Penn State Football

The field at Beaver Stadium could someday be named after controversial former coach Joe Paterno.

According to a report from Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA (via TribLive.com), "Penn State trustees and high-ranking university representatives met privately twice in January to discuss whether to name the football field at Beaver Stadium after" Paterno.

As Massey noted, those private meetings are potentially in violation of a state law requiring such governing bodies to hold deliberations in public view, continuing a "decadelong pattern of the board convening behind closed doors."

The meetings reportedly occurred on Jan. 16 (a "briefing" on the proposal) and again on Jan. 29 (an "executive session").

"The Administration and the Board of Trustees have embarked on numerous change initiatives based on President Bendapudi's vision and goals and are focused on these priorities to continue to provide a world-class academic and student experience for years to come," an unnamed Penn State spokesperson said via email when asked by Massey about the alleged meetings.

That spokesperson added that "counsel conducted this privileged informational briefing and no deliberation occurred" and said that "confidential and privileged matters" were discussed by the trustees. The spokesperson maintained the meetings fell under legal guidelines, though that is up for debate.

The trustees were already sued in December by Spotlight PA and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press for potential violations of the Sunshine Act, Pennsylvania's open public meetings law.

Paterno, who died in 2012, came under fire during the Jerry Sandusky sexual assault scandal for allegedly covering up Sandusky's pattern of abuse. Paterno was fired, his statue was removed from the school, the NCAA vacated his wins between 1998 and 2011 (they were later restored), and Penn State was fined $60 million and hit with a number of recruiting sanctions.

That set off a number of lawsuits and legal battles and has continued the debate over whether Paterno's legacy should be tarnished or if he was incorrectly accused of a cover-up. Naming the football field after him would reignite that debate.

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 241

HAND: 10¼"

ARM: 31½"

WINGSPAN: 77¾"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.58

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 35"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Good movement skills and use of hands in man coverage.

— Shows good eye discipline and peripheral vision in zone coverage to locate threats coming into his area.

— Solid at reading the quarterback's eyes and anticipating throws.

— Show flashes of using his change-of-direction skills and quickness paired with a decent rip move to make offensive linemen miss.

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NEGATIVES

— Slow to key and diagnose run plays, limiting his play speed versus outside runs.

— Too quick to trigger downhill against the run. Gets caught in the trash against zone runs.

— Lacks strength to get extension and hold his ground against offensive linemen and good blocking tight ends. Poor pad level when taking on blocks, too.

— Slow run-pass transitions versus play action.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 49 TOT, 9 TFL, 2.5 SK, 0 PD

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NOTES

— Born Feb. 18, 2002

— 4-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2022 (Leg, missed 1 game)

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OVERALL

Curtis Jacobs has the potential to be a solid coverage linebacker in the NFL. He's a good athlete and has shown the ability to cover tight ends in man coverage. He also has good awareness in zone coverage to make him scheme-flexible. Slow run-pass transitions against play action and a lack of ball production are his biggest issues in this area of the game.

However, run defense is a different story.

Jacobs has shown a few flashes of making offensive linemen miss when they climb to the second level to slip blocks and the ability to use his hands to use a blocker's momentum against them.

But more often than not, he gets stuck on blocks and driven backward—sometimes ending up on the ground—when taking on blocks. He needs to get stronger at the point of attack, but he's already listed at 235 pounds. That's a good size for a modern linebacker, so his strength might be tapped out already.

The Penn State product also has shaky instincts as a run defender. He has a habit of crashing downhill too quickly and getting caught in the trash when the running back bounces on zone runs. Additionally, he often fits to the wrong side of the blocker either taking himself out of his gap or taking the blocker on square, contributing to his issues at holding ground.

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GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 147

POSITION RANK: LB9

PRO COMPARISON: Ben Niemann

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 192

HAND: 8 1/2"

ARM: 29 5/8"

WINGSPAN: 72"

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40-YARD DASH:

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

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POSITIVES

— Patient at the line of scrimmage. Shows good lateral movement skills in press coverage. Uses his length and hands well to control and get in phase with receivers.

