Basic Blues Nation
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Penn State community-owned and operated credentialed media outlet covering all your favorite Nittany Lion athletics #WeAre
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Former Michigan OL Taylor Lewan says the Wolverines need to move quickly to replace Sherrone Moore because the school “is dangerously close to going through what Penn State has gone through in their coaching process.” Less than 60 seconds later, Lewan lists new Penn State coach Matt Campbell as one of Michigan’s top three targets: “I would look at how dry that ink is on that contract.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation6,915,929 views • 8 months ago
Before taking questions, Ethan Grunkemeyer comes out with a statement about the Penn State locker room: “We just played the No. 2 team in the country. Got a top 5 offense, top 5 defense, and a Heisman contender at QB. So, just the questions about our buy-in as a team - I think right there, that just goes to show the commitment our team has. “…So, just super proud of those guys in that locker room. There isn’t anybody else I’d want to go to battle with.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation1,651,564 views • 9 months ago
James Franklin tonight on the impact of a primetime White Out (with a subtle jab at Big Noon along the way): “I know FOX tried to argue that a 12 o’clock White Out was the same as a 7 o’clock White Out. I think people would disagree with that…It’s just turned into a special event. And not just in football, really in sports.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation1,157,193 views • 10 months ago
Josh Pate with a charged response to the firing of James Franklin at Penn State: "I think firing him is insane. I think Penn State firing him right now, off of 34-8 the past three years, one play away from a national championship appearance last year, is insane. And thinking you can do better, to the tune of paying $50 million in buyout money to prove it, is insane." Interestingly, Franklin made similar comments about the recalibration of college football just two weeks ago: "I don't think a lot of people, including our players, recognize college football has changed. It's much more of an NFL model now in terms of records, in terms of the season, and how it goes in the playoffs." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation628,280 views • 10 months ago
Rece Davis believes that Matt Campbell and Penn State may be better situated than any team in the country to replicate Curt Cignetti and Indiana’s model of rapid success. Stellar transfer class. Proven defensive coordinator. Favorable schedule. Davis broke down his logic on the College GameDay Podcast ⬇️ #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation48,562 views • 21 days ago
Penn State had 2 weeks to prepare for Oregon, during which James Franklin spent several days on the road recruiting. Should Franklin have spent more time preparing for the Ducks? He had a charged response to that question today: "Anytime things don't go well, every decision is going to be critiqued. I get it, I totally get it...I think we took the right approach. We spent a ton of time on Oregon. We spent a ton of time on Oregon this summer - I think they did as well. And then we balanced our week between recruiting and preparing during the bye week for our next opponent." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation601,875 views • 10 months ago
James Franklin addressing the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors this morning: “We poured our hearts and souls into the last place for the last 12 years. Learned a lot of lessons. Got tremendous experience. Obviously, we’re going to take all those experiences and knowledge and bring it here to Virginia Tech.” Franklin will be officially introduced tomorrow. #WeAre #PennState 🎥: 🦃 Mostly Virginia Tech 🦃
Basic Blues Nation435,818 views • 9 months ago
Nick Saban thinks Matt Campbell can have success at Penn State, but not if the Nittany Lions keep their ‘championship or bust’ mentality: “These places that have, to me, a little bit of unrealistic expectations that we’re going to win the national championship. Only one team wins the national championship, and there’s a lot of competition out there…I mean, there’s all types of factors that go into whether you can finish the season the way you want. So, to make that sort of the goal, which is an outcome, that ‘We got to win the championship or we’re gonna get rid of the coach,’ to me is totally wrong. And they’ll have a hard time doing it if that’s the approach that they take. “Look, Matt Campbell did a great job at Iowa State because he won more there than most. So that tells you what the potential of the place is and what he was able to accomplish. I’m sure he’ll be able to do the same thing at Penn State.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation385,012 views • 8 months ago
In his National Signing Day press conference, James Franklin explained that Virginia Tech was not aiming to flip commitments from Penn State, or any other program: “I want to make sure that this is interpreted right: by no means were we out looking to take commits from any specific school. It really just came down to the kids that we’ve had relationships with, that we’ve known for multiple years. That’s really what that was about.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation286,130 views • 8 months ago
What is Penn State football looking for in a new head coach? Pat Kraft lays it all out: "We want someone who honors our tradition but isn't afraid to evolve. Someone who understands the weight of 'We Are' and leads us forward with a vision of championships. "The right coach will rebuild the unity and pride that defines this historic program, and they will ignite this fan base around a shared belief that we're capable of greatness, and we're going to do it the right way, and we are the best program in the country." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation299,720 views • 10 months ago
Terry Smith on why he is the best candidate for Penn State: "No one knows Penn State better than me. Of all the candidates that are out there, I know the history of Penn State. I know the culture, the DNA. I know the locker room. I know the administration. I think I'm a good leader. I think I'm a leader of men." Reiterates that the focus, for now, is Rutgers. #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation163,689 views • 8 months ago
Terry Smith will try to get his team to channel the guilt that it feels after James Franklin was fired and use it toward a productive end of the season: "We tell the truth in the building, and we all failed Coach Franklin. That's why he's not here. We failed him. So, we have to take ownership in that. And, as we move forward, we have to correct it. We want to play for him, we want to play for us." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation104,840 views • 10 months ago
Ultimately his last time in Beaver Stadium, James Franklin left Penn State football with the same message he preached from the start of his tenure with the Nittany Lions: "I love those kids. I am committed to those players in that locker room, and I've been that way for 12 years. I've been that way for 15 years of my head coaching career, and I've been that way for 30 years. That won't change. "It's always been about the players for me; that won't ever change. That's what it's all about for me. So, my commitment is to the guys in that locker room and all the guys that have been in that locker room in the past." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation86,195 views • 10 months ago
Has Jim Knowles been looking forward to his first White Out on the Penn State coaching staff? Short answer: No. “That’s not my job, really, to think about any of that. Whether it’s in a parking lot or in the best atmosphere in football - in a White Out game - it’s got to be the same. It has to be consistent for me in terms of our performance.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation84,848 views • 11 months ago
After public criticism of Penn State's player leadership in recent days, Terry Smith says he believes accountability won't be an issue in 2026. Smith pointed to Nittany Lions like King Mack, Anthony Donkoh, and Tony Rojas as model leaders for the program next fall: "I think we're in great hands for next year. I think the leadership will have a lot of accountability to each other. I think our growth from the second half of the season gives us momentum to what it should look like, and I think we're going to be in good hands." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation59,055 views • 8 months ago
Is James Franklin considering any staff changes following the underwhelming start to the season? The Penn State football coach tackled that question in his weekly press conference today: "My job is to hold everybody accountable and create an environment where the players and the coaches can be successful. And that’s what we’re going to do moving forward, starting with Northwestern.” #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation65,106 views • 10 months ago
While opt-outs are the norm in today's college football, Dani Dennis-Sutton had no second thoughts about playing in the Pinstripe Bowl. Dennis-Sutton left his mark in his final game as a Nittany Lion, tallying two key sacks to help secure Penn State a postseason win. "This program gave me a million opportunities, so playing in the game, this is nothing, man. I love football. I love playing football. I love this program. "It was sort of a no-brainer for me. I don't really comprehend not playing in a game. It's an opportunity to go out there with my boys one last time, and it was a privilege." #WeAre #PennState
Basic Blues Nation43,144 views • 7 months ago