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Former Penn State assistants find new coordinator jobs; Lions enter race for transfer portal linebacker: Newsstand

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel12/07/21GregPickel
Michigan State picks up linebacker transfer Jacoby Windmon from UNLV
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Penn State has its first transfer portal target of the offseason.

The Lions extended an offer to a west coast linebacker looking for a new college football home on Monday.

That note leads today’s newsstand. We also cover Heisman Trophy finalists, ex-Lions coaches landing jobs elsewhere, and more as December continues.

Let’s review the top tweets and headlines about Penn State and college football on Dec. 7.

Penn State tweets of the day

We start with coach news.

Onetime Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop has landed the defensive coordinator job at South Florida. He will also coach safeties there. Shoop spent the 2021 season as an off-field analyst at Miami.

Elsewhere, Kirk Ciarrocca also spent this season in a non-play caller role. He was an analyst at West Virginia following his one-year stint in State College. Now, he’s returned to the same school he left to take the Penn State job: Minnesota. He’ll again be the Gophers’ offensive coordinator.

In other coaching news, former Penn State quarterback Billy Fessler will reportedly take a job on Joe Moorhead’s Akron staff. And, while nothing is official yet, Virginia is creeping closer and closer to making Anthony Poindexter its next head coach.

Moving onto the transfer portal, Penn State offered UNLV linebacker Jacoby Windmon on Monday. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound prospect also has interest from Michigan State. A New Orleans, La., native, Windmon also has experience playing defensive end.

Next, Heisman Trophy finalists are out.

In other award news, Penn State will face the Burlsworth Award winner in the Outback Bowl. Arkansas linebacker Grant Morgan was picked as college football’s best player to start his career as a walk-on. He is second on the Razorbacks with 96 tackles.

Penn State Class of 2022 commit Nick Singleton is the Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania.

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Headlines of the day

Latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft includes a Nittany Lion to the Ravens: Renmer, PFF

Penn State roster tracker: Portal entries and exits, NFL Draft news, more: Pickel, BWI

Good-Bye Pry: Revisiting the Greatness of Penn State Football’s 2016-17 Seasons…Was It a High-Water Mark?: Poorman, Statecollege.com

Penn State keys in on developmental work in bowl prep: Bauer, BWI

Nittany Lions in the NFL | Offensive players lead bevy of strong Week 13 performances: Yoder, Daily Collegian

5 things to know about Penn State Outback Bowl opponent Arkansas: Pickel, BWI

Sunday was a great day to be (almost) a Nittany Lion: Giger, DKOnPittsburghSports

Penn State coaches hit the road again for week two of contact period: Snyder, BWI

Quote of the day

“It’s how you use them. (We’re) taking care of the vets and making sure that they continue to get better and stay sharp, but still have a good experience. And (we also have) an opportunity to get more reps to the young players.

“It’s very similar to what you would do in spring ball and… training camp.”

–PSU coach James Franklin on how bowl practices will work for his Nittany Lions ahead of a matchup with Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.