2015 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

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2015 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Penn State Athletics wordmark.svg
TaxSlayer Bowl, L 17–24 vs. Georgia
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
DivisionEast Division
2015 record7–6 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
  • James Franklin (2nd season)
Offensive coordinatorJohn Donovan (2nd season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorBob Shoop (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
CaptainChristian Hackenberg
Jordan Lucas
Angelo Mangiro
Von Walker
Anthony Zettel
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
(Capacity: 106,572)
Seasons
← 2014
2016 →
2015 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 6 Michigan State xy$^   7 1     12 2  
No. 4 Ohio State x   7 1     12 1  
No. 12 Michigan   6 2     10 3  
Penn State   4 4     7 6  
Indiana   2 6     6 7  
Rutgers   1 7     4 8  
Maryland   1 7     3 9  
West Division
No. 9 Iowa xy   8 0     12 2  
No. 23 Northwestern   6 2     10 3  
No. 21 Wisconsin   6 2     10 3  
Nebraska   3 5     6 7  
Minnesota   2 6     6 7  
Illinois   2 6     5 7  
Purdue   1 7     2 10  
Championship: Michigan State 16, Iowa 13
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by second year head-coach James Franklin and played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were a member of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in Big Ten play to finish in fourth place in the East Division. They were invited to the TaxSlayer Bowl where they lost to Georgia.

Schedule[]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 53:30 p.m.at Temple*
  • Lincoln Financial Field
  • Philadelphia, PA (rivalry)
ESPNL 10–2769,176
September 1212:00 p.m.Buffalo*
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
ESPN2W 27–1493,065
September 198:00 p.m.Rutgers
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
BTNW 28–3103,323
September 263:30 p.m.San Diego State*
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
BTNW 37–2195,107
October 312:00 p.m.Army*
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
ESPNUW 20–14107,387
October 1012:00 p.m.Indianadagger
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
ESPNW 29–797,873
October 178:00 p.m.at No. 1 Ohio State
ABCL 10–38108,423
October 243:30 p.m.vs. Maryland
ESPNW 31–3068,948
October 3112:00 p.m.Illinois
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
ESPN2W 39–094,417
November 712:00 p.m.at Northwestern
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPNUL 21–2334,116
November 2112:00 p.m.No. 14 Michigan
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
ABCL 16–28107,418
November 283:30 p.m.at No. 6 Michigan StateESPNL 16–5574,705
January 2, 201612:00 p.m.vs. Georgia*
ESPNL 17–2458,212
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Polls released prior to game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Roster[]

