Penn Statehashigh expectations for the 2024 college football seasonfollowing another 10-win regular seasoncampaign last fall. The Nittany Lions areprojected as a fringe top-10 team in earlynational preseason rankings, withBig Ten championship aspirationsanda debut College Football Playoff appearancein focus.
PSU opens its 2024 game scheduleAug. 31 at West Virginiaina rematch of the Nittany Lions' 2023 opener win. In the meantime, our Countdown to Kickoff series will feature players whose uniform numbers correspond with that number of days remaining until that matchup.Now at 39days,we focus on youngNittany Lions lineman Ty Blanding.
THE BASICS
Position:Defensive tackle
Class:Freshman
Size:6-1, 286 pounds
High School:Christ The King (Bronx, N.Y.)
PATH TO PENN STATE
Ty Blandingsecured a bunch of FBS offers before his sophom*ore season and Penn State extended one after his junior campaign, in February 2022. His commitment came four months later following anofficial visit to Happy Valley.
He named Michigan, Oregon, Syracuse and West Virginiaas other finalists leading up to that announcement.
"The visit let me get a real better feel for it," Blanding told 247Sports. "Penn State, everyone knows of Penn State, but I didn't really know Penn State. When I was there, I got to see everything. Literally everything—the dorms, the environment. It's like family, and it felt like family on the official visit."
As a senior at Christ The King, hetotaled 46 tackles (six for loss) with five sacks, three forced fumbles and 17 QB hurries. 247Sports evaluated him as a three-star talent and the No. 67 defensive lineman in Class of 2024 recruit rankings.
Penn State's staff viewedhimamong their more underrated additions in the 2023 class.
"The guy that nobody's talking about, and I watch his tape, I think he's really good, is Ty Blanding,"James Franklinsaid on Signing Day. "Watched the guy play linebacker, he is twitchy, quick. You watch him play defensive end, he's twitchy and quick. Watch him play at defensive tackle and he's making plays and he's explosive. I think sometimes New York is under-recruited. People view it as a basketball state, but there's been a bunch of really good players come out of that state. ... I don't understand why more people are not talking about this guy. I think is tape is really, really good. He's an awesome kid. Love the family. Love everything about him."
HAPPY VALLEY HIGHLIGHTS
Listed at approximately 260 pounds on Signing Day in December 2022, Blanding told Lions247 he bulked up to about 270 before enrollment last May, and Penn State's 2023 preseason rosterhim at 276 pounds. One year later, Blanding is listed at 286 pounds at 6-foot-1, providing increased evidence of his physical development.
Hewas one of 15 true freshmen who saw game action last fall. Blanding entered one contest, handling three defensive snaps during a Week 2 win over Delaware.
Beyond the spotlight of Penn State matchups, Blanding served as a valuable piece for defensive scout-team purposes, helping prepare primary offensive linemen for upcoming games.
2024 OUTLOOK
Aside from backup transfer departuresDavon TownleyandJordan van den Berg, Penn State didn't lose a single scholarship defensive tackle from its roster.In fact, seniorsHakeem BeamonandDvon Elliesopted in for their sixth seasons with COVID eligibility and 2023 Old Dominion transferAlonzo Fordis working his way back from an injury that sidelined him all of last season.
Ellies and juniorZane Durantfinished 2023 as starters, while Beamon logged several starts early. Meanwhile, redshirt seniorCoziah Izzardalso possesses starting experience and aims to sustain atwo-deep spot.Blanding andredshirt sophom*ore Kaleb Artisare the next pair up in terms of scholarship defensive tackles who've spent time with the team, and both again face a challenge to break through for regular rotational work.
Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions added four new competitors at defensive tackle in the form of freshmenLiam Andrews,De'Andre Cook,T.A. CunninghamandXavier Gilliam. There is much to sort through with the first- through third-year competitors in this room, especially as Penn State prepares toexperience a significant exodus next offseason.
Blandingremains among the lighter members of this defensive tackle group. which features five players at 300-plus pounds. Still, up approximately 25 pounds from his senior high school season, progress is apparent even as he awaits a consistent on-field role.
Blanding carries college eligibility through 2027.
* Walk-on redshirtsophom*oresafety Jashaun Green will also wear No. 39 for the Nittany Lions this season.
LIONS247 SPECIAL: 30%OFF VIP ACCESS
Previous Numbers
40 - Anthony Speca
41 - Kobe King
42 - Mason Robinson43 - Tyler Elsdon
44 - Tyler Warren and Jalen Harvey
45 - Sean Lee46 - Nick Tarburton
47 - Jordan Hill
48 - Kaveion Keys
49 - Ben Chizmar50 - Cooper Cousins and Alonzo Ford
51 - Hakeem Beamon
52 - Ryan Bates
53 - Nick Dawkins
54 - Xavier Gilliam
55 - Chimdy Onoh
56 - Joseph Mupoyi and JB Nelson
57 - Donnie Harbour
58 - Kaleb Artis
59 - Aaron Maybin
60 - Matt Millen
61 -Stefen Wisniewski62 - Michal Menet
63 - Alex Birchmeier
64- Eagan Boyer
65 - Miles Dieffenbach66 - Drew Shelton
67 -Kareem McKenzie68 - Anthony Donkoh
69 -Floyd Wedderburn70 - Garrett Sexton
71 - Vega Ioane
72 - Nolan Rucci
73 - Caleb Brewer74 - J'ven Williams
75 - Eric Shrive
76 - Steve Smear
77 - Sal Wormley
78 - Mike Munchak79 - Addison Penn
80 - Mehki Flowers
81 - Kyle Brady
82 - Kenny Jackson83 - Joe Jurevicius84 - Peter Gonzalez85 - Luke Reynolds86 - Brenton Stange
87 - Andrew Rappleyea88 -Jerry Cross89 -Dave Robinson90 -Liam Andrews91 -Dvon Ellies and Chase Meyer92 -Smith Vilbert93 -Sander Sahaydak94 -Ryan Barker and De'Andre Cook95 -Jordan Mayer and Riley Thompson96 -Immanuel Iyke97 -T.A. Cunningham98 -Jordan Stout99 -Coziah Izzard100-Meet the Penn State transfer class
