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Sean Clifford threw for 163 yards and scored one of Penn State's three rushing touchdowns, and the Nittany Lions finally broke their winless skid to start the season, beating Michigan 27-17 on Saturday. Keyvone Lee and Will Levis also ran for TDs, and Penn State (1-5, 1-5 Big Ten) never trailed in this matchup of proud programs that have struggled mightily in this pandemic-shortened season. Hassan Haskins ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns for Michigan, but the Wolverines (2-4, 2-4) never found much of a consistent rhythm offensively. It was the 899th victory for the Penn State program, and the Nittany Lions had to wait a while for this one. This was the first time they'd started a season 0-5, but three impressive touchdown drives were enough to hold off Michigan. Penn State led 20-17 in the fourth quarter before a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard scoring run by Levis.

Cade McNamara, who came off the bench to guide Michigan to an overtime win at Rutgers last weekend, was off target for much of this game. He went 12 of 25 for 91 yards. Penn State marched 75 yards in 10 plays on the game's first drive, taking a 7-0 lead on a 6-yard run by Lee. That was about as smooth as it got for either offense, however. Haskins broke free for a 59-yard run later in the first quarter, and he eventually scored from 2 yards out to tie the game. Clifford was shaken up briefly in the first half, but after returning to the game he broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run to put the Nittany Lions back on top. A muffed punt gave Penn State a field goal just before halftime. Michigan closed within three when Haskins scored on a 2-yard run with 13:12 remaining, but the Wolverines couldn't keep Penn State out of the end zone on the ensuing drive. - Penn State/AP College Football

(DS#20 QB) rSr/2023

QB Sean Clifford, Penn State
News Source: Penn State/AP College Football
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11/26/20 - Eric Wilson, rSr/2022, Penn State, 6-4, 306 (DS#50 OG) + More +

Auburn dipped back into the grad transfer market to help bolster its offensive line for next season. Eric Wilson, a graduate transfer out of Harvard, announced his commitment to Auburn on Tuesday. Wilson, who graduates from Harvard in May, will enroll at Auburn in the summer and have one year of eligibility remaining. Wilson is just the latest in a line of graduate transfer offensive linemen to come to Auburn in recent years, joining the likes of Brandon Council, Jack Driscoll, Casey Dunn and Wilson Bell.

Driscoll and Dunn proved to be big-time pickups for Auburn along the offensive line, while Council jumped in as a starter this year before a knee injury cut his season short. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Wilson played in 22 games between 2017-19, earning All-Ivy League second-team honors last season. He was named a preseason FCS All-American by Phil Steele this year before the Ivy League canceled its season due to the ongoing pandemic. Wilson, a former three-star prospect, is the 14th player to commit to Auburn for 2021, and his commitment comes just days after the Tigers saw three-star lineman Caleb Johnson flip his commitment to Notre Dame. - Birmingham News

(DS#50 OG) rSr/2022

OG Eric Wilson, Penn State
News Source: Birmingham News
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11/24/20 - Jahan Dotson, Sr/2022, Penn State, 5-11, 181 (DS#6 WR) + More +

Even with an otherwise dismal performance by the Penn State offense, junior receiver Jahan Dotson had another monster game. Dotson finished the contest against the Hawkeyes with eight catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. It marked his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. Dotson is now up to 527 receiving yards and six touchdowns through the Nittany Lions' first five games. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Nazareth native caught a touchdown late in the third quarter versus Iowa. With 18 seconds left in the third quarter, Clifford - the benched former starting quarterback - checked back in the contest for Levis.

Clifford pump-faked before launching a bomb downfield to hit a streaking Dotson between two Hawkeyes defensive backs for a 68-yard touchdown. Dotson bounced back from his 27-yard, two-reception game in last weekend's loss to Nebraska. Before that contest, the redshirt junior had posted games of 100-plus receiving yards against Ohio State (144 receiving yards on eight catches) and Maryland (123 receiving yards on nine catches). With yet another huge game, Dotson is doing his part in trying to turn around the 0-5 Nittany Lions' season. "We just gotta have our heads up and just move on," Dotson said. "Just win the week. Win the day. And win the moment. Whatever moment you're in, win that moment. We gotta start doing things with a winner's mentality." - Centre Times

