Sept. 1, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Football is nearly back in Beaver Stadium, as the roar returns to Happy Valley Saturday at noon when the sixth-ranked Nittany Lions kick off the 2017 campaign hosting Akron.
Penn State will rush through the stadium gates led by fourth-year head coach James Franklin with nearly all of the integral pieces responsible for engineering one of the most thrilling seasons in program history.
On the heels of a record-setting year, the Nittany Lions are Equipped with depth and experience, with added maturity across the board, all contributing to an offseason that Franklin named the most consistent he has been associated with.
"We are excited about the challenge," Franklin said. "We are excited about the opportunity and excited to be back in Beaver Stadium in front of our family and friends and alumni and lettermen. It should be a great environment, and we're looking forward to the season."
Guided by the leadership of its eight team captains, among the team-selected unit is junior quarterback Trace McSorley, who took command of the Nittany Lion offense on the way to a record-3,614 passing yards last year, throwing 29 touchdowns.
Joining McSorley, is preseason All-American, Saquon Barkley, who earned both the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award and the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year honors in 2016, among numerous others, following a season for the record books. The two are joined by veteran receiver DaeSean Hamilton, who enters 2017 poised to claim the top spot on the Nittany Lion career receptions all-time list.
Linebacker Jason Cabinda, safety Marcus Allen and cornerback Grant Haley have settled into their leadership roles on the defensive side of the ball. Both All-Big Ten selections from last year, Cabinda and Allen are as dynamic on the field as they are off the field. As Penn State's leading tackler (110), Allen will lead the secondary alongside Haley, making for a duo responsible for some of the most game-changing, critical plays in 2016.
A 2016 Vlade Award winner, Penn State's Tyler Davis and safety Nick Scott will serve as the leadership on the special teams. One of the most consistent field goal kickers in program history, Davis earned first team All-Big Ten honors in 2016. A leader on special teams long before he was voted captain, Scott finished second on the squad with eight special teams tackles last year.
Looking at Akron, sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden and the Zips are coming off of a 3-5 season in 2016, winning three of their first four games to start the year.
"Terry Bowden is a guy who obviously I have a tremendous amount of respect for - he and his family and all the things that they have been able to accomplish," Franklin said. "He has a veteran staff. Really, a veteran team coming back and a team that gave a lot of people problems a few years ago."
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