LaVar Arrington Jr., Son of NFL Pro Bowl LB, Commits to Penn State over UCLA, More
Jul 4, 2024
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 30: A general view of the Penn State Nittany Lions logo during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Mississippi Rebels on December 30, 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The LaVar Leap 2.0 is coming to Happy Valley.
LaVar Arrington II, the son of former Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington, committed to the Nittany Lions on Thursday.
Penn State has added a July 4th commitment from California linebacker LaVar Arrington II. The newest Nittany Lion is the son of Penn State legend and College Football Hall of Famer LaVar Arrington.
— Blue White Illustrated (@PennStateOn3) July 4, 2024
Arrington, a 3-star athlete out of Charter Oak High School in California, chose Penn State over UCLA and Tennessee.
Arrington, a 3-star athlete out of Charter Oak High School in California, chose Penn State over UCLA and Tennessee. He said his father has been an indispensable resource during the recruitment process.
"Having him helps me with making a decision," Arrington II told Matt Ray of On3. "He not only went through what I went through but he is smart and has a football mind too, so it is not like he is pressuring me to go to Penn State or anything like that. This is strictly my decision."
LaVar Arrington Sr. played for Penn State from 1997 to 1999, becoming one of the best linebackers in Nittany Lions history. He was a two-time All-American and won the 1999 Chuck Bednarik Award as the best player in college football. Known for his jaw-dropping athleticism, Arrington famously jumped over the Illinois offensive line in a 1998 game to make a tackle.
The Washington Commanders drafted Arrington with the No. 2 pick in the 2000 NFL draft, and he made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams before injuries cut his career short.
Suffice it to say Arrington II has massive shoes to fill once he arrives in Happy Valley in 2025.
Baby Gronk Commits to James Franklin, Penn State After Flips from Ole Miss, Clemson
Jun 11, 2024
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 24: A view of the Penn State Nittany Lions logo on the sidelines before the game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Beaver Stadium on September 24, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Baby Gronk is wearing Nittany Navy in his most recent unofficial commitment.
The 11-year-old social media star made Penn State the subject of his latest pledge Tuesday on X.
He had previously announced commitments to Clemson and Ole Miss in the two days prior to his latest post.
Baby Gronk is the social media name for 11-year-old Madden San Miguel, a future member of the class of 2031. The Athletic's Ari Wasserman reported last year that his accounts are run by his father, Jake San Miguel.
The X account has been changing Baby Gronk's "commitment" at least once per day since the start of June, at times announcing multiple flips per day.
Other schools he has flipped to this month include Texas A&M, Louisville, Kentucky, Minnesota, Pitt, South Carolina, Texas, USC, Auburn, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
These commitments are nothing new for Baby Gronk, who had "committed" to Oregon as an eight-year-old in 2021.
San Miguel has yet to receive any actual college offers, per On3, although his father told Wasserman that he had received a "verbal offer" from Arizona.
Former PSU Doctor Awarded $5.25M in Lawsuit Alleging James Franklin Interference
May 30, 2024
STATE COLLEGE, PA - APRIL 13: Head coach James Franklin looks on during the Penn State Spring Football Game at Beaver Stadium on April 13, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
A former physician for the Penn State football team was awarded $5.25 million in court Wednesday as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit.
According to ESPN's Paula Lavigne, Dr. Scott Lynch filed the suit in 2019, roughly six months after he was fired from his positions as director of athletic medicine at Penn State and orthopedic physician for the Nittany Lions football team.
Scott alleged the decision to fire him was made due in large part to his pushing back against Penn State head football coach James Franklin's interfering in medical decisions involving players.
Franklin and Penn State University were dismissed as defendants in 2020, but the case moved forward with Penn State Health's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and supervisor Dr. Kevin Black as the defendants.
Multiple alleged instances of Franklin getting involved with medical decisions were mentioned in Lynch's lawsuit.
Dr. Peter Seidenberg, who worked with Lynch at Penn State, discussed an alleged instance of Franklin pushing for a player to play despite not being cleared from a high ankle sprain. Seidenberg said the doctors "were being pressured to release the athlete."
