James Franklin’s Penn State team is cruising into the 2025 season with that unmistakable springtime excitement, fresh faces, high expectations, and a fan base already counting down to kickoff. Spring practice just concluded, and if you’ve been paying attention to the buzz coming out of State College, you know the Nittany Lions have been hard at work fine-tuning, assessing, and, yes, dreaming big once more. The Blue-White Game each year in Beaver Stadium, despite all the construction pandemonium, provided everyone with an initial glimpse of the new blend: newcomer transfers such as Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross flashing at receiver, incoming freshmen linebackers such as Anthony Speca making their point.
Franklin’s been open about the process-spring ball is all about trying to find ways to get your top 11 on the field, if that involves trying defensive things or allowing the new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, to leave his imprint on things. There’s an actual sense of competition in the air, particularly in the receiver and linebacker rooms. And while some veterans tended to injuries, it paved the way for underclassmen to receive valuable reps, particularly on the offensive line.
For the moment, the Nittany Lions take a summer break, but the spring energy is lingering. August can’t arrive soon enough in Happy Valley. “Is this the most now-or-never team for James Franklin since he got to Penn State?” This question was posed by the host of the Menace 2 Sports show.
The other host, Zach Smith, went on to add, “You get both star running backs back. You get Jim Knowles from Ohio State, you land three receivers in the transfer portal. Drew Allar stays in his final year, and he was, I mean, would have been probably a top three-round draft pick this year.” With quarterback Drew Allar back for another year and guys like Nick Dawkins and Zane Durant taking charge, there’s a steady hand guiding the ship.
The three receivers: First up, you’ve got Kyron Hudson coming in from USC. He’s a big-bodied target who brings some real Pac-12 experience to the room. Next is Devonte Ross out of Troy. Ross is a sneakily good pick-up; he’s fast, slippery, and good at finding openings. And then the splash of late spring: Syracuse’s Trebor Pena. This one’s a biggie. Pena averaged almost 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns last year. Talking about Knowles, he arrives after guiding Ohio State’s defense to a national championship and recording utterly absurd statistics: first in the nation in scoring defense, first in total defense, and he has a reputation for constructing nasty, aggressive defenses that just don’t surrender points.
Zach also states, “If not now, when? I mean, Michigan is down, Ohio State’s got a rookie quarterback, have Oregon has a rookie quarterback, and you know who Penn State has to be. This has to be their year, or they’re never going to have a year.”
Michigan’s not the powerhouse it was in 2023. Ohio State’s got Tavien St. Clair who’s trying to get his act together, and even Oregon, a new Big Ten foe, has to replace Dillon Gabriel. Penn State, on the other hand, has depth in every position, particularly at running back and quarterback, and added some massive upgrades in the transfer portal. Thus, Smith is right that there are no excuses anymore, as the usual hindrances are off.
Penn State’s portal play
“We don’t live in the portal.” James Franklin’s recent portal moves have been anything but silent. Following the Blue-White Game, Franklin did not beat around the bush: Penn State requires assistance at linebacker, and they require it ASAP. Losing linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson to USC is a bitter pill to swallow for Penn State. Robinson, a 6-foot-3, 231-pound linebacker, appeared in 14 games last year and was supposed to fill the gap with Kobe King off to the NFL. His departure creates a huge void in Penn State’s linebacker depth as they enter a pivotal season.
With Tony Rojas, one of their bright young linebackers, nursing an injury. Penn State-famously known as “Linebacker U” because of its long tradition of producing elite linebackers, is suddenly facing a shortage at that very position. So, Franklin got bold. He went on record, not just in the locker room but out in the media, saying, “If you’re a linebacker and want to play for LBU, the door is wide open.” That’s not his usual style, but desperate times, right? Penn State’s not usually a portal program.
The personnel is already manning the phones and taking visits-like Rutgers’ Mohamed Toure, who’s got All-Big Ten credentials but a pair of ACL tears in his background. It’s obvious Franklin’s not simply searching for bodies; he’s seeking someone who can come in and compete immediately. The sense of urgency is palpable, and you can sense it in every Franklin quote these days.
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