2015 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 2 Jake Kiley Redshirt.svg Jr
WR 3 DeAndre Thompkins Redshirt.svg Fr
QB 4 Tommy Stevens Fr
WR 5 DaeSean Hamilton Redshirt.svg So
RB 6 Andre Robinson Fr
WR 7 Geno Lewis Redshirt.svg Jr
RB 8 Mark Allen Redshirt.svg Fr
QB 9 Trace McSorley Redshirt.svg Fr
WR 10 Brandon Polk Fr
TE 11 Brent Wilkerson Redshirt.svg Jr
WR 12 Chris Godwin So
WR 13 Saeed Blacknall So
QB 14 Christian Hackenberg Jr
QB 16 Billy Fessler Redshirt.svg Fr
QB 17 Jackson Erdmann Fr
TE 18 Jonathan Holland Fr
WR 19 Gregg Garrity Jr
RB 20 Johnathan Thomas Redshirt.svg Fr
RB 22 Akeel Lynch Redshirt.svg Jr
RB 24 Nick Scott Redshirt.svg Fr
RB 26 Saquon Barkley Fr
RB 27 Brandon Johnson Sr
TE 30 Charles Idemudia Redshirt.svg Jr
TE 34 Dominic Salomone Redshirt.svg Jr
RB 36 Troy Shorts Fr
WR 39 Josh McPhearson So
G, C 52 Ryan Bates Fr
G, C 53 Derek Dowrey Redshirt.svg Jr
C, G 55 Wendy Laurent Redshirt.svg Jr
G, C 57 Steven Gonzalez Fr
T 58 Chance Sorrell Redshirt.svg Fr
T 59 Andrew Nelson Redshirt.svg So
T 60 Noah Beh Redshirt.svg Fr
G 61 Jack Lasher Fr
G 62 Zach Simpson Fr
OL 66 Angelo Mangiro Redshirt.svg Sr
OL 68 Kevin Reihner Redshirt.svg Sr
G, C 69 Adam De Boef Redshirt.svg Fr
G, C 70 Brendan Mahon Redshirt.svg So
T 71 Albert Hall Redshirt.svg Jr
G, C 72 Brian Gaia Redshirt.svg Jr
T 73 Paris Palmer Jr
G, C 74 Evan Galimberti Redshirt.svg So
T 75 Brendan Brosnan Redshirt.svg Fr
T 76 Sterling Jenkins Fr
G, C 77 Chasz Wright Redshirt.svg Fr
C, G 78 Tom Devenney Redshirt.svg So
T 79 Charlie Shuman Redshirt.svg Fr
WR 80 Matt Zanellato Redshirt.svg Sr
TE 81 Adam Breneman Redshirt.svg So
WR 82 Tyler Shoop Fr
TE 83 Nick Bowers Fr
WR 84 Juwan Johnson Fr
WR 85 Irvin Charles Fr
TE 87 Kyle Carter Redshirt.svg Sr
WR 87 Dan Chisena Fr
TE 88 Mike Gesicki So
WR 89 Gordon Bentley Redshirt.svg So
TE 89 Tom Pancoast Redshirt.svg So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 1 Christian Campbell So
S 2 Marcus Allen So
CB 4 Daquan Worley Redshirt.svg Fr
LB 5 Nyeem Wartman-White Redshirt.svg Jr
S 6 Malik Golden Redshirt.svg Jr
LB 7 Koa Farmer Redshirt.svg Fr
LB 8 Gary Wooten Jr. Redshirt.svg Jr
S 9 Jordan Lucas Sr
CB 10 Trevor Williams Sr
LB 11 Brandon Bell Jr
CB 12 Jordan Smith Jr
S 14 Jarvis Miller Fr
CB 15 Grant Haley So
S 16 John Petrishen Fr
CB 17 Garrett Taylor Fr
DE 19 Torrence Brown Redshirt.svg Fr
LB 20 Jordan Dudas Sr
CB 21 Amani Oruwariye Redshirt.svg Fr
S 23 Ayron Monroe Fr
S 24 Anthony Smith Redshirt.svg So
LB 25 Von Walker Jr
S 27 Colin Harrop Redshirt.svg Jr
S 28 Troy Apke So
CB 29 John Reid Fr
DE 30 Kevin Givens Fr
CB 31 Desi Davis Redshirt.svg So
S 32 Joe Berg Redshirt.svg Fr
LB 32 Jack Haffner Redshirt.svg Jr
LB 33 Jake Cooper Fr
LB 34 Jan Johnson Fr
LB 35 Matthew Baney Sr
CB 37 Kyle Alston Redshirt.svg So
CB 38 Desi Davis Redshirt.svg So
LB 38 Ben Kline Redshirt.svg Sr
LB 40 Jason Cabinda So
DT 41 Parker Cothren Redshirt.svg So
LB 42 Troy Reeder Redshirt.svg Fr
LB 43 Manny Bowen Fr
S 45 Bryant Harper Jr
DE 46 Colin Castagna Fr
LB 47 Brandon Smith Redshirt.svg So
DE 48 Shareef Miller Fr
DE 49 Will Eikenberry Redshirt.svg Fr
S 49 Brian Tomasetti Redshirt.svg So
DE 52 Curtis Cothran Redshirt.svg So
DT 54 Robert Windsor Fr
DE 55 Kam Carter Fr
DT 63 Ryan Monk Fr
DE 90 Garrett Sickels Redshirt.svg So
DT 91 Tarow Barney Sr
DT 92 Joe Holmes Redshirt.svg Fr
DT 93 Antoine White Redshirt.svg Fr
DE 94 Evan Schwan Redshirt.svg Jr
DE 95 Carl Nassib Sr
DT 96 Immanuel Iyke Fr
DE 97 Ryan Buchholz Fr
DT 98 Anthony Zettel Sr
DT 99 Austin Johnson Redshirt.svg Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K, P 37 Chris Gulla Redshirt.svg So
SN 41 Zach Ladonis Redshirt.svg So
SN 44 Tyler Yazujian Redshirt.svg Jr
K, P 91 Nick Boumerhi Fr
P 92 Daniel Pasquariello So
P 93 Robby Liebel Redshirt.svg Fr
K, P 95 Tyler Davis Redshirt.svg So
SN 96 Kyle Vasey Redshirt.svg Fr
SN 97 Nick Cox Fr
K, P 98 Jordan Wombacker Fr
K 99 Joey Julius Redshirt.svg Fr
Head coach
  • James Franklin
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Bob Shoop (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
  • John Donovan (Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends)
  • Charles Huff (Running backs/Special Teams Coordinator)
  • Brent Pry (Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
  • Ricky Rahne (Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator)
  • Josh Gattis (Wide receivers/Offensive Recruiting Coordinator)
  • Terry Smith (Cornerbacks/Defensive Recruiting Coordinator)
  • Herb Hand (Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line)
  • Sean Spencer (Defensive Line)
  • Dwight Galt (Strength and Conditioning)
  • Joe Brady IV (Graduate Assistant)
  • Tommy Galt (Graduate Assistant)
  • Andrew Jackson (Graduate Assistant)
  • Ryan Smith (Graduate Assistant)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Staff[]

Position Name Alma mater
Head Coach James Franklin[1] East Stroudsburg (1994)
Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Bob Shoop[2] Yale (1988)
Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends John Donovan[2] Johns Hopkins (1997)
Linebackers/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach Brent Pry[2] Buffalo (1993)
Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator Charles Huff[2] Hampton (2005)
Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator Ricky Rahne[2] Cornell (2002)
Wide Receivers/Offensive Recruiting Coordinator Josh Gattis[2] Wake Forest (2006)
Cornerbacks/Defensive Recruiting Coordinator Terry Smith[2] Penn State (1991)
Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator Herb Hand[2] Hamilton College (1990)
Defensive Line Sean Spencer[2] Clarion (1995)
Strength and Conditioning Dwight Galt[2] Maryland (1981)
Graduate Assistant Joe Brady IV College of William & Mary (2013)
Graduate Assistant Tommy Galt Maryland (2009)
Graduate Assistant Andrew Jackson LIU Post (2011)
Graduate Assistant Ryan Smith College of William & Mary (2014)

Game summaries[]

Temple[]

Penn State vs. Temple – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Penn State 10 0 0010
Temple 0 7 101027

at Lincoln Financial Field

  • Date: September 5
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 86 °F (30 °C); partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 69,176
  • Referee: Daniel Capron
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Shannon Spake
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

This was Penn State's first loss to Temple since 1941.

Buffalo[]

Buffalo vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Buffalo 0 0 7714
Penn State 0 10 31427

at Beaver Stadium

Game information

Rutgers[]

Rutgers vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Rutgers 0 0 033
Penn State 0 21 0728

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: September 19
  • Game time: 8:00 p.m EDT
  • Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C); rain
  • Game attendance: 103,323
  • Referee: Jerry McGinn
  • TV announcers (BTN): Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

San Diego State[]

San Diego State vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
San Diego State 7 7 7021
Penn State 10 17 01037

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: September 26
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m EDT
  • Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C); mostly sunny
  • Game attendance: 95,107
  • Referee: Jeff Maconaghy
  • TV announcers (BTN): Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen, Lisa Byington
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Army[]

Army vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Army 0 0 7714
Penn State 7 3 10020

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: October 3
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m EDT
  • Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C); light drizzle
  • Game attendance: 107,387
  • Referee: Todd Geerlings
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Anish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Indiana[]

Indiana vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Indiana 7 0 007
Penn State 7 12 01029

at Beaver Stadium

Game information

Ohio State[]

Penn State vs. Ohio State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Penn State 3 0 7010
#1 Ohio State 0 21 01738

at Ohio Stadium

  • Date: October 17
  • Game time: 8:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C); mostly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 108,423
  • Referee: Daniel Capron
  • TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Maryland[]

Penn State vs. Maryland – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Penn State 7 10 7731
Maryland 7 6 14330

at M&T Bank Stadium

  • Date: October 24
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C); cloudy
  • Game attendance: 68,948
  • Referee: Michael Cannon
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Dave LaMont, Ray Bentley, Dawn Davenport
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Illinois[]

Illinois vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Illinois 0 0 000
Penn State 12 3 101439

at Beaver Stadium

Game information

Northwestern[]

Penn State vs. Northwestern – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Penn State 0 7 7721
Northwestern 0 20 0323

at Ryan Field

  • Date: November 7
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C); sunny
  • Game attendance: 34,116
  • Referee: Don Willard
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Clay Matvick, John Congemi
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Michigan[]

Michigan vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
#14 Michigan 7 7 7728
Penn State 3 7 0616

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: November 21
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m EST
  • Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C); mix of clouds, sun
  • Game attendance: 107,418
  • Referee: Ron Snodgrass
  • TV announcers (ABC): Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Shannon Spake
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Michigan State[]

Penn State vs. Michigan State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Penn State 0 10 0616
#6 Michigan State 6 14 142155

at Spartan Stadium

  • Date: November 28
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 34 °F (1 °C); partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 74,705
  • Referee: Michael Cannon
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), Shannon Spake (sideline)
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

Georgia[]

Penn State vs. Georgia – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Penn State 0 3 01417
Georgia 3 14 7024

at EverBank Field

  • Date: January 2
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C); partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 58,212
  • Referee: Mike Mothershed
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Allen Bestwick, Dan Hawkins, Tiffany Greene
  • ESPN Box Score
Game information

References[]

  1. ^ "Penn State Selects James Franklin To Lead Football Program". Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Penn State Official Athletic Site - Football". Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
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