UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Assistant coach Charles London talks about the Penn State staff's efforts leading up to signing the 2013 recruiting class.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head coach Bill O'Brien and the Penn State football program added 17 student-athletes to the roster on National Signing Day.

Here is a breakdown of Penn State's 2013 recruiting class.

Offense vs. Defense
- The class includes nine defensive players and eight offensive players.

By Position
- Defensive Back - 4
- Defensive Line - 3
- Offensive Line - 3
- Linebacker - 2
- Quarterback - 2
- Running Back - 1
- Tight End - 1
- Wide Receiver - 1

By State
- Pennsylvania - 4
- New Jersey - 4
- Virginia - 3
- Alabama - 2
- California - 1
- Georgia - 1
- Maryland - 1
- Washington, D.C. - 1


Complete List of 2013 Signees:

Richy Anderson
RB | Frederick, Md. | Governor Thomas Johnson High School | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 171

Brandon Bell
LB | Mays Landing, N.J. | Oakcrest High School | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 222

Adam Breneman
TE | Camp Hill, Pa. | Cedar Cliff High School | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 230

Curtis Cothran
DE | Newtown, Pa. | Council Rock High School North | Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 235

Parker Cothren
DT | Hazel Green, Ala. | Hazel Green High School | Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 265

Tyler Ferguson
QB | Bakersfield, Calif. | College of the Sequoias | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 199

Kasey Gaines
DB | Loganville, Ga. | Grayson High School | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 160

Christian Hackenberg
QB | Palmyra, Va. | Fork Union Military Academy | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 215

DaeSean Hamilton
WR | Fredericksburg, Va. | Mountain View High | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 182

Tanner Hartman
G | Lynchburg, Va. | Lynchburg Christian Academy | Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 255

Zayd Issah
LB | Harrisburg, Pa. | Central Dauphin Senior High School | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 215

Brendan Mahon
G | Randolph, N.J. | Randolph High School | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 315

Andrew Nelson
OT | Hershey, Pa. | Hershey High School | Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 295

Neiko Robinson
DB | Flomaton, Ala. | Northview High School | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 170

Garrett Sickels
DE | Little Silver, N.J. | Red Bank Regional High School | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 238

Anthony Smith
DB | Randolph, N.J. | Valley Forge Military Academy | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 184

Jordan Smith
DB | Washington, D.C. | H.D. Woodson High School | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 178


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PHOTO GALLERY: John Urschel Teaching Math

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Nittany Lion football guard John Urschel has been nothing short of perfect in the classroom since he walked onto the University Park campus.

Urschel, who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors on the field in 2012, has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average since he arrived at Penn State.  He graduated in three years with a degree in mathematics before embarking on grad school.

The Williamsville, N.Y. native had a paper published online and in the print journal, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy.  The paper is 32 pages and titled "Instabilities of the Sun-Jupiter-Asteroid Three Body Problem".

This semester, Urschel has taken things one step further and is now teaching a section of an undergraduate math class.  Urschel is an instructor for Math 041, which is a course in Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:05 to 9:55 a.m.

GoPSUsports.com sat in on Urschel's lecture on Friday, which highlighted the differences between even and odd functions and how to graph them.  The class, which has 31 students enrolled in it, is the final step before calculus courses in the math department.

Urschel used the blackboard and chalk for his lecture, and he worked from prepared handwritten notes.  The Nittany Lion guard kept a two-way dialogue between the students for the entire duration of the class period.  When he wrote something on the board, Urschel challenged the class to help him finish each problem before he moved on to the next problem.

At one point, Urschel joked, "You guys are too smart for me," as one student verbally completed a graph on the blackboard before Urschel had time to finish writing it.

What adds another dimension to Urschel's spring semester are his football responsibilities, including early-morning workouts with strength coach Craig Fitzgerald as the Nittany Lions prepare for the 2013 season.  Take Friday as an example.  Urschel participated in the full team run and lifting session from 5:30 a.m. until 7:15 a.m. before walking to his 9:05 a.m. class at Bouke Building.