(DS#6 WR) Sr/2022

WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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11/11/20 - Journey Brown, rSr/2022, Penn State, 5-11, 215 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Penn State running back Journey Brown says he has a heart condition that is forcing him to give up football. Brown posted Wednesday night on Twitter that he has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease that causes heart muscle to become abnormally thick and can make it more difficult to pump blood. Penn State coach James Franklin told reporters Brown's condition was not COVID-19 related, but it was discovered in September during "a routine COVID test." "It's heartbreaking," Franklin told reporters. Neither Penn State nor Brown have indicated whether he tested positive for COVID-19, but the Big Ten requires cardiac screening and testing of those athletes who do before they can return to competition. Brown was Penn State's leading rusher in 2019 and was expected to be one of the best backs in the country in 2020. He ended last season with a career game, running for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in a victory over Memphis in the Cotton Bowl. - AP College Football

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2022

RB Journey Brown, Penn State
News Source: AP College Football
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11/05/20 - Jahan Dotson, Sr/2022, Penn State, 5-11, 181 (DS#6 WR) + More +

Leading up to the matchup versus Ohio State, there were questions about whether Dotson could be a solid No. 1 option at receiver for Clifford. If there were any doubts, the 5-foot-11, 182-pound Nazareth native put them to bed after his performance Saturday night. Dotson finished with eight catches for 144 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He was one of the sole reasons the Nittany Lions had a chance late in the contest. - Centre Times

(DS#6 WR) Sr/2022

WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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11/05/20 - Joseph Johnson III, So/2024, Penn State, 6-2, 174 (DS#999 CB) + More +

A Penn State football player was accused Monday of having a bag of marijuana and a bong in his on-campus apartment. The filing is the second set of pot charges filed against freshman cornerback Joseph Johnson III, 19, since September. The university's athletics department is aware of the charges, a spokesperson wrote in a statement. "These alleged actions do not reflect the values and standards of our program and will be addressed," the department said. "We will not comment any further as this is an ongoing legal matter." University police officers responded Oct. 18 to Johnson's apartment after a fire alarm was activated, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed Monday. - Centre Times

(DS#999 CB) So/2024

CB Joseph Johnson III, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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11/05/20 - Jaquan Brisker, rSr/2022, Penn State, 6-1, 206 (DS#2 SS) + More +

Brisker built his resume last year in his first season at Happy Valley. He played in all 13 games and made 32 tackles (15 solo) and added a pair of interceptions (Iowa, Michigan State) which tied for the team lead. Brisker's interception in the fourth quarter against Iowa helped Penn State top the Hawkeyes, 17-12, and improve to 6-0. The Nittany Lions secured bowl eligibility for the 50th time in program history and went on to post an 11-2 overall record and a 53-39 victory over Memphis in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. For his efforts during the 2019 season, Brisker was selected to the Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten Third Team. "Last year, I would say, it helped me get my feet wet," Brisker said. "Stepping on the field, knowing what it's like to be out there, it helped me know what is going to happen this year. I feel like this year, studying more film, taking better angles to the ball and things like that will help me be a better player." - Tribune Review

(DS#2 SS) rSr/2022

SS Jaquan Brisker, Penn State
News Source: Tribune Review
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10/28/20 - *Pat Freiermuth, Jr/2021, Penn State, 6-5, 251 (DS#2 TE) + More +

Almost forgotten Saturday in the disappointment of defeat for Penn State in its season-opening overtime loss to Indiana was a career-defining accolade for redshirt junior tight end Pat Freiermuth. On the Nittany Lions' first drive of the contest, Freiermuth hauled in a 2-yard touchdown from redshirt junior quarterback Sean Clifford. The score put Penn State on the board first, but more significantly, it was Freiermuth's 16th career touchdown catch. It allowed him to break former star tight end Mike Gesicki's record for the most career touchdowns by a tight end in program history. Freiermuth didn't speak about the record hours after the loss on Saturday, but he's since had time to reflect on his accomplishment. Now, the 2019 All-Big Ten selection is out to help the Nittany Lions get back on track as they get set to take on Ohio State on Saturday.

