Penn State midseason review: BWI Daily
The Penn State football team’s bye week comes nearly midway through the season after a 5-0 start. So, with the deep plunge of the Big Ten schedule ahead, it’s a good time to look back and evaluate how the first half of the season went. That’s what host Thomas Frank Carr and reporter Greg Pickel will do on today’s BWI Daily Edition. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated so you don’t miss any action.
Penn State storylines through five weeks
T-Frank and Pickel start the show discussing what transpired Tuesday night at James Franklin’s post-practice press conference. After defensive tackle Coziah Izzard made his season debut against Northwestern, the obvious question then becomes the status of defensive end Smith Vilbert. Both players sat out the first month of the season, and Franklin announced yesterday that Vilbert would not play this season. What impact does that have on the Penn State defensive line? Pickel and T-Frank discuss that topic before discussing what Izzard brings to the table at defensive tackle now that he’s returned.
Midseason review of player performance
Next, they discuss their general impressions of Penn State over five weeks. Pickel gives his thoughts on how the offensive identity has shaped through the first half of the season and what he thinks they need to be going forward. Then T-Frank asks for his impressions of Manny Diaz’s defense now that Pickel has seen it in-depth. Next, they discuss that side of the ball and T-Frank gives stats he found interesting when researching how the team compares to last season’s 5-0 start.
Then, they discuss which players performed the best on the Penn State offense and defense through the first half of the season. Next, they review the players that need to elevate their play or contribute more in the upcoming critical three-game stretch of Big Ten opponents.
Lastly, they review the wrestling schedule release earlier this week and talk about Bo Nikal’s rise through the UFC ranks.