At the end of Friday's class period, Urschel reminded his students to complete the online quiz before the end of the night, and he told the students he would not be available for his normally scheduled office hours on Friday afternoon.

Why?

Urschel was on his way back to the heart of campus to participate in a math seminar immediately after his class ended.

Without knowing the schedules of every football student-athlete across the country, it's hard to imagine many with a routine like Urschel's on Friday.

Teaching the math course is like second nature to Urschel.  He was in his element at the front of the classroom.  While he is essentially the perfect student, Urschel's future on the gridiron is incredibly bright, too.

HOUSTON, Texas. - Head coach Bill O'Brien added a piece of hardware to his collection on Thursday night after being named Bear Bryant Coach of the Year, his third national honor for his efforts in 2012.

O'Brien traveled to Houston on Thursday where he was one of six finalists for the award.  After media interviews and a reception with more than 50 members of the Houston Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, the Nittany Lion head coach attended the awards ceremony at the Hyatt Regency with a crowd of more than 650 people.

Each finalist addressed the crowd, along with Lifetime Achievement Recipient and former BYU head coaching great LaVell Edwards, before O'Brien was announced as the award winner to a resounding ovation.  Coach O'Brien, who was truly honored and humbled to receive the award, immediately thanked the coaching staff and Penn State players for their efforts in 2012.

His peers in attendance, including Vanderbilt's James Franklin, Stanford's David Shaw, Kansas State's Bill Snyder and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin each, individually made an effort to walk up to O'Brien and congratulate him for his efforts during the course of the day.  Watch behind the scenes footage from the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year trip and hear Coach O'Brien's acceptance speech after winning the national award.

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Butler Press Conference Transcript

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Newly-promoted Penn State defensive coordinator John Butler is full speed ahead in getting things in order for the remainder of the recruiting period and the 2013 season.

Head coach Bill O'Brien walked into Butler's office on Wednesday afternoon and notified him that he would be the leader of Penn State's defensive.  Butler immediately accepted the offer and went right to work on what needs to be done to help build on the success he and the staff achieved in 2012.

A passionate leader with great intensity on the field and in the meeting room, Butler has trained for 19 years to be in the position that he will occupy in the fall.  With a diverse background, including experience coaching all three spots on defense and special teams, Butler is looking forward to the challenge.

The suburban Philadelphia native will lead a multiple defense that plays aggressive and fast.  Butler interviewed with several local and regional TV stations, along with local beat reporters on Thursday.  Check out a few highlights from the conversations with the media.


What does this opportunity mean to you and how have you prepared yourself for this step?
Butler: "I think that everything has prepared me for this step.  With every job you take, you are getting yourself ready for the next opportunity.  This is obviously a tremendous honor that Bill (O'Brien) has given me to take over as the defensive coordinator at Penn State.  There is going to be a ton of consistency here with Ron (Vanderlinden) and Larry (Johnson) being here as two great coaches.  We are going to put this thing together, and it will be very similar to what we did in 2012."

What is your general philosophy of defense?
Butler: "I think we are going to be multiple.  We are going to be aggressive.  We are going to be simple enough so that our players can play really fast.  It doesn't really matter what I know or what Ron knows or what Larry knows, it really comes down to what our players know for how fast we can play.  One of the biggest things we are going to do is that we are going to try and create problems for the offense so that we are a difficult defense for our opponents to prepare for."

How did you find out about the position?
Butler: "Well everything happened yesterday.  At some point yesterday morning, Bill (O'Brien) and Ted (Roof) had a conversation about what Ted was going to do.  Pretty much thereafter, I don't know the exact timeline yesterday morning, but Bill came in and said 'I'm going to promote you to be the defensive coordinator'.  I said, 'That's great.  Thanks a lot. What do you need me to do.' 

What do you see your future involvement with the secondary and special teams looking like moving forward?
Butler: "I'm going to still be involved with the secondary, whether I coach the corners or I coach the safeties that will be determined, but I am going to maintain a coaching role.  I am not going to be a walk around coordinator."

What has the relationship been like with you and the defensive staff for the past year, and how has it grown?
Butler: "Larry and Ron are great guys, most importantly great family men and great leaders here at Penn State.  They are fully invested in everything that has happened here in the past on the field and everything that we did last year, and then everything that we are going to do moving forward.  You've got one of the best linebacker coaches in football; you've got one of the best D-Line coaches in football with you helping you put together a plan.  What a great opportunity to continue working with those guys and whoever else we hire on defense to continue to maintain the standard of excellence they've had here on defense at Penn State.  I'd much rather have it be with guys like them, highly successful coaches that believe in what we are doing here at Penn State."

What type of players do you inherit on your defense for 2013?
Butler: "We obviously have some young players, some very talented players.  We do have some guys with some experience coming back who we are excited about.  Every team takes on a new identity, and quite frankly we are trying to cultivate and develop the leaders for the 2013 football team.  That kind of started when classes started this week, and that will take on a life of its own.  I feel like we have a talented enough group, as long as we stay healthy, to continue to move this thing forward.  We've got good enough players."


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Bill O'Brien Press Conference Transcript - Jan. 7

Dr. David Joyner Press Remarks - Jan. 7


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Bill O'Brien's love for coaching football at Penn State is why he is eagerly anticipating the start of the preparations for the 2013 season.

Introduced as the head coach of the Nittany Lions one year ago on Monday, O'Brien wouldn't trade the position he is in right now for anything.

"I can't think of a better place to be," O'Brien said.

Coaching football is O'Brien's craft.  He wakes up early every morning, drives from his home in Boalsburg to one of two Dunkin' Donuts in State College to order an extra large coffee (three Splenda and extra cream), walks into the Lasch Football Building up the stairs to his second-floor office and works tireless hours to find ways to get the most out of his student-athletes on the field and in the classroom.

Why?

"My job is as the head football coach of Penn State is to make sure that we field the best football team we possibly can, that we graduate our players, and that we continue to attract some of the top-notch character, academic disciplined kids, student-athletes, that are out there.  That's my job.  I absolutely enjoy every single day coming to work here," O'Brien said.

In football coaching, the National Football League is the pinnacle of the sport.  Out of respect for the job O'Brien did in leading the Nittany Lions in 2012 and his previous experience in the NFL, a few teams recently reached out to his representative.  He had conversations, but that is as far as it went.  O'Brien is the leader of Penn State Football because this is where he wants to be.

"You know, at the end of the day, the most important thing is the decision that I made," O'Brien said.  "I made the decision to be here at Penn State, just like I made that decision a year ago...This is a top 10 football program.  This is one of the best academic institutions in the country, in the world, and I am very, very proud to be the head football coach here.  Very proud."

He likes everything involved with the challenge of coaching, from crafting game plans to spending countless hours reviewing film from his desk chair in his office.  Anyone who thinks O'Brien coaches for another reason misinterprets the man who is leading Penn State Football.

"If I was about money, more than likely, I probably wouldn't be sitting here now," said O'Brien. "It's not about money. It's about making sure that Penn State University, the Penn State athletic department, Penn State Football does everything we can to make sure it's the best we can for our student-athletes. That's what it's about."

O'Brien forged a bond with the players on the day he first addressed the team, which is exactly one year ago on Tuesday.  The feeling between the two is mutual.

"I trust my players, and I believe that they trust me, and like I said, I love coaching these kids and can't wait to start working with them for spring practice," O'Brien said.

O'Brien and the players met at 7 a.m. on Monday for the first time as a complete group during the new calendar year.  The Nittany Lions are looking to build on the 8-4 campaign last fall, but the book is closed on 2012.  This is a new team, and the group is eager for what is ahead.

"Every year is different.  I just met with the team here, and I said, look, 2012 has been over for a couple months now, and we've got to create a new identity," said O'Brien.

Between now and the start of spring practice in March, O'Brien and the coaching staff will again hit the recruiting trail.  National Signing Day is on Feb. 6.  The players will commence offseason strength and conditioning work immediately.

The Nittany Lions begin the 2013 regular season on Aug. 31 inside MetLife Stadium against Syracuse.

The countdown clock stands at 236 days until the opener.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With the start of the spring academic semester on Monday, the Nittany Lion football program welcomes five new student-athletes who are enrolled in classes and will be eligible to participate in spring practice with the Nittany Lions in 2013. 

The list includes four high school players who graduated early to enroll at Penn State and one junior-college signee.  The Nittany Lions welcome one quarterback, one running back, one tight end and two defensive backs for the start of the spring semester.

The January signees include running back Richy Anderson (Frederick, Md.), tight end Adam Breneman (Camp Hill, Pa.), quarterback Tyler Ferguson (Visalia, Calif.), defensive back Anthony Smith (Randolph, N.J.) and defensive back Jordan Smith (Washington, D.C.).

The five signees will join the returning Nittany Lions on campus for the culmination of the winter strength and conditioning program immediately.  National Signing Day is on Feb. 6.  The 2013 Blue-White Game is scheduled for April 20.

ESPN and Maxwell Football Club Coach of the Year Bill O'Brien and the Nittany Lions open the 2013 season on Aug. 31 against Syracuse at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.  Penn State returns 16 starters for 2013 - eight on offense, six on defense and two specialists, along with 10 additional returnees with starting experience.


Richy Anderson
RB | Frederick, Md. | Governor Thomas Johnson High School
Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 180
The son of former Nittany Lion great and NFL running back Richie Anderson, Richy Anderson is a 5-11, 180-pound versatile all-purpose back.  The Frederick, Md., native produced more than 1,700 yards of offense and 15 touchdowns as a junior at Governor Thomas Johnson High School.  Rated a three-star prospect on Scout.com, Rivals.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports, Anderson helped lead Thomas Johnson HS to the Class 3A state title game in 2011.  Anderson's father lettered at Penn State from 1991-92, rushing for 1,756 yards and 31 touchdowns before embarking on a 12-year NFL career with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys.






Adam Breneman
TE | Camp Hill, Pa. | Cedar Cliff High School
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 230
Rated among the nation's top tight ends, Camp Hill, Pa., native Adam Breneman brings a versatile skill set to the Nittany Lion program.  The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Breneman possesses great speed and quickness for a player his size.  A crisp route runner with good hands, the Cedar Cliff High School standout has the tools to line up in a variety of locations on offense.  Breneman's traits will fit nicely into the Bill O'Brien tight end-friendly offensive scheme.  Rated a five-star prospect by Rivals, Breneman caught 72 passes for 1,120 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior.  As a sophomore, Breneman made 60 receptions for 863 yards and eight touchdowns.  Off the field, Breneman played an instrumental role in a fundraising effort, "Catch the Cure", which helped raise more than $80,000 for Project A.L.S.





Tyler Ferguson
QB | Visalia, Calif. | College of the Sequoias
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 210
A standout quarterback at The College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., quarterback Tyler Ferguson enters the spring semester with three years of eligibility at Penn State.  Ferguson, who threw for 2,614 yards and 22 touchdowns in 10 games during 2012, is a 6-5, 210-pound signal-caller.  He completed better than 55 percent of his passes and was the second-leading passer in the CCCAA's Central Valley Conference.  The Bakersfield, Calif., product threw for 1,275 yards and touchdowns as a senior at Ridgeview High School.  He fueled a 6-0 start during his senior season in 2011 before suffering a broken collarbone.  Ferguson is an accurate passer with good pocket awareness and the ability to tuck the ball and run when he needs to.