"I'm thankful and appreciative for the whole program and the whole staff who helped me get to this point of being able to break that record," Freiermuth said Tuesday. "It's a great honor to be a record-holder at Penn State in such a great, established program. I'm always going to be blessed to be a part of this program." But head coach James Franklin said he believes Freiermuth would've traded breaking the record for a "different result" on Saturday. "For us, with team success comes individual recognition," Franklin said. "I think that's how our players approach it, and I think that's how the staff approaches it. For us, it's everything we possibly can do to get a win." Freiermuth didn't spend much time basking in the glory of his milestone, either. While he mentioned the record "means the world" to him, he said he still has work to do and wants to put his "head down and grind." - Centre Times

(DS#2 TE) Jr/2021

TE *Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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10/23/20 - Journey Brown, rSr/2022, Penn State, 5-11, 215 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Less than a month ago, Penn State standout running back Journey Brown was all smiles on a Zoom conference call with reporters during the Nittany Lions' virtual media days. The redshirt junior spoke about his new role as a leader for the team's running backs room and his goals to make even greater strides this season after finishing with 890 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last year. But since then, a lot has changed. Penn State confirmed Monday night that Brown could potentially miss the 2020 season due to an undisclosed medical condition discovered this offseason. Still, Brown's presence - even if it won't be felt on the field - will be an important part of the Penn State locker room this fall. "His leadership on our team is significant," head coach James Franklin said Tuesday. "His leadership on our team is needed. His energy, he's been phenomenal...We're not losing Journey the man. Journey the man is going to be with us and will always be. We're fortunate because that's the thing that's most important to me - who he is and what he represents for our program." In his three years at Penn State, Brown has been known to have a goofy personality and make his teammates laugh with jokes and pranks. Junior linebacker Jesse Luketa mentioned that none of that has changed. "If you know Journey, you know he's just such a vibrant person," Luketa said. "His energy is infectious. He hasn't lost that at all." - Centre Times

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2022

RB Journey Brown, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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10/23/20 - *Brandon Smith, Jr/2022, Penn State, 6-4, 244 (DS#6 OLB) + More +

With Parsons opting out of the season to focus on training for the 2021 NFL Draft, Smith's path to the starting role at Parsons' old strongside linebacker position cleared. The Nittany Lions won't be able to rely on Parsons' freakish athleticism anymore, but it doesn't mean they won't have a blue-chipper to replace him. That, coach James Franklin maintains, is why he's not worried about the state of a linebacking corps that lost all three starters. "We think we're in a good place," Franklin said. "You never want to lose players, but we feel like that's a position of strength."

Penn State will likely surround Smith with veteran Jesse Luketa on the weak side and productive Ellis Brooks in the middle. But the Nittany Lions also have two other five-star recruits, redshirt freshman Lance Dixon and incoming prospect Curtis Jacobs, ready to go. Not to mention, highly regarded youngsters Zuriah Fisher, Charlie Katshir and Tyler Elsdon. But with a 6-foot-3, 244-pounder in Smith, Penn State hopes it can at least minimize the effect of losing Parsons. "The sky's the limit with him," Brooks said. "It's just a matter of focusing on the details. Once he accomplishes that, his game is just going to keep going to another level." - Tribune Review

(DS#6 OLB) Jr/2022

OLB *Brandon Smith, Penn State
News Source: Tribune Review
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10/19/20 - Journey Brown, rSr/2022, Penn State, 5-11, 215 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Penn State says running back Journey Brown could miss the season due to a "medical condition." 247 Sports first reported Monday that the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions might be without their leading rusher from 2019. "Journey Brown is being treated for a medical condition discovered during the offseason and will potentially miss the 2020 football season," the school said in a statement. Penn State opens its season Saturday at Indiana. The Nittany Lions already took a significant loss this offseason when All-America linebacker Micah Parsons opted out in August. Brown, a fourth-year junior, had a breakout season last year and emerged from a crowded backfield to become Penn State's top ballcarrier. He ran for 890 yards, 12 touchdowns and 6.8 yards per carry.

In Penn State's Cotton Bowl victory against Memphis, Brown ran 202 yards, a school record for a bowl game. Earlier this month, Brown told reporters he gave some passing consideration to skipping this pandemic-delayed season and concentrating on pursuing a pro career. "You can't come back - you've got four years or five years and you're done. So I'm gonna ride this one out," he said. Sophomores Noah Cain (443 yards and eight touchdowns) and Devyn Ford (294 and three touchdowns) are likely to have bigger roles if Brown does not play. - AP College Football

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2022

RB Journey Brown, Penn State
News Source: AP College Football
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10/19/20 - Arnold Ebiketie, rSr/2022, Penn State, 6-3, 247 (DS#8 DE) + More +