Also, former Penn State athletic trainer Tim Bream alleged that Franklin pushed back against doctors' recommendations that a player undergo shoulder surgery in 2017, saying: "He had a strong opinion of what he wanted to have done, and he tried to insert that into making us see his way, which was not in the best interest of the athlete."
Rob Windsor, who played defensive tackle at Penn State from 2015 to 2019 and was a sixth-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2020, testified that he felt pressured to return to play after suffering a knee injury.
Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley, who played at Penn State from 2015 to 2017, testified in support of Franklin, saying he never felt pressured or influenced by the coach regarding injury treatment.
When Lynch was fired, he said he was told by supervisors that the decision was made because the university wanted someone in his position who worked closer to campus in State College, Pennsylvania. Lynch commuted from Hershey, Pennsylvania, when he worked at Penn State.
Lynch challenged that notion, insisting that his firing was instead a result of reporting Franklin's alleged involvement in medical decisions to Black.
Franklin, 52, has been the head coach at Penn State since taking the job in 2014 following a three-year stint as Vanderbilt's head coach.
The Nittany Lions have gone 88-39 with nine bowl appearances during Franklin's tenure, including a 10-3 record last season.
Former PSU Doctor: James Franklin Repeatedly Interfered with CFB Medical Decisions
May 22, 2024
STATE COLLEGE, PA - APRIL 13: Head coach James Franklin looks on during the Penn State Spring Football Game at Beaver Stadium on April 13, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Penn State head coach James Franklin is known for his fiery personality, but he may have overstepped his bounds.
Per John Luciew of PennLive, a former team doctor with Penn State's football team testified on Tuesday that there were "several occasions" when Franklin interfered with the medical decisions of team doctors and trainers.
Dr. Pete Seidenberg, who served as a primary care team physician during the early part of Franklin's tenure as head coach of the Nittany Lions that began in 2014, was speaking during the ongoing trial in a lawsuit filed by Dr. Scott Lynch, who served as Penn State's director of athletic medicine and orthopedic consultant to the football team before he was fired from both roles in March 2019.
Seidenberg detailed an instance when Franklin and then-Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour wanted a player who attempted suicide to be medically disqualified from the team while he was receiving treatment in short-term psychiatric care.
The medical disqualification would've caused the player to lose his scholarship so Franklin could offer that spot to another player during the offseason. Seidenberg and Lynch declined to comply with Franklin and Barbour's request.
Seidenberg went on to detail "numerous meetings in which he said Franklin pressured him, Lynch, and the chief athletic trainer to alter their medical decisions and the treatment advice and options given to players," per Luciew. After explaining these instances, he repeatedly said of Franklin's actions, "I perceived that as his attempt to influence medical decisions."
Lynch alleged in the lawsuit that he was fired because he refused to "allow a coach to interfere with his medical treatment and return-to-play decisions." Lynch said he reported Franklin's actions to Penn State Athletics and Penn State Health, including his immediate supervisor David Black, whom Lynch is also being suing. Lynch is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
Penn State Trustees Approve $700M Beaver Stadium Renovation, Release Renderings
May 21, 2024
STATE COLLEGE, PA - APRIL 13: Quinton Martin Jr. #25 celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the Penn State Spring Football Game at Beaver Stadium on April 13, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
The Penn State Board of Trustees approved a $700 million renovation to Beaver Stadium that will make the university eligible to host a College Football Playoff game.
"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to share there is overwhelming support for the University's recommendation to renovate Beaver Stadium," Board of Trustees Chair Matt Schuyler said. "I'm pleased that the renovation will benefit our student-athletes, elevate Beaver Stadium's significance in driving local and state economies, and ensure Beaver Stadium remains a premier facility in all of college athletics."
Penn State's Board of Trustees has approved a $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium, the second-largest stadium by capacity in the U.S.
— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) May 21, 2024
Construction has already been underway on $70 million worth of renovations originally approved in January 2024. The larger project will take place over the next three football offseasons and will offer improved seating options, concessions and a new community welcome center.
Beaver Stadium opened in 1960 and has since undergone eight expansions. While older college football stadiums are the norm across a sport where tradition reigns supreme, Penn State has watched on as many other high-profile programs poured hundreds of millions of dollars into modernizing their facilities.