— Shows very good vision and leverage as a zone defender. Does a good job of playing the quarterback's eyes to get a jump on the ball.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks the consistency of clean transitions. Hops into breaks at times and takes wasted steps when sinking his hips to transition.

— Physical play style can get him in trouble. Handsy defender who likes to work receivers downfield, which can lead to penalties.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 26 TOT, 5.5 TFL, 4.5 SK, 1 FF, 1 INT, 3 PD

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 3, 2001

— 33 career starts

— 3-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— 2024 Senior Bowl Invite

— 2022 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (Media)

— Transferred from South Carolina to Penn State in 2021

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OVERALL

Johnny Dixon played in the SEC for two years at South Carolina before transferring to Penn State ahead of the 2021 season. He started eight games in 2020 for the Gamecocks and became a full-time starter for the Nittany Lions in 2022. A long-limbed athlete, Dixon has some scheme versatility, combined with the run defense needed to provide good depth.

As a pass defender, Dixon looks to do best when in press man coverage. He excels at the line of scrimmage, where he shows off his lateral quickness and the ability to use his length and arms to disrupt receivers working down the field. He quickly gets in phase, where he can get his head around to locate the ball.

When in off coverage, Dixon does a great job of allowing routes to develop and positioning himself with the proper leverage. He's a short strider who may need a few steps to get going, but he can run well downfield. He struggles to transition at times due to below-average ability to sink his hips and inconsistent breaks. He does a very good job of locating the ball in the air but can get stuck on the backs of receivers, leading to limited pass breakups.

Against the run, Dixon has shown the aggressiveness needed to come up and support his teammates. He has the agility to beat defenders in space and the physicality to take on blocks. When in phase and close to the ball-carrier, he fights the best he can to control and beat blocks with his strength.

Dixon is a solid tackler who does a good job of taking the ball-carrier's legs out. Although he doesn't always wrap up with secure tackles, he generally does a good job of getting them down on the ground.

Dixon has the skill set to provide versatility and depth in the NFL, but he lacks the overall ability to come in and be a starter right away. He will need to play on special teams while he continues to work on rounding himself out.

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GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 145

POSITION RANK: CB18

PRO COMPARISON: D.J. White

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 247

HAND: 9⅝"

ARM: 33⅞"

WINGSPAN: 81"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.74

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 10'3"

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POSITIVES

— Quick to get his hands up and take on blocks against the run.

— Has solid physicality and strength at the point of attack to help set the edge against weaker tackles or beat tight ends across their face.

— Decent rip move to defeat blocks as a run defender or win around the edge as a pass-rusher.

— Good agility/lateral movement skills to be effective when slanting or on line games.

— When unblocked against the run, stays close to the heel line and has enough speed to make tackles near the line of scrimmage from the backside.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks twitch and suddenness as a pass-rusher.

— Poor use of hands when rushing the passer. Accuracy with his hands is off, as he'll often miss with his initial chops and struggles to work the hands after contact.

— Has subpar bend, ankles and hips are a little stiff to turn a tight corner.

— Often late off the ball on run downs, leading to him getting reached or cut off.

— Likes to leave his gap and work around blocks, often leaving his assignment open if he can't close the gap with the man.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 37 TOT, 16.0 TFL, 7.5 SK, 1 FF, 1 FR

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NOTES

— Born Oct. 4, 2001

— 4-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2021 (torn Achilles, missed entire season)

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OVERALL

Adisa Isaac is a solid player right now, and he has the potential to grow in the NFL with his combination of size, strength and athleticism. It wouldn't be surprising if his stock rises after the scouting combine, as he appears to have long arms and good movement skills that teams will want to work with.

Currently, Isaac stands out the most against the run. He has surprising strength for his build to be solid at setting the edge. He also racked up a bunch of tackles for loss or near the line of scrimmage by staying disciplined and using his speed when unblocked on the back side of runs.

