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Penn State Football: 3 Roster Weaknesses facing James Franklin

By Andrew Adair

Oct 22, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin celebrates with running back Nicholas Singleton (10) after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Minnesota 45-17. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin celebrates with running back Nicholas Singleton (10) after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Minnesota 45-17. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
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The off-season is full of roster movement with the transfer portal in full effect. Here is where the Penn State Football roster stands.

The first of two off-season transfer portal windows closed on January 18th. Penn State Football saw nine scholarship players enter the portal and brought in four scholarship players. As it currently stands, Penn State has 86 scholarship athletes, over the NCAA limit of 85. Not a big deal as Penn State has until the season begins to get under this limit.

The next window for the transfer portal opens on May 1st, so we have an idea of what the roster will look like until then. How the roster currently is constructed Penn State has 41 offensive players on scholarship, 42 defensive players on scholarship, and 3 special teams players on scholarship.

Every program will have positions that are a strength with enough depth to get through a grinding schedule. On the flip side of that, there are positions that programs would like to have more depth or improve the talent level at. Penn State is no different.

Here are 3 weaknesses facing the Penn State roster

Nov 19, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions place kicker Sander Sahaydak (93) kicks a field goal during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions place kicker Sander Sahaydak (93) kicks a field goal during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

Kicker

Weakness is an ugly word for this position. The kicker position is very unproven and doesn’t have a ton of options. Long-time kicker Jake Pinegar is moving on from Penn State, which leaves Penn State with only one kicker on scholarship, Sander Sahaydak. Sahaydak saw very limited action in his freshman campaign and finished the season 1 for 2 with a long of just 20 yards.

Sahaydak will face competition from an experienced walk-on kicker that transferred in from Columbia in the Ivy League Conference. Alex Felkins will have an opportunity to compete with Sander Sahaydak for the starting placekicker role.

Special Teams Coordinator Stacy Collins will have his work cut out for him this offseason as Penn State will have to replace their kicker, punter, kickoff specialist, and long snapper. Out of all of these specialists, kicker is the most important and currently sits as an unknown.

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