What did we learn about Penn State football in June?
The Penn State football program is another step closer to the 2023 season with June now in the books. It was a busy month for the Nittany Lions on the recruiting trail, but that wasn’t the only thing we learned during the calendar’s sixth month.
Here are the top things we learned over the last 30 days.
The lay of the land in the Big Ten
The Big Ten released its 2024 and 2025 conference schedules in June. We learned that Penn State will no longer face Ohio State and Michigan every year. It is also the only conference program with no protected rivals. Divisions are out after this season. But, the nine-game league schedule is here to stay for at least another two years. The Lions will face Big Ten newcomer USC at home in 2024 and on the road in 2025. It will also host incoming member UCLA in 2025, but won’t go play at that school’s campus until at least 2026.
Here are the Lions’ home and away opponents for the next two years:
2024
Home
Sept. 7 Bowling Green
Sept. 21 Kent State
Michigan State
Nebraska
Northwestern
Ohio State
USC
Away
Aug. 31 at West Virginia
Indiana
Purdue
Rutgers
Wisconsin
2025 (one non-con game must still be scheduled)
Home
Aug. 30 Nevada
Sept. 13 Villanova
Illinois
Minnesota
Rutgers
UCLA
Away
Iowa
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
USC
A pair of Penn State commits shined at the Elite 11 Finals
Penn State Class of 2024 quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer enters July as a three-star in the On3 Industry Rankings. But, he exited it as a four-star. He shined at the Elite 11 Finals, where he earned a spot in the prestigious Elite 11 fraternity and was ranked as the third-best passer on hand by On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power.
“Ethan Grunkemyer was the most pleasant surprise at the Elite 11 Finals,” Power wrote. “We entered the event having liked what we saw on video from his junior season and previous camps. With that said, the Lewis Center (Ohio) Olentangy product exceeded expectations.
“The Penn State pledge drove the ball down the middle of the field as well as any quarterback in attendance. The ball came out of his hand hot. We also liked his coordinated movement patterns. He was smooth in his drops and looked to have arguably the best mechanics on hand.”
The annual showcase may focus on quarterbacks. But, someone has to be on the receiving end of their passes. Lions Class of 2024 tight end commit Luke Reynolds was one of the players on hand to run routes. And, he, too, is set for a bump in the rankings after being named the MVP of his position and making the All-Tournament team.
“For one, the Penn State pledge seemingly ran hundreds of routes without showing noticeable fatigue. Reynolds backed up his top-notch combine athleticism by showing excellent burst and change of direction within his routes. He also showed reliable hands and some physicality in contested situations,” Power wrote.
The Class of 2024 is taking shape
Penn State lost one commitment in June. Offensive lineman Deryc Plazz picked Penn State on June 4. However, the three-star reopened his recruitment on June 15. He’s now down to Miami and NC State.
The Lions did get a player in June who backed away from another school, however. Four-star Pa., receive Tyseer Denmark left Oregon’s Class of 2024 on June 18 and picked the Lions on June 21.
All told, it was a good month on the trail for Penn State. It started June with 14 commitments in the Class of 2024 and finished it with 21, which puts it firmly in the mix to sign a top 10 class according to the On3 Industry Rankings Team Recruiting Rankings by the end of the cycle.
Penn State loses a tight end
Penn State lost the first member of its Class of 2023 to the transfer portal in June. Virginia native and former three-star Mega Barnwell left the team on June 6 and entered the portal on June 19. It’s unclear why he moved on after spring practice.