As a pass-rusher, the former Nittany Lion has a decent rip move and can use his agility to be an effective looper on line games. He's also shown flashes of winning with power by using a long arm, but his hand placement is off to win consistently. Generally speaking, his use of hands when rushing needs a lot of work.

Overall, Isaac is a project who can be developed into a solid starter as a standup outside linebacker on a team that uses a lot of odd fronts.

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GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 105

POSITION RANK: EDGE10

PRO COMPARISON: Julian Okwara

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Julian Fleming has found his new home, and it is still in the Big Ten.

The former Ohio State wide receiver, who entered the transfer portal this offseason, announced he is joining Penn State for the 2024 campaign:

Former Ohio State wide receiver is transferring to Penn State. Fleming is from Catawissa, Pennsylvania. ESPN’s No. 1 recruit in the 2020 class. pic.twitter.com/wvW2mBHAzx

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 3, 2024

Fleming was a 5-star recruit and the No. 3 overall player in the class of 2020, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and chose the Buckeyes over the Nittany Lions when he was a prospect. However, he is now returning to the flagship program in his home state of Pennsylvania.

While Fleming never lived up to the hype that surrounded him as a recruit, part of that is due to the circumstances of playing in loaded wide receiver units.

He was behind NFL players in Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams and Jaxon Smith-Njigba earlier in his career and found himself behind future NFL players in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka this past season.

The Buckeyes' wide receiver room has arguably been the best in the nation for years now under head coach Ryan Day, and there is only so much production to go around in a given season.

Fleming finished the 2023 campaign with 26 catches for 270 yards and zero touchdowns, which was a disappointing downturn after he posted 34 catches for 533 yards and six touchdowns in 2022. Part of that drop in production likely also came because NFL star C.J. Stroud was throwing to him in 2022 while Syracuse-bound Kyle McCord threw to him in 2023.

Moving to Penn State gives him an opportunity for a fresh start and a larger role.

The Nittany Lions are routinely among the best teams in the country, but poor wide receiver play limited their ceiling in 2023. They lost to all the best teams they played in Ohio State, Michigan and Ole Miss and will need better production from the position if they are going to make the expanded 12-team playoff field next season.

Fleming could help them do just that.

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 189

HAND: 8 5/8"

ARM: 30 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 74 3/4"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.61

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: 4.16

VERTICAL: 37"

BROAD: 10'2"

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POSITIVES

— Good play recognition. Quickly able to identify pass or run and quickly reacts to what he sees. Has the vision to see the entire field and does a good job of playing his leverage.

— Fluid in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Able to stay square and mirror releases with the proper leverage. Shows good lateral movement and quick reaction to releases.

— Very good athlete who does a good job of sinking his hips to get out of breaks and has very good speed to run with most receivers he faces.

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NEGATIVES

— Inconsistent tackler who often dives at legs and doesn't always wrap up.

— Lacks the desired strength for size and position. Can get overpowered at times and struggles to fight through bigger receivers to contest catches.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 29 TOT, 1.5 TFL, 2 PD

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 28, 2003

— 22 career starts

— 4 Star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— 2023: Second-team All-Big Ten, preseason first-team All-American (AP)

— 2022: Second-team All-America (Walter Camp)

— 2022: Third-team All Big-Ten (Coaches, Media)

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OVERALL

As a freshman at Penn State, Kalen King played in 13 games with one start. He was highly productive the following season with 21 pass breakups, which garnered him a lot of attention. However, he wasn't able to match that production in the 2023 season. He actually dipped below his on-ball production from his freshman season.

King has average height and size for an NFL cornerback. He has the speed and movement skills to be a good NFL player, but he will need to continue to improve his functional strength to be able to combat bigger and more physical receivers.

King does a very good job of sinking his hips to match breaks, but there are times where his high pad level causes him to allow separation at the top of routes. He shows the ball skills necessary to track and use the correct timing to break up passes, but he's rarely in position to capitalize on turnovers.

As a run defender, King does a good job of play recognition along with quickly reacting. He often uses his speed and agility to beat blocks in space. There are times in which he gets stoned and washed away by bigger blockers due to his below-average strength.

