Defensive lineman Austin Johnson was the first of the draft-eligible Penn State Nittany Lions to be selected in the 2016 NFL Draft. Johnson, taken with the 43rd pick, will be suiting up for the Tennessee Titans with former Nittany Lion DaQuan Jones. Eight picks later, the New York Jets took former Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg to add to their depth at the quarterback position. Austin Johnson A Galloway, NJ native, Johnson started all 13 games for Penn State this fall and ... Read More
Where will Christian Hackenberg be drafted after an up-and-down PSU career?
When Christian Hackenberg arrived in State College, PA, in 2013, the quarterback was already a polarizing figure — a highly touted high school prospect who was seemingly the perfect fit for then-head-coach Bill O’Brien’s pro-style offense. Now, as Hackenberg prepares for this week’s NFL draft, the former Penn State signal caller is just as polarizing, albeit for completely different reasons. The Highs Flash back to 2013. O’Brien, the former offensive coordinator for the New England ... Read More
Football is back in Happy Valley with the annual Blue-White game Saturday
Football returns to Happy Valley and Beaver Stadium as Penn State hits the field for its annual Blue-White game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions squad that will tear up the turf Saturday will be much different than the squad that took the field on senior day in the fall for Penn State. Gone is record-setting quarterback and NFL prospect Christian Hackenberg, as well as defensive tackle Austin Johnson, who both left school early to enter the NFL Draft. Gone, too, are seniors ... Read More
Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg declares for NFL Draft
Junior Christian Hackenberg has elected to forego his senior season at Penn State and enter the NFL Draft. "Penn State is a really special place. It means more to me than I ever thought it would," Hackenberg stated following the TaxSlayer Bowl. The three-year starter for the Nittany Lions exited the 24-17 loss to Georgia midway through the second quarter with an apparent shoulder injury. Hackenberg finished the game with 139 yards on eight completions with a huge chunk coming on a 51 yard ... Read More
Penn State shuts out Illinois 39-0, Hackenberg with three TDs
The Penn State Nittany Lions (7-2, 4-1) capitalized on a weak Illinois (4-4, 1-3) offense in a 39-0 win on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium. Big Plays: The Penn State defense reigned supreme in the shutout. Geno Lewis scored his receiving first touchdown at Beaver Stadium in his career. Lewis previously tallied receiving touchdowns at an NFL stadium, Yankee Stadium and Ireland before notching a TD in Happy Valley. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg was responsible for three touchdowns (two ... Read More
Lions’ offense takes off against Hoosiers, final score 29-7
A strong offensive outing from Christian Hackenberg lifted the Penn State Nittany Lions (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten) over the Indiana Hoosiers (4-2, 0-1 Big Ten) on Saturday. The final score was 29-7 on a beautiful afternoon in Happy Valley. Major Plays: Both teams picked up a touchdown in the first quarter, but Hackenberg was responsible for all four of the Nittany Lions’ touchdowns during the game. The Penn State defensive line lived up to its high expectations and held off the Indiana offense, ... Read More
Temple snaps 74-year losing streak against Penn State, 27-10
Temple (1-0) capitalized on foolish mistakes to snap Penn State’s (0-1) 40-game win streak today at Lincoln Financial Field by a final score of 27-10. This is the first time the Owls have beaten Penn State since 1941. Penn State dominated the first period of play; in the first offensive drive, true freshman Joey Julius put Penn State on the board with a 34-yard field goal following a 33-yard rush from freshman wide receiver Brandon Polk. The Nittany Lions took a 10-point lead after junior ... Read More
Penn State takes on Temple in season opener
After waiting almost nine months, Nittany Lion fans are just a few hours away from seeing their boys take the field against Temple in the season opener. Penn State will start its 129th season at Lincoln Financial Field at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday; ESPN will broadcast the game. In the 44 matchups the teams have had, Penn State has come out on top in 31 of them, including last year’s 30-13 rout of the Owls in November at Beaver Stadium. What to Look For The Lions will be returning seven ... Read More
Mangiro, Carter top preseason watch lists for Nittany Lions
Several members of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team have been named to preseason watch lists in the past few weeks. Senior center Angelo Mangiro, who started each game and controlled a young, inexperienced offense at Penn State last year, was added to the Rimington Trophy Watch List on Wednesday. Over the course of the 2014 season, Mangiro played at least three different positions, offering a versatility that James Franklin desperately needed. The Rimington Trophy, given to the ... Read More
Christian Hackenberg: junior joke or answer to prayers?
The question on every Penn State fan’s mind is this: Will Christian Hackenberg live up to the hype of his freshman year, or will his sophomore slump turn into a junior joke? Arguments from professionals and fans alike swing both ways; they range from calling Hackenberg, the junior quarterback from Palmyra, Virginia, washed up and overrated to calling him the best college quarterback; from saying that he’s all talk and no delivery to declaring that he will go number one in the 2016 NFL ... Read More