The Blue-White Podcast: A Penn State Athletics Podcast Blue White Illustrated

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Mock Class Offense: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/predicting-penn-state-football-recruiting-class-2025-finish-offense/

Mock Class Defense: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/mock-class-predicting-which-defensive-players-penn-states-class-of-2025-could-have-committed-this-summer/

Penn State football is getting an early start on the official visit calendar this week. Join the BWI Live Recruiting Show today to discuss a top-100 prospect coming to campus, The Elite 11 series in State College, and more! We're live at 10 a.m. on YouTube. You can also catch the replay embedded in this article.

Want the latest news on Penn State Football recruiting 24/7? Join Blue White Illustrated for just one dollar and get access to premium content for a month. You can also check out the show for a special promo code to get an extra month for free! Join now to get insider information during the most important recruiting months on the calendar and be on the frontlines at Penn State builds its future in 2025.

Penn State Mock Class

Before we get to the hard news of the week, recruiting insider Ryan Snyder put together a mock class for this recruiting cycle. Which players filled out the offensive roster with only a few spots remaining? The Penn State defense has very few commits heading into May, so which players will fill those open spots?

Also, will Penn State's emphasis on secondary players result in more cornerbacks, safeties, or linebackers in the upcoming group of defenders? We examine the state of the current roster to get a better picture of how the team will construct its incoming class.

Elite 11 and visitor preview

However, this week's main attraction is that the Elite 11 camp is coming to State College and drawing in talent from across the country. Penn State is also using it as a visit weekend for prospects, including an official visit for Class of 2025 defensive end, Iose Epenesa. He and top 2026 quarterback Dia Bell make up the most notable names descending on Happy Valley this week. How do Snyder and fellow BWI Insider Sean Fitz feel this weekend stacks up from a long-term perspective?

Finally, we'll discuss the Elite 11 camp and which players will highlight the upcoming prospect workout. With quarterback Bekkem Kritza in the class, does Penn State want to add a second quarterback? If not, is the focus on passers for the upcoming cycle? We'll break down everything you need to know about Penn State's recruiting ambitions this upcoming weekend.

Penn State Weekend Visitor and Elite 11 Preview

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Penn State wrestling is grinding through the second month of the collegiate offseason. Usually, this time of year would be slow with minimal news to discuss. However, this May, the headlines continue to come hot and heavy around Cael Sanderson's program. You're in luck, though: The Blue-White Illustrated wrestling show and podcast is back with a fresh episode to get you caught up on the latest information.
Host Thomas Frank Carr and reporter Greg Pickel start the show with a recap of Zain Retherford's terrific triumph at the World Olympic Games qualifier last weekend. The Penn State product punched his ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France by winning four matches in repechage, or the consolation bracket, at 65 kilograms, to finish third and qualify the U.S. and himself for the summer games in that weight class. He beat Sujeet Sujeet of India in the bronze medal match to do so.
"Retherford was relentless with his forward pressure throughout the match," USA Wrestling wrote in a recap. "Midway through the first period, Retherford got in deep on a low single, was driving through Sujeet for the finish, but was countered for two. Heading into the second period trailing, 2-0, Retherford’s pace paid off. He capitalized on an errant shot attempt by Sujeet for a go-behind takedown, taking the lead on criteria, 2-2. His defense held firm for the rest of the match, cementing the win and his place in the bronze medal Olympic playoff match.
Retherford is one of four Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members and six U.S. Team members total going to the summer games. The full list includes:
57 kilograms: Spencer Lee

65 kilograms: Zain Retherford (NLWC)

74 kilograms: Kyle Dake (NLWC)

86 kilograms: Aaron Brooks (NLWC)

97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder (NLWC)

125 pounds: Mason Parris
More: Penn State wrestling needs a new assistant coach; who might some candidates be?: Hot board
From there, Carr and Pickel discuss Greg Kerkvliet's return to the Penn State program for the 2024-2025 season. What does it mean that he, Carter Starocci, and Beau Bartlett are all coming back? After that conversation, the pair dive into the reaction from David Taylor's introductory news conference at Oklahoma State. And, the two break down what the Nittany Lions might be looking for to replace assistant coach Jimmy Kennedy, who is going to Stillwater with Taylor.
This week's episode wraps up with an early look at the 2024-2025 Penn State wrestling lineup at 125 pounds. Who could man the spot this year? The duo break it down.
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The Penn State football Recruiting Class of 2025 got a surprise commitment from unranked tight end prospect Matt Henderson a week ago. With several national prospects left on the recruitin board, why did Penn State accept Henderson's commitment? We'll answer that today by discussing the team's track record of finding and developing the right high school athletes that turn into premiere college tight ends. Join the BWI Live Show today at 10 a.m. as we discuss Ty Howle's ability to recruit and develop top-tier athletes at his position.

With official visits fast approaching, be sure to subscribe to the Blue-White Illustrated YouTube Channel and our site so that you don't miss insider intel, breaking news videos, and expert analysis. The BWI Live Show comes to you Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday every week year-round.

Penn State lands Matt Henderson

For the second year in a row, Penn State found and recruited an underrated tight end prospect. Last year, Luke Reynolds went from an unheralded three-star player to a top-50 prospect during his senior season. Willt he same be true of Henderson? We discuss his physical tools and what he shares in common with those players that came before him in the recruiting process.