As a tackler, King is more than willing. He often flies up to throw his body at the legs of a ball-carrier. His inconsistency wrapping up can make him a questionable tackler at times, but his overall willingness to be a versatile run defender and blitzer gives him room for improvement in this facet of the game.

After the explosive numbers he put up during the 2022 season, King was perceived as one of the top cornerbacks in this year's draft. Although he's still among the better part of the cornerback group, his stock has leveled out a bit to the Day 2 range. He has the potential to be an NFL starter a few years into his career.

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GRADE: 6.1 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 155

POSITION RANK: CB20

PRO COMPARISON: David Long

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

The 2023 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl will see Penn State battle Ole Miss for an opportunity to declare supremacy between the SEC and Big Ten.

The No. 10 Nittany Lions enter the matchup with a 10-2 record and the losses coming against Ohio State and Michigan. The No. 11 Rebels enter with an identical record with its losses coming against Georgia and Alabama.

Check below for highlights from the highly anticipated bowl matchup.

4th Quarter

The Rebels took advantage on the ensuing drive, with Dart taking it himself for the touchdown.

Dart's Dagger 🗡@JaxsonDart | ESPN pic.twitter.com/Gp6SD0bbJB

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 30, 2023

Just as Penn State looked to grab some momentum back, the Rebels squashed the chance with a blocked field goal.

B L O C K E D 🛑@OleMissFB x 📺 @espn pic.twitter.com/6pfcMbTWSN

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) December 30, 2023

3rd Quarter

Penn State would cut the lead to 20-17 at the half but a field goal and a touchdown in the third quarter re-established a double-digit lead for the Rebels.

Dart. Judkins. TOUCHDOWN. 🫡🫡@JaxsonDart ➡️ @qaj4_ pic.twitter.com/nhH87DgjK8

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 30, 2023

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2nd Quarter

A Daijahn Anthony interception set up a chance for the Rebels to take a 10-point lead. Dart connected with Prieskorn once again for a touchdown, giving Ole Miss a 20-10 edge.

Have a day @cpkorn12! Second TD for the Rebel TE. 😳

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/SEhYWn5AYL

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 30, 2023

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Penn State would not sit quietly for long.

WHAT A PLAY FOR PENN STATE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xiJumfw5Th

— ESPN (@espn) December 30, 2023

Quarterback Drew Allar connected with tight end Tyler Warren for a major gain and Theo Johnson scored a touchdown moments later, tying the game at 10.

1st Quarter

Each team knocked a field goal through to start the game, but Ole Miss was first to deliver a touchdown.

Easy six 😮‍💨@JaxsonDart ➡️ @cpkorn12
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/muFuh1TQux

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 30, 2023

Quarterback Jaxson Dart delivered a quick pass to tight end Caden Prieskorn who did the rest of the work. This gave the Rebels a 10-3 lead that would round out the scoring in the opening quarter.

After firing offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich on Nov. 12 following a loss to Michigan, Penn State reportedly has finally found his replacement.

According to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Audrey Snyder, Penn State has hired former Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to the same position on head coach James Franklin's staff.

Kotelnicki had been with the Jayhawks since 2021, as he followed head coach Lance Leipold from his previous stops at Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater. He played a major part in the turnaround for Kansas, as the team finished 8-4 in 2023 for its first winning season since 2008. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg noted that Kotelnicki "also generated interest for head-coaching jobs this season."

Under Kotelnicki's direction this year, the Jayhawks offense ranked eighth in FBS in yards per play, and it did so without star quarterback Jalon Daniels for the majority of the season due to a back injury. The Nittany Lions could use a major improvement, as they ranked 81st in that category.

Kotelnicki inherits a Penn State offense that will retain quarterback Drew Allar, who said after last week's victory over Michigan State that he intends to return for his senior season in 2024. Allar had a solid year with 2,336 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and only one interception, but the Nittany Lions struggled to generate explosive plays on offense.

