Penn State is the most complete team in the Big Ten, Gerry DiNardo says

Longtime college football coach and current Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo has seen plenty of teams and heard plenty of hype over the years. It’s why his prediction that Penn State would win the Big Ten in 2023 was notable, because he’s seen plenty of championship-caliber programs before. And, he thinks this version of James Franklin’s Nittany Lions, which is his 10th in State College, is the one to not only return to the league title game but also make the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history.

“Well, they finally built their offensive line,” DiNardo told BWI at Big Ten Media Days. “You know, we go back to when Joe [Paterno] was there, they had all guards, no tackles. Bill [O’Brien] tried to move it along a little bit. He wasn’t there long enough. [James Franklin has] finally got the offensive line. He’s got a talented quarterback. But with the offensive line and the running backs, they can take the pressure off mentally.”

It won’t just be the offense that has DiNardo picking Penn State to beat Illinois in the Big Ten title game. The other side of the ball, but also doubts about other top-tier Big Ten programs, has him doing so, as well.

“I think Manny Diaz has done a terrific job with the defense,” DiNardo said. “So I think they’re the most complete team.

“Ohio State, offensive line questions, defense questions, new quarterback question. Michigan. You know, can you want to three years in a row?”

DiNardo is against the Wolverines doing so, even if the betting odds favor either them or the Buckeyes to win this year’s Big Ten title.

BWI’s Nate Bauer has more on DiNardo’s take on Penn State from his recent comments on the Big Ten Network set. Bauer wrote:

DiNardo, the former head coach with stops at Vanderbilt, LSU, and Indiana, and a television studio college football analyst for the past 19 seasons, took the idea a step further. 

Acknowledging that the conference media ecosystem has again settled on Michigan as holding onto a prime opportunity to extend its conference title streak to three straight, DiNardo pointed to Penn State as positioned to unseat the Wolverines from that perch.

“I personally think Penn State has the edge,” DiNardo said. “If Penn State looks like I think it’s going to look like when we’re on campus, I think they’re going to be the favorite to win the East.”

His reasoning for Penn State’s potential was based on three factors. Internally, the Nittany Lions have the personnel to be able to take a step offensively. That’s even with a new quarterback taking the helm in Drew Allar.