Analysis: Clarity emerges on Lions' Week 1 depth chart

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's Week 1 depth chart is set and while it doesn't feature many surprises, it does provide clarity at a few positions and answer important questions about depth.

The starting safety spot opposite Marcus Allen will be held by Troy Apke, and the offensive line -- featuring more depth than years past -- essentially is the same one that ended the season. Move Connor McGovern into the starting role at center, which is a spot he locked down in spring ball, and add a healthy Brendan Mahon at right guard and the Lions have a solid front five.

It's also worth noting that a few true freshmen cracked the depth chart, which shouldn't come as a surprise since James Franklin, position coaches and teammates all spoke highly of cornerbacks Lamont Wade and Tariq Castro-Fields. Those were among the names getting mentioned all summer and count defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, who doesn't appear on the depth chart, among the three players who will burn their redshirts, Franklin said Tuesday afternoon at his weekly news conference.

"We have three [freshmen] that we plan on burning their redshirts right from the beginning of the season," Franklin said. "That could change as the season goes on, and those three, like I said, are Yetur at defensive end and Lamont Wade and Castro-Fields at corner. The other guys are listed to complete a three-deep, and they are up with the varsity from a training perspective and practice, but we don't plan on playing those other guys on Saturday. Those guys are all probably considered yellows at this point."

Look for the three freshmen to also make an impact on special teams, with kicker Tyler Davis adding that Wade and Castro-Fields stood out to him during camp on the kick coverage unit.

“It’s their speed and they’re aggressive and they really caught on quickly," Davis said Tuesday morning on a conference call. "Their athleticism stands out.”

I'll do my best to scribble down all of the special teams contributors on Saturday -- and while re-watching the game on Sunday -- and will pass along those names as soon as I have them.

Until then, here's a breakdown, complete with analysis from players and Franklin about what the depth chart looks like ahead of the season opener against Akron:

QUARTERBACK
• Trace McSorley
• Tommy Stevens
• Sean Clifford



Analysis: We might not figure out what would happen should the opportunity for the No. 3 quarterback arise because Clifford, the true freshman in that role, is someone who the Lions want to preserve his redshirt. Clifford beat out Jake Zembiec for the No. 3 spot, a position that Franklin said in August was one of the more intriguing ones of camp. Zembiec has three semesters of experience -- including a redshirt year -- on Clifford so the fact that the player who arrived in late June won that spot speaks to just how good of a camp Clifford had.

"Sean Clifford is a guy that we were excited about coming in," Franklin said Tuesday afternoon of the four-star signee. "Probably was much further ahead than we had anticipated mentally. Has really picked this offense up quickly. Asked a lot of questions; is locked in; takes great notes; is right on Coach [Joe] Moorhead and Trace and Tommy's hip all the time. ... He probably runs better than we anticipated, as well. Shows really good athleticism, and he's kind of got some of the "It" factor that people have been trying to kind of figure out and describe for 25 years at that position, or probably longer than that."

RUNNING BACK
• Saquon Barkley
• Andre Robinson OR
• Mark Allen OR
• Miles Sanders

Analysis: This is a loaded group and in many ways is the model for how the Lions' staff wants the depth chart to look. There's a big-time starter of course in Barkley and then experienced players behind him in Robinson and the shifty Allen. Sanders, who like Barkley and Robinson was also a big-time prospect coming out of high school, will have to be patient. He'll impact this team again on special teams where he's the kick returner, but he's certainly much improved than he was a year ago. When the opportunity comes for him as a back -- which it likely will in non-conference play -- he'll have a chance to show that improvement.

"I think all these guys, they come into it through the recruiting process and what they envision their freshmen year to be," Franklin said. "Very rarely does it play out that way. You know, I think nationally, very rarely does it play out the way they kind of pictured it in their mind. And I think that's good. I think it's a process for all of us. ...  I think Miles would be the first one to tell you that he's a completely different player now than he was two years ago. We think he's got a very, very bright future but I think that those things are important. And I think obviously having a guy like Saquon in front of you to watch and learn and grow from; and even Mark Allen, that running back group, Andre Robinson, that running back group, they do it the right way."

