FALL '21 Episode 1: Penn State Roster Breakdown (Offense)

The Obligatory PSU Podcast

Per Obligatory tradition, one of our most popular features returns: the Penn State football preview in which Chris enlists the assistance of fellow LION 90.7fm alumni to analyze the Nittany Lions roster in two installments, beginning with the offense. This year, former FIU and Miami Hurricanes broadcaster Mike Levine returns, per usual, and he is joined by Villanova Athletics and Big East Network broadcaster Nick Mantegna, reuniting a student radio broadcast team 20 years after they brought their half dozen listeners such unforgettable gems as Joe Paterno's record-breaking 324th career win versus Ohio State and such forgettable disappointments as most other games in the 2001 season.
After a disastrous fake season in which first-year offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca's unit did little to prevent a historically-bad 0-5 start, James Franklin was quick with the hook, replacing Ciarrocca with the highly-coveted Mike Yurcich, whose rapid rise through the coaching ranks has included successful stints at Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Texas. The cupboard is far from bare for Yurcich, who'll scheme plays for some of the most talented running backs and tight ends in the country plus a returning duo of wideouts who should rank among the most dangerous in the Big Ten. But as ever, it all comes down to the guys up front. Can offensive line coach Phil Trautwein coax the breakout performance Penn State have waited on for years? Will it matter if third-year starting quarterback Sean Clifford cannot elevate his play under Yurcich's tutelage? Chris and our ringers tackle these questions and more as they scrutinize Penn State's talent on the offensive side of the ball.

HOSTED BY: Chris Buchignani

GUESTS: Mike Levine, Nick Mantegna