning the Rose Bowl gives the program, and what steps the team needs to take to reach their new lofty levels of expectation for 2023. Finally, they dive into the legacy that is winning a game like this means for head coach James Franklin

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