WIDE RECEIVER
X - Juwan Johnson, Irvin Charles, Dae’lun Darien
H - DaeSean Hamilton, Brandon Polk, KJ Hamler
Z - DeAndre Thompkins, Saeed Blacknall, Mac Hippenhammer

Analysis: No surprise that Johnson is the top guy at the X spot and after all the hype that's surrounded him this spring and summer who knows what type of numbers he's capable of putting up this year as a redshirt sophomore? Hamilton, who will meet with the media Wednesday night after practice, has one final season ahead of him and whether he looks like the Hamilton of old could be a huge key to this offense. He's often the forgotten guy of the group and hasn't been talked about much by fans, but the Lions' staff has been quick to point to Hamilton multiple times this summer as a player who impressed in camp.

The biggest change here is at the Z, where Thompkins is listed ahead of Blacknall. Both players will have a big role in the offense, but Thompkins has quietly emerged among this group. What he did in the game last year against Pitt, in particular with one spectacular catch, was a breakout moment for him. However, Franklin already cautions that the depth chart could've and should've listed an OR between Thompkins and Blacknall.

"Those two guys, we kind of both look at as starters," Franklin said.  "They are going to play a lot of football for us. Saeed has played a lot of football for us. DeAndre has played a lot of football for us. DaeSean Hamilton obviously, all those guys. Juwan Johnson I think is going to have a big year for us. We very easily could have listed that as "or". But you know, we have a lot of confidence in DeAndre."

Thompkins was really undersized when he arrived at Penn State -- actually on the same day that Franklin was introduced -- and now is listed at 5-11, 187 pounds as a redshirt junior. Blacknall, at 6-3, 217 pounds, will look to cap his collegiate career with more plays like he made in the Big Ten title game. Staying healthy and consistently being that player maker is a hurdle he'll need to clear this year.

TIGHT END
• Mike Gesicki
• Jonathan Holland
• Nick Bowers OR
• Tom Pancoast

Analysis: Perhaps the only interesting note here is that Holland is listed ahead of Bowers. Keep in mind Bowers missed all of last year with an injury and redshirted the year before so while he works his way back it's likely Holland's blocking that's helped him move ahead. Penn State was high on Holland after spring ball and clearly that carried into the summer.

O-LINE
LT - Ryan Bates, Will Fries, Sterling Jenkins
LG - Steven Gonzalez, Mike Miranda, C.J. Thorpe
C - Connor McGovern, Zach Simpson, Miranda
RG - Brendan Mahon, Michal Menet, Charlie Schuman
RT - Chasz Wright OR Andrew Nelson, Alex Gellerstedt

Analysis: Anyone who followed along closely with what was transpiring up front won't be surprised by this group. It's certainly deeper than years prior -- heck, remember a few years ago during the sanction era when they didn't even have enough bodies for three deep up front? Getting Mahon back healthy is a big piece of this year's line and Franklin can't get over the senior's physicality, something that he said without Mahon this line maybe doesn't have. That mean streak will set the tone.

"He is a big, strong, physical offensive lineman who has got light enough feet that could play tackle for us," Franklin said. "Gives us more of a road-grader mentality at the guard position, and has some of the heaviest hands I've ever been around. I mean, when he punches you, it's like getting hit with two cinder blocks, it really is. We're excited about having him back."

Nelson's health is the biggest thing keeping him out of that starting lineup right now, but Franklin said as the season progresses Nelson's role will continue to increase. That's certainly good news after back-to-back seasons ended early for the senior because of knee injuries.

"He's still working back through some issues and I think as the season goes on, you're going to see his role continue to grow and he's going to play a lot for us," he said.

Menet, the highly-touted redshirt freshman continues mending after missing what Franklin said was "significant time" in the spring and summer due to "bumps and bruises."

With the front five as it is it's noticeably different from a size perspective too. Across the front they're looking at 6-4, 312 pounds, 6-4, 341 pounds, 6-5, 312 pounds, 6-4, 318 pounds and 6-7, 358 pounds. Penn State's defensive linemen have taken note of that in practice with defensive tackle Curtis Cothran embracing the big boys across from him.

"When we go to other teams, Big Ten offensive line and things like that, it will definitely get us ready," Cothran said Tuesday. "But it's very impressive to see the way that they have packed on the weight and good weight, not bad weight at all."

Remember, Bates was a guard at the beginning of last season. He was thrust into action at left tackle when Mahon was injured and stayed there ever since. He said that's the spot he's most comfortable at, which is good for the Lions since left tackles are typically the most difficult offensive linemen to land and train. Having a redshirt sophomore in that role is huge for the years to come.

Bates shed light on how he prepared to kick outside last year and why he's better prepared for that spot this season: