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There used to be an almost solemn edge to this day. For the past few years, Penn State would release its first depth chart on the Tuesday before the season-opener, coinciding with James Franklin’s first press conference.
The Nittany Lions coach would, of course, talk about his excitement for the first game. But he would also have to address some tough realities.
One year it was that his staff inherited only nine scholarship offensive linemen. In another, it was that too many freshmen were immediately placed in the two-deep out of necessity. Last August, it was that the Lions were the second youngest squad among all major conference programs.
This year, it was different.
“We’re just in a much healthier spot,” Franklin said Tuesday. “And guys are playing because they’ve earned it — not because of just the circumstances that we’re in.”
And the initial depth chart backs that up. Heading into Saturday’s opener against Akron at Beaver Stadium, Penn State has the look of a team that carries a No. 6 preseason ranking.
Veterans — even if they’re only sophomores with playing time under their belts — dot each position, giving the Lions some long-awaited stability.
“Guys are showing up and having to earn it now,” Franklin said. “And earn the respect of their teammates. And earn the respect of the coaches. And earn that time on the field.”
On offense
As of Tuesday, the only starting spot left up in the air on either side of the ball was at right tackle, where Chasz Wright and Andrew Nelson are both listed.
In this case, Nelson still is not 100 percent back from the serious knee injury he suffered last fall. As it is, the Lions expect to go with a starting unit of Ryan Bates, Steven Gonzalez, Connor McGovern, Brendan Mahon and Wright, from left to right, against the Zips.
Mahon also missed the second half of last season with health issues, though he appears to be full-go.
“I really foresee (Nelson) having a significant role on our offensive line before it’s all said and done,” Franklin said.”It just really kind of came down to Mahon was ready for week one and Nelly wasn’t.”
The Lions will also likely use a healthy rotation at receiver, where Juwan Johnson and DeAndre Thompkins will start on the outside with DaeSean Hamilton in the slot.
So don’t expect senior Saeed Blacknall to disappear just because he’s listed behind Thompkins.
“Those two guys, we kind of both look at as starters,” Franklin said. “They are going to play a lot of football for us. Saeed has played a lot of football for us. DeAndre has played a lot of football for us.”
At quarterback, true freshman Sean Clifford has moved ahead of redshirt freshman Jake Zembiec for the No. 3 spot behind Trace McSorley and Tommy Stevens — though there are very few scenarios where Clifford would burn his redshirt.
“He’s got some of the ‘It Factor’ that people have been trying to figure out and describe for 25 years at that position,” Franklin said.
On defense
One of the few starting spots open in camp was at strong safety, where senior Troy Apke has won the job Malik Golden occupied last fall.
“He’s always been an athletic guy, he really has,” Franklin said. “He’s a big guy. He’s 6-1, basically 200 pounds. He’s always been one of the more athletic guys in terms of vertical jump, broad jump, 40 (time). He’s always had those things. … And he’s been what you want — a guy that’s going to continue to work hard and embrace the role he has but has continued to strive for more. And he’s done that.”
That gives Penn State an all-senior starting secondary with fellow safety Marcus Allen and corners Grant Haley and Christian Campbell.
Jason Cabinda will be flanked by Manny Bowen and new starter Koa Farmer at linebacker. Torrence Brown and Shareef Miller are the new starters at defensive end with Parker Cothren and Curtis Cothran returning in the middle.
Cothran was suspended to open the season in 2016 but firmly established himself down the stretch.
“I’ve grinded out a lot of years here,” said Cothran, a fifth-year senior who just earned his degree. “Obviously you always want to be the starter in your mind. So to finally be able to say that I am one, it’s definitely a blessing. And it definitely just shows the amount of work that goes into it. I mean, nothing’s ever easy, especially in college football. Through the years of grinding everything out, I’m thankful to be here.”
On special teams
Thompkins will be the team’s top punt returner, a role he filled for most of 2015 before giving way to John Reid — now injured — last season. Likewise, tailback Miles Sanders will again be the Lions’ primary option on kick returns.
With Joey Julius gone, Tyler Davis will handle kickoffs as well as field goals. Quarterback Billy Fessler will be the new holder. And Wallenpaupack grad Kyle Vasey takes over for Ty Yazujian at long snapper.
“He’s one of the guys that probably works on his craft as much as anybody on our team,” Franklin said of Vasey. “I mean, you walk through the weight room and he’s down there snapping on the turf. He’s got a plastic bottle sitting on top of a metal bar, knocking the plastic bottle off over and over and over again as I’m walking through the weight room. He’s in there every single day just kind of doing that on his own.”
Green lights
One name that was apparently omitted from the depth chart by mistake is defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos.
The imposing 6-foot-5 pass rusher is one of three true freshmen who will play right away — green lights — according to Franklin. The others are cornerbacks Lamont Wade and Tariq Castro-Fields. Though Penn State lists six more true freshmen on the depth chart, those players would fall into the “yellow light” category — guys who prepare to play if necessary but whom the coaches would prefer to redshirt.
Though Castro-Fields is listed ahead of Wade on the depth chart at the boundary corner spot, Wade could ultimately end up playing the most snaps as the Lions’ fifth defensive back in the nickel package. The opener will be a litmus test for that, with Akron running a spread scheme.
Regardless, all three rookies figure to factor in on special teams.
“That’s probably a major factor when you decide to burn a guy’s redshirt,” Franklin said. “Is how much of a role you see them having on special teams. If you look at Grant Haley, he’s a perfect example of a true freshman who played a lot on special teams. He had a lot of success on special teams, then his role grew as the season went on.
“That’s what you’d like for a number of those guys.”
PSU 2017 depth chart by dlevarse on Scribd
