Penn State Players Transferring

Seniors
Justin Brown (Starting Wide Receiver) to Oklahoma
Devon Smith (Starting Wide Receiver) to Marshall

Juniors
Robert Bolden (Backup Quarterback) to LSU
Khairi Fortt (Backup Linebacker) to California
Kevin Haplea (Backup Tight End) To Florida State
Silas Redd (Starting Running Back) to USC

RS Juniors
Anthony Fera (Starting Kicker and Punter) to Texas
Derrick Thomas (Backup Cornerback) to Marshall

RS Freshmen
Tim Buckley (Backup Safety) to North Carolina State
Ryan Nowicki (Backup Offensive Tackle) to Illinois

Freshmen
Jamil Pollard (Defensive Tackle) to Rutgers

2012 Schedules

Here are some interesting observations about schedules in the 2012 season:

• 22 teams have ONLY FBS opponents on their schedules
• No SEC or ACC schools are among the twenty-two teams to play this type of schedule
• Five are from Conference USA
• Four are from the Big Ten
• 97 teams have ONE game against an FCS opponents on their schedules
• 4 teams have TWO games against FCS opponents on their schedules
• Florida State
• Cincinnati
• Pittsburgh
• Texas A&M
• 1 team plays TWO FCS opponents and TWO Division 2 opponents
• UT-San Antonio, which was rushed up to the FBS level to save the WAC
• 3 teams play a 13-game regular season
• New Mexico
• UNLV
• South Alabama
• The NCAA allows teams that play Hawaii on the road to play a 13-game schedule if they chose. The extra game helps generate revenue for the school to offset the expensive travel costs of flying a team to Hawaii. Hawaii is also allowed to play a 13-game schedule every year if it chooses. Hawaii will only play 12 games in 2012.
• Only one win over a FCS program counts towards bowl eligibility. Beating two FCS programs in a season gives a FBS school no advantage in getting to bowl eligibility. In fact in might make bowl eligibility tougher since they can only lose to 5 FBS teams, opposed to 6 FBS teams if they had played one or no FCS cupcakes.

Least Returning Starters

Teams with the least returning starters for the 2012 season.

New Mexico State 4
The Aggies return fewer starters than any team in the country. On offense, both tackles and a wide receiver return, while the defense will only see the return of the starting strong side linebacker. Most of the recruits coming into the program are junior college transfers.

Air Force 6
The Falcons return just three starters on both their offense and defense. Don't expect Air Force to go to their sixth consecutive bowl with the addition of three former WAC teams to the Mountain West this season.

Penn State 6
With the recent departures of returning starters Silas Redd and Justin Brown, Penn State is going into the 2012 campaign with just six starters from 2011. Redd and Brown combined for most of the Nittany Lions' offense. Penn State will probably not be relevant in college football this season.

Temple 7
Things are setting up badly for Temple in 2012. The team lost Bernard Pierce in the NFL draft and has moved back to the Big East after a seven year absence. Only two starters return on offense. Preseason rags are predicting the Owls to go 1-6 in conference games.

Boise State 7
After years of dominance, 2012 looks to be the year the Broncos drop off. Only one returning starter comes back on defense. Who will replace Kellen Moore? Chris Petersen has got to be nervous about facing Michigan State on national television August 31st.

Idaho 7
The Vandals are in a precarious position. They were 111th in offense and 101st in defense last season. With few starters returning, it will be hard to return to a bowl for the first time since 2009. The only positive note is that the WAC is very watered-down with the departures of Fresno State, Nevada, and Hawaii.

Most Returning Starters

Teams with the most returning starters for the 2012 season.

Tennessee 18
Derek Dooley may be on the hot seat, but with nine starters coming back on each side of the ball, it looks like he may be able to turn around Volunteer football. The offensive line comes into the season with ninety-nine combined starts.

UT-San Antonio 18
The Roadrunners have only played one season in their entire history. Start-up programs usually have a tough time, especially when moving up to the FBS in their second year of playing football. Eighteen returning starters should help the Roadrunners win some games. Most starters are only sophomores and juniors.

Florida 17
Florida was average last season. With alot of experienced talent returning, the Gators should be in the SEC East race. Ten starters return on a defense that was 8th nationally last season. Florida's defense will be really good.

FIU 17
Florida International looks set up to best last season's eight wins with eight starters returning on offense and nine starters coming back on defense. T.Y. Hilton may be gone, but the balance of FIU's top five receivers from last season are back. Mario Cristobal is building a beast in Miami. Did Pitt or Rutgers think they had a chance at getting him to leave?