Anthony Smith
DB | Randolph, N.J. | Valley Forge Military Academy
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 185
Defensive back Anthony Smith will likely have an opportunity to make an early impact during spring drills in the Penn State secondary and on special teams.  A 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back hailing from Randolph, N.J., Smith spent last season at Valley Forge Military Academy.  In addition to playing in the defensive backfield, Smith spent time at quarterback and was the long snapper for Valley Forge in 2012.  He earned second-team All-West Jersey honors during his final season at Pope John XXIII High School (Sussex County, N.J.) in 2011.   Smith is an aggressive player with the size and speed to add depth in the Penn State secondary and special teams unit when spring drills begin in March.





Jordan Smith
DB | Washington, D.C. | H.D. Woodson High School
Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 185
Penn State has had a long line of talented players from suburban Washington, D.C., and 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back Jordan Smith will look to join that list for the Nittany Lions.  Smith is an aggressive athlete with the skill set to play either in a number of different spots in the secondary.  Like Anthony Smith, Jordan Smith will likely have an opportunity to add depth and make an early impact in the secondary and on special teams during spring drills.  Smith tallied two-straight 60-plus tackle seasons at Archbishop Carroll High School before moving to H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C.  Smith's older brother, Stephen, played high school football with former Nittany Lion great Derrick Williams at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Maryland.




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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 2012 calendar year was one marked by excellence and achievement from numerous Penn State teams.

As we close in on the final days of 2012, GoPSUsports.com wanted to take time and reflect on a tremendous year for Penn State Athletics.  The hiring of head coach Bill O'Brien on Jan. 6, in many ways, set a tone for the athletic department throughout the calendar year.  O'Brien's introductory press conference highlighted a clear vision for how the football program would try to do its part in helping the athletic department move forward as One Team.

The results speak for themselves, and all 31 Penn State teams across the University Park campus should be recognized for their efforts in 2012.  The list of achievements on the field of play, including one national title and seven Big Ten titles, and in the classroom, including more than 270 Academic All-Big Ten honorees, is tremendous.

The spring season included a Big Ten and NCAA title from the wrestling team for second-straight season.  Three Nittany Lion wrestlers - Frank Molinaro, David Taylor and Ed Ruth - won individual national titles.  The Lady Lions, who clinched a Big Ten title on the BJC hardwood in February, earned a spot in the Sweet Sixteen for the 12th time in program history.  The men's volleyball team earned a trip to the NCAA National Semifinals for the 27th time.  The women's lacrosse team reached the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Additionally, 171 Penn State student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades during the winter and spring seasons.  Men's gymnastics' Miguel Pineda was named a first Academic All-American.

The fall campaign was one for the Penn State record books.  Penn State won five Big Ten championships and had five coaches selected conference coach of the year.  The field hockey team (Char Morett) won the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, the men's soccer team (Bob Warming), women's soccer (Erica Walsh) and women's volleyball (Russ Rose) teams all won Big Ten championships.  Additionally, after leading the Nittany Lion football team to an 8-4 campaign, including six Big Ten wins, Bill O'Brien was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

In postseason competition, the women's soccer team reached the NCAA College Cup Final for the first time in program history.  The women's volleyball team played in the NCAA National Semifinals for the 10th time in school history.  The women's cross country team captured the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional crown on its home course.

The story was much of the same in the classroom.  A fall record 100 Penn State student-athletes achieved Academic All-Big Ten recognition this semester, including a trio of 4.0 students - football's John Urschel, women's volleyball's Maggie Harding and women's cross country's Katie Rodden.  Football's Pete Massaro and Urschel earned first team Academic All-America honors.  Harding won the Elite 89 Award for the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship for having the highest cumulative grade point average of student-athletes participating in the championship.

With so many events to choose from, narrowing down the list of outstanding Penn State sporting events from 2012 to just 10 was a challenge, but here are your 10 nominees for the top sporting event of the outstanding 2012 calendar year for Penn State Athletics.

From now until Dec. 28, cast your vote for the top event of the year.