This will be by far the highest-cost renovation project in Penn State football history, one the university hopes will bring Penn State on par with the top schools in the country.
"Many recognize Beaver Stadium as the best stadium in college football, and we want to preserve the atmosphere that our fans, alumni and community have come to expect while building on this history of excellence for generations to come," Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi. "The renovations will have a wide variety of positive impacts on our community, help us remain a national leader by attracting top student-athletes, and continue serving as a symbol for belonging and pride for students across the Commonwealth."
Penn State has finished in the Top 10 four times in James Franklin's decade with the Nittany Lions but has never reached the College Football Playoff. The expansion to 12 teams should give Penn State a realistic shot at making it next season, and university officials were determined to get Beaver Stadium ready for a potential host game.
Daequan Hardy NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Penn State CB
Apr 17, 2024
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Daequan Hardy #25 of the Penn State Nittany Lions defends against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium on November 04, 2023 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 5'9"
WEIGHT: 179
HAND: 8⅛"
ARM: 30"
WINGSPAN: 70⅞"
40-YARD DASH: 4.38
3-CONE: 7.06
SHUTTLE: 4.20
VERTICAL: 42.5"
BROAD: 10'6"
POSITIVES
— Has very good positional flexibility. Has played mostly from the nickel cornerback spot but has the ability to play outside, too.
— Shows good feel and vision when dropping in zone coverage. Very good route recognition and attacks the ball in the air.
— Explosive player with excellent speed to run with all receivers he's matched up against.
NEGATIVES
— Lacks ideal size for his position. Scrappy player, but lack of length can show up when he's taking on bigger receivers.
— Poor eyes can lead to trouble when in coverage. Gambling tendency can cause him to guess in zone.
— 2023 second-team All-Big Ten return specialist (Coaches and Media)
— 2023 second-team All-America punt returner (CBS Sports)
— Shrine Bowl invite
OVERALL
Daequan Hardy is an undersized cornerback who has shown positional versatility, but he primarily plays from the nickel spot. He's a feisty defender who does a great job of playing to his strengths. Though he may not have the ideal metrics and skill set for an NFL cornerback, he's a competitor who makes it hard for receivers.
When playing in coverage, Hardy has excellent speed and twitch to run with receivers. While he is an explosive defender, he allows separation out of breaks with underneath routes at times. When in zone, he does a great job of playing the quarterback and the ball, showing off his ball skills to identify and play the ball in the air.
When playing the run, Hardy is a physical defender who isn't afraid to come up and support the run. He is a solid tackler who does a great job of shooting the legs and getting ball-carriers down on the ground. At times, his lack of size shows up when he's taking on bigger receivers or when he is asked to set the edge against linemen.
Ultimately, Hardy may not have shown enough to be a high draft pick, but teams should pay attention to him in the later rounds. On top of being an explosive defender, he has the added benefit of being a punt returner. Hardy will have to show his value in the NFL as a special teams player first, while adding depth to a team's cornerback room.
Theo Johnson NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Penn State TE
Mar 13, 2024
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 30: Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Theo Johnson (84) leaps a defender during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Mississippi Rebels on December 30, 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'6"
WEIGHT: 259
HAND: 10¼"
ARM: 33"
WINGSPAN: 80¾"
40-YARD DASH: 4.57
3-CONE: N/A
SHUTTLE: 4.19
VERTICAL: 39.5"
BROAD: 10'5"
POSITIVES
— Well-built frame with the positional flexibility to play in-line, in the backfield and split out as a receiver.
— Very good with his hands as a route-runner. Strong, active hand usage to keep his frame clean and knock defenders off-balance.
— Good lateral explosion. Can cross a defender's face and accelerate past them.
— Good speed, especially for his size. Consistently gains a step and doesn't let defenders catch back up.
— Very good blocking ability. Thick, strong frame for in-line blocks, as well as the movement and tracking ability to pick players off in space.
NEGATIVES
— Sluggish out of his stance. Much less explosive than testing suggests in that regard.
— Below-average ability to throttle down and snap routes off. Looks uncomfortable running curls and sharp in-breaking routes.
— Quick eyes and hands to find the ball outside his frame, but ability to finish comes and goes.
2023 STATISTICS
— 13 G, 34 REC, 341 YDS (10.0 AVG), 7 TD
NOTES
— Born Feb. 26, 2001
— Born and raised in Canada throughout high school, did not come to the U.S. until college
Theo Johnson is an uber-athletic Y tight end prospect who will need time and development to unlock his receiving potential in the NFL.
Johnson's size and positional flexibility alone make him an intriguing prospect. He has the size and strength of a true in-line tight end along with the movement skills of someone who can be flexed all around the formation. Penn State regularly played Johnson on the ball, off the ball, in the backfield as an H-back, in the slot and out wide.
As a pass-catcher, Johnson is a mixed bag right now.
Johnson's best trait is that he understands how to use his strength and frame to separate. His violent hands and powerful strides give him the upper hand physically in most matchups. Additionally, Johnson shows the quickness to cut across a defender's face, as well as the long speed to outrun defenders on routes across the field or down the seam.
At the same time, Johnson is an incomplete route-runner. He struggles right now to throttle down and snap off routes efficiently. That issue primarily shows up on curls and in-breaking routes. For now, Johnson is better the more fluid the route is.
Johnson's catching ability also needs work. He is decent at tracking and reaching for the ball, but he doesn't secure the ball consistently right now.
The real kicker with Johnson is his blocking ability. Though he sometimes loses by being late out of his stance, he is largely an excellent blocker. Johnson has the size and strength to bury defenders on downhill runs and track defenders in space and pick them off. Johnson is an active blocker no matter the assignment.
Johnson's blocking ability and high-end athleticism will make him a viable TE2 in the NFL right away. With that said, he will need to clean up his route-running and become stronger at the catch point to make the leap to starting NFL tight end. Johnson would fit best in a downhill run game that can use his athletic ability on play action.
GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)
Penn State's Olu Fashanu Suffers Thigh Injury at NFL Combine; B/R's No. 5 Prospect
Mar 3, 2024
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 03: Olu Fashanu #OL18 of Penn State participates in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 03, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu suffered a right thigh injury during the NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, per NFL Network's Stacey Dales.
According to Dales, Fashanu is in good spirits after the injury and believes he will be ready for his pro day on March 15. He will miss the remainder of the combine, however.
Fashanu, who spent four seasons with Penn State, had a 78.8 PFF grade in 2023 across 722 total snaps. The 6'6", 317-pound prospect is expected to be one of the first players of the board in this year's draft, as Bleacher Report's 2024 NFL Mock Draft has him landing with the Tennessee Titans, who have the No. 7 pick.
Before going down with the injury, Fashanu recorded a time of 5.11 in the 40-yard dash, 1.77 in the 10-yard split, a 32" vertical jump and a 9'1" broad jump. He did not participate in the 3-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle or bench press.
While his day was cut short on Sunday, Fashanu is looking to bounce back from the injury and have a big pro day to assert himself as a top pick in the draft.
Chop Robinson at 2024 NFL Combine: Measurements, Highlights and Reaction
Mar 1, 2024
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - NOVEMBER 11: Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Chop Robinson (44) lines up on defense during a college football game against the Michigan Wolverines on November 11, 2023 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Former Penn State edge-rusher Chop Robinson, a likely first-round 2024 NFL draft pick, took centerstage at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network provided the measurements:
Chop Robinson 6027 254 9 1/8 hand 32 1/2 arm 76 1/4 wing
Robinson is ranked 20th overall on the B/R NFL Scouting Department big board and fourth among edge-rushers. After today's results, Robinson only solidified his first-round status and perhaps improved his draft stock even more.
Fans and analysts alike were impressed with the results, specifically his incredible 40-yard dash time.
chop robinson's get off speed against michigan was a strong influence in them running the ball basically the entire second half. he should have a very quick get off speed relative to the league next season https://t.co/toRLqyg0Hw
Overall, it was a great day for Robinson, who is one of two solid Round 1 prospects from Penn State right now alongside offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