Kotelnicki's presence should help change that. Kansas ranked 23rd in the nation with 67 plays of over 20 yards, while Penn State ranked 117th with just 40.

After going 10-2 this season, the Nittany Lions are waiting to find out if they will receive a New York Six bid.

HEIGHT: 6'6"

WEIGHT: 312

HAND: 8½"

ARM: 34"

WINGSPAN: 82¾"

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40-YARD DASH: 5.11

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 9'1"

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POSITIVES

— Prototypical height, weight and length with a muscular, well-rounded and high-cut build.

— Has a special natural feel for the fundamentals and nuances of pass protection.

— Precise footwork, body positioning and hands as a pass-protector to get to landmarks square and on time, with a potent inside strike to disrupt the rusher's timing.

— Smoothly transitions into his anchor with very good play strength to quickly absorb force, engulf rushers and solidify the pocket.

— Plenty of range and balance with the movement skills and length to widen the corner, remain under control at the top of the QB's drop and protect against late inside counters.

— Good processing skills, spatial awareness and timing to pick up/pass off games and stunts effectively.

— Has good snap and quickness out of his stance in the run game to get to spots and initial fits on time in the zone-run game.

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NEGATIVES

— Upright playing style that can lead him to being high and caught on his heels against speed to power moves.

— Robotic and raw as a run-blocker in his footwork, aiming points and adjusting landmarks when the picture changes post-snap.

— Struggles to consistently sustain his balance and finish blocks in the run game due to getting a narrow base through contact and overextended as the rep progresses.

— Good-not-great physicality and aggressiveness as a finisher.

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2023 STATISTICS

— Team captain

— 12 starts at left tackle

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NOTES

— Born Dec. 9, 2002

— 3-star tackle recruit in 2020 class, per 247Sports

— 21 career starts at left tackle

— 2023 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten

— Fashanu's 2022 season was cut short after eight starts due to an undisclosed injury

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OVERALL

Olu Fashanu is a team captain and two-year starter inside Penn State's balanced (54-46 run-pass split), zone-based scheme with 18 career starts at left tackle. Fashanu has a prototypical tackle build with very good arm length and athletic ability.

Fashanu is dialed in as a pass-protector with a keen understanding of snap timing, body positioning and strike timing. He also has the movement skills and length to thrive on an island.

He is quick out of his stance, square in his sets and has a potent inside hand to disrupt the timing of rushers before widening them out and elongating their path to the quarterback around the edge. He smoothly transitions into his anchor and absorbs force to secure the pocket against power moves.

Fashanu's even weight distribution, flat-back posture and quick feet allow him to keep his head out of blocks to redirect and cut off inside counters while also maintaining body control at the top of the quarterback's drop to secure the pocket late in the rep. He executes basic line games and stunts effectively with proper spacing, depth and timing. His upright playing style can lead to him getting caught on his heels against effective speed to power moves, though.

Fashanu is quick out of his stance as a run-blocker. He gets to spots and into initial fits on the front and backside of zone runs with the length and play strength to press, pin and seal off defenders when overtaking on combos and on angle-drive blocks. While Fashanu can get to landmarks on time and win quickly, he struggles in the second and third phase of run blocks due to his base narrowing early, his pads rising and getting overextended as the rep progresses. This leads to mediocre sustain and finishing skills, falling off blocks and being on the ground too often.

Fashanu flashes the ability and mindset to sustain, steer and finish blocks, but it isn't consistent, particularly on longer-developing runs against slippery defenders.

Overall, Fashanu has high-end physical tools with rarely seen polish as a pass-protector that is counterbalanced with being more underdeveloped as a finisher in the run game. His ability to thrive on an island in pass protection right away with the tools, runway and flashes necessary to make improvements as a run-blocker indicates a franchise-caliber blind-side protector who can at least be average in the run game.

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GRADE: 8.9 (Impact Player — 1st Round)

OVERALL RANK: 7

POSITION RANK: OT2

PRO COMPARISON: D'Brickashaw Ferguson

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.