OCT 19 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Arnold Ebiketie, Temple, Jr., DE, Silver Spring, Md.,...Ebiketie keyed Temple's 39-37 win against USF, giving the Owls their first win of the 2020 season. Ebiketie finished with six tackles, including a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss, and delivered the biggest defensive play of the game when he returned a fourth-quarter fumble 11 yards for a touchdown, giving Temple a lead it would not relinquish. - American Athletic Conference Football

(DS#8 DE) rSr/2022

DE Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State
News Source: American Athletic Conference Football
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10/10/20 - Journey Brown, rSr/2022, Penn State, 5-11, 215 (DS#999 RB) + More +

Journey Brown is in unfamiliar territory. When the redshirt junior running back first arrived at Penn State in 2017, Saquon Barkley was putting the finishing touches on one of the most exciting careers ever by a Nittany Lion running back. Then, in 2018, it was Miles Sanders who led the Penn State running backs room with an All-Big Ten season. Even last year, Brown wasn't the featured back right away in a crowded rotation. Now, Brown is the oldest member of a position group that is made up of himself, two sophomores and two freshmen. And after bursting onto the scene at the end of 2019 by rushing for 593 yards total in the Nittany Lions' final five games, he knows his younger teammates will look to follow his lead this fall.

"I'm an old head and these young guys kind of look up to me," Brown said last week on a Zoom call with reporters during Penn State's virtual media days. "I got them calling me, texting me, asking me questions and stuff. And for me to be able to answer those questions, I got to know it myself and prepare for it myself." Brown - a former three-star recruit - went from a 44-yard season in 2018 to rushing for 890 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He capped off the year with a 202-yard performance in the Cotton Bowl against Memphis, breaking the Penn State record for most rushing yards in a bowl game. - Centre Times

(DS#999 RB) rSr/2022

RB Journey Brown, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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10/05/20 - Jesse Luketa, Sr/2022, Penn State, 6-3, 257 (DS#14 DE) + More +

It doesn't matter whether Penn State linebacker Jesse Luketa is in the weight room, the film room or on the field. The same seven words are always running through his mind. How are you going to be remembered? "It's been ingrained into my head," the projected first-year starter said Thursday during an online news conference with reporters. "It doesn't matter if it's our individual periods or competition periods or team periods, it's the same mindset. It keeps me hungry, so I keep that little chip on my shoulder." For now, Luketa realizes he's best remembered as the replacement to Micah Parsons, the Nittany Lions' former weakside linebacker who's a potential top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Luketa doesn't much mind the comparisons - "I'm comfortable with it," he added - because that's not what drives him. Sure, Parsons was a potential Heisman candidate. And, yes, defensive coordinator Brent Pry said last year Parsons was among the nation's best. But Luketa isn't trying to be Micah Parsons; with a smile and a buttoned-up Penn State polo, he said he's simply trying to be "among the greats." He's trying to be remembered long after his playing days. "The only thing I'm concerned about moving forward is how people are going to remember Jesse Luketa," he said. "That's what wakes me up day in and day out." - Centre Times

(DS#14 DE) Sr/2022

DE Jesse Luketa, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
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10/05/20 - *Joey Porter Jr., Jr/2023, Penn State, 6-3, 198 (DS#3 CB) + More +

After appearing in only four games last season, Porter Jr. appears to be in the mix to be one of Penn State's top reserves at cornerback. Tariq Castro-Fields and Keaton Ellis are projected as the starters, and Porter is competing with Marquis Wilson for playing time. The son of Joey Porter, the former Steelers linebacker and coach, Porter Jr. credited a variety of individuals in helping him progress into his second season. "A lot of people helped me," Porter Jr. said. "My father helped me to understand the playbook. The corner room helped me a lot. Castro-Fields, the leader of the corner room, he showed me the ins and outs. (Assistant head coach Terry Smith), (graduate assistant V'Angelo Bentley), they all played a big part helping me understand and know the defense so when I'm out there, I know what I'm doing."

Of course, Porter Jr. has a considerable resource in his father, a Pro Bowler with the Steelers in the 2000s who helped them win Super Bowl XL. "I still watch film with him when I have the time," Porter Jr. said. "I sent him some of my stuff that I like or that I want him to watch. It's been great. He always gives me things that I have to work on on or off the field. It's a plus that some player or some people don't get to have. And I take advantage of that to the extent that I can." - Tribune Review

(DS#3 CB) Jr/2023

CB *Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
News Source: Tribune Review
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