We'll also discuss what Penn State looks for in a tight end prospect. Most of the team's commits don't play the position in high school, so how does Howle identify the correct jumbo-receivers to convert into tight ends? We highlight certain physical indicators on today's show that indicate potential growth. From there, we'll discuss the other characteristics of a tight Nittany Lion end.

Discussing the team's current players

After reviewing the recruiting situation, we turn our attention to the position on the Penn State roster. Which players are next up for the team that's sent multiple tight ends to the NFL in the last five years? We'll discuss Tyler Warren's importance to the new offense under Andy Kotelnicki. Next, we'll recap the position battle for the second tight end spot between Khalil Dinkins and Andrew Rappleyea. Which player has the leg up, and what will determine the position in the battle this summer? We discuss what is next for that pair of players.

We also take questions from fans submitted to the show. What are the underlying characteristics of a James Franklin offense? From coordinator to coordinator, what are the common themes that Franklin has leaned towards? Fans also want to know how the integration of Pac-12 officials and players could affect the playing style of the Big Ten on defense.

Join the show to get your questions and thoughts on air!

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Tracing Penn State's Success in Tight End Recruiting and Development
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Variables: https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/news/column-forecasting-penn-state-season-filled-new-variables/

Penn State football faces a host of new challenges heading into 2024 that we've yet to see in college football. We're discussing what changes might help and hinder the team's annual quest for a Big Ten title and playoff berth for the upcoming year. Join BWI Live at 10 a.m. on YouTube to discuss this topic, plus the latest Penn State football news. Check out the video embedded for the full replay, too.

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Penn State News and Recruiting Udpate
We'll start the show with publisher Sean Fitz's recruiting update concerning the latest news from Penn State's efforts to land top talent in the upcoming cycle.

Also, a former Penn State star defender joined the program this week in a reunion that may help the University's Athletic Department. What will All-American linebacker Mike Mauti bring to the program? Senior Editor Nate Bauer discusses what he knows about the situation.

We'll also update fans on the latest transfer portal destination news for the latest wave of Penn State portal exits. Where did Malik McClain and King Mack land after leaving the program at the beginning of the month? We'll give you the latest on the situation.

Navigating new variables this upcoming season
Today's main topic surrounds Bauer's recent column about the state of Penn State football heading into the upcoming season. How many new challenges does the team face this year in a tumultuous college football ecosystem? We'll discuss the five new variables that Bauer outlined that he sees with challenges and opportunities for the upcoming year.

BWI Mailbag

Finally, we'll turn the show over to you! Join us for the BWI Mailbag as we discuss your questions either in the live chat, or submitted to the Mailbag Submission Thread. Today's featured questions include discussing Penn State's culture, more options for the team's wide receiver situation and the need for elite defensive tackles to win a championship. We'll also discuss a question about Penn State head coach James Franklin and how the team can navigate it's issues with NIL and donor relations in the new era of college football.

Join the number-one Penn State football talk show, BWI Live, at 10 a.m. on YouTube!

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Big Ten Expansion to Headsets: Can Penn State Navigate the New Variables in 2024?
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Penn State wrestling has suffered its first departure since program legend David Taylor accepted the head coaching job at Oklahoma State earlier this week. Multi-year Lions assistant coach Jimmy Kennedy will be the Cowboys’ new associate head coach, the program announced on Thursday. The move was expected, as Kennedy is Taylor’s brother-in-law.

On today's show we discuss Taylor's move to Oklahoma State, and the impact it has on the sport of collegiate wrestling.
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We've got a special guest on the BWI Live Recruiting Show today! Former Penn State linebacker and current Kansas City Chief Curtis Jacobs joins the show at 10 to discuss his path to the NFL and some of the players he thinks will stand out on his former team next fall. Join us for that, and news on the latest commitment to Penn State football's Class of 2025 today at 10 a.m. on YouTube!

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Curtis Jacobs joins the show

During the Tuesday live show, Jacobs joined the live chat to let the show know that he thinks Penn State tight end Andrew Rappleyea will be a star for the team. On3's national team put out graphics earlier in the week that didn't list the Nittany Lions as having a top ten returning tight end room for the coming season. Jacobs gives his thoughts on why he believes in that group and Rappleyea. He'll also give his thoughts on the other players who he thinks will surprise fans this fall.

From there, we discuss his NFL draft journey and his new fit with the Chiefs. We'll discuss how the team sees his skills and where he hopes to contribute to the defending champions.

Penn State lands Matt Henderson

The Penn State recruiting Class of 2025 continues to be full of surprises. Last night, the Nittany Lions landed a surprise commitment from Virginia tight end Matt Henderson. Recruiting experts Ryan Snyder and Sean Fitz join the show to discuss what the team is getting in the unranked tight end and why Ty Howel quickly accepted his commitment with several top tight ends left on the board.

Is Penn State angling to add two to the roster this year? We'll discuss Brady O'Hara's situation and how the team might stack numbers at the position this cycle.

Latest wave of freshmen joins the program

With the spring semester over, four more freshmen from the Class of 2024 joined the program this week. We'll discuss which players are here for the early summer enrollment and what fans should expect from the class regarding contributions this fall.

As always, join the show to ask our guests or experts your questions in the live chat! We'll interact with you to find out what's on your mind throughout the show.

Penn State football gets a new commitment and Curtis Jacobs joins the show

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