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This offseason, expectations for Penn State this season have been all over the place. While some say this is a top 25 team on paper, others think that a transfer-heavy roster will struggle to transition to Big Ten play. Within Happy Valley, however, there is seemingly no pressure on new head coach Matt Campbell to deliver immediately. All the athletic department wants is a steady improvement from their .500 season last year.
Still, at least one analyst views this Penn State squad as highly similar to another in Indiana, which saw a major boost in their record and national profile after coach Curt Cignetti brought in multiple transfers in his first year with the program and immediately turned them around. Rece Davis believes that due to the Nittany Lions' kind Big Ten schedule, they could replicate the Indiana blueprint.
"If you are of the belief that maybe there is someone who will make an Indiana-like unexpected run. Certainly not a program that has been in the depths of despair for generations as Indiana had prior to Cignetti's arrival, but one who might follow the blueprint that Indiana established for a very quick turnaround," Davis said. "I submit to you: the Penn State Nittany Clones." Nittany Clones was Davis' way of referencing Penn State's heavy Iowa State influence with the staff and roster.
It may take a lot of effort for everything to pan out, but Davis could be right in his assumption. Penn State has the perfect non-conference slate to get Campbell and Co. up to speed before a Big Ten schedule that avoids all of Oregon,Ohio State, and Indiana. There will be some tests like a road trip to Michigan on November 17, after a home game against USC in what could be their White Out matchup.
Still, the Nittany Lions do not have the benefit of going under the radar like the Hoosiers were able to do. No matter their record, they will always be in the national spotlight, especially if things go awry. It may be easy now for Davis to set lofty expectations, but it will only matter if Penn State actually looks the part.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Could Penn State pull an Indiana in Year 1 under Matt Campbell?
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Still, at least one analyst views this Penn State squad as highly similar to another in Indiana, which saw a major boost in their record and national profile after coach Curt Cignetti brought in multiple transfers in his first year with the program and immediately turned them around. Rece Davis believes that due to the Nittany Lions' kind Big Ten schedule, they could replicate the Indiana blueprint.
"If you are of the belief that maybe there is someone who will make an Indiana-like unexpected run. Certainly not a program that has been in the depths of despair for generations as Indiana had prior to Cignetti's arrival, but one who might follow the blueprint that Indiana established for a very quick turnaround," Davis said. "I submit to you: the Penn State Nittany Clones." Nittany Clones was Davis' way of referencing Penn State's heavy Iowa State influence with the staff and roster.
It may take a lot of effort for everything to pan out, but Davis could be right in his assumption. Penn State has the perfect non-conference slate to get Campbell and Co. up to speed before a Big Ten schedule that avoids all of Oregon,Ohio State, and Indiana. There will be some tests like a road trip to Michigan on November 17, after a home game against USC in what could be their White Out matchup.
Still, the Nittany Lions do not have the benefit of going under the radar like the Hoosiers were able to do. No matter their record, they will always be in the national spotlight, especially if things go awry. It may be easy now for Davis to set lofty expectations, but it will only matter if Penn State actually looks the part.
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Could Penn State pull an Indiana in Year 1 under Matt Campbell?
Continue reading...
