Victory Bell Rings
Fansided

Penn State Football: Grading James Franklin’s offseason

By Alec Whitaker

Sep 25, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field during a warm up prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field during a warm up prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Penn State Football, Mitchell Tinsley
SAN ANTONIO, TX – DECEMBER 03: Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley #5 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers touchdown reception against the UTSA Roadrunners in the first quarter at the Alamodome on December 3, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /

2. Incoming Transfers

Penn State football landed three impact transfers from the portal this offseason.

They are wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley, defensive end Chop Robinson and offensive guard Hunter Nourzad.

All three of these guys are expected to see time this season, with Tinsley and Nourzad looking like starters.

Tinsley will replace the massive hole left by Jahan Dotson. Although he likely will not replace Dotson’s production completely, the Western Kentucky transfer gives Sean Clifford another viable weapon, along with Parker Washington and Keandre Lambert-Smith.

Nourzad should be a welcomed addition to the interior of the offensive line. With Mike Miranda and Eric Wilson moving on, there were two interior spots up for grabs.

Robinson is a big one. He is a former 5-star recruit and has three years of eligibility remaining. It’s also great that he transferred from Maryland. If he lives up to his ranking, this is a big one for Franklin.

There are no complaints about who Penn State brought in. The problem is the guys they didn’t.

Penn State needed more help at offensive tackle than guard. Ideally, right tackle Caedan Wallace would move inside and someone else would play tackle. The Nittany Lions were not able to find a tackle though.

Linebacker was also a big need. As mentioned, the Nittany Lions go into 2022 with eight scholarship linebackers. One is a former safety and two are true freshman, not an overly ideal situation.

Not a ton of targets emerged at linebacker, so it’s hard to fault the staff there. A veteran middle linebacker would have been a great addition though.

Grade: B

Home/Penn State Football