Skip to main content

Black Shoe Diaries

https://www.blackshoediaries.com/ | 614 entries published

DOMINATE THE STATE

Latest Entries

5 Potential Cyclones To Know

The transfer portal opens on Friday, January 2nd and we’ll have a full rundown of players to know, including a spreadsheet I’m linking right here. But before we do deeper dives into those guys, I wanted to start us off with some Iowa State names to know. I’d anticipate around 15 Iowa State players — […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Report: Special Teams Coordinator Justin Lustig Remaining At Penn State

Yesterday, Matt Campbell reportedly filled his defensive coordinator vacancy with D’Anton Lynn. Today, Matt Campbell is reportedly filling the special teams coordinator role by retaining Justin Lustig from the previous staff. Lustig is a highly-respected special teams coordinator who just completed his second season with the Nittany Lions. In a year that was marred by […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

Tuesday Bowl Open Thread

As requested by livingsb, here’s an open thread for those of us enjoying Tuesday’s bowl games. It’s a nice little appetizer ahead of the playoff quarterfinals, featuring two Big Ten squads. Enjoy. Independence Bowl Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech2 p.m., ESPN Music City Bowl Tennessee vs. Illinois5:30 p.m., ESPN Alamo Bowl USC vs. TCU9 p.m., […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

This Week in Happy Valley: Hockey Returns

Gavin McKenna posted a hat trick for Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championships last night. The US Collegiate Selects team- coached by Guy Gadowsky- has reached the semifinals of the Spengler Cup. Aiden Fink recorded two assists on Sunday, an excellent sign for his return to the lineup for the second half of Penn […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

Blessed & Honored: More Quarterbacks?

Alex Manske To Enter Transfer Portal Iowa State freshman quarterback Alex Manske plans to enter the transfer portal: Manske was the No. 36 quarterback in the 2025 class. Time will tell if he makes the decision to follow Matt Campbell to Penn State, but the Nittany Lions’ quarterback room appears to be in good hands […]

2 months ago | 1 read

College Football Playoffs Quarterfinals Preview

WEDNESDAY (#10)Miami vs. (#2)Ohio StateCotton Bowl 7:30 p.m., ESPN A year ago, Ohio State cruised to a national championship after coming off a 13-10 loss to Michigan where missed field goals cost them a chance at victory. Now they enter the playoffs on the heels of a 13-10 loss to Indiana where a late missed […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

Penn State 90, NCCU 67: Yuck

Does the period between Christmas and New Year’s Eve really exist? What day is it? Do I have work today? Is Penn State basketball really playing at 1 p.m. right now? Well, it seemed like the Nittany Lions didn’t know they had a game, either. Penn State came out to such a sleepy and sloppy […]

2 months ago | 1 read

MMQB – Player Retention

With their 22-10 win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl, Penn State’s (oft turbulent) 2025 season has come to a close. The Lions end the year 7-6, riding a 4-game win streak into the off season. There have already been announcements from players that are looking to transfer, and others that will be heading to […]

2 months ago | 3 reads

They Said It: Ruminations on the Culture behind Penn State Wrestling Dominance

Salty fans of proud wrestling schools will tell you: Penn State Wrestling is so good because Cael Sanderson and Co. land the best recruits in the land. Of course they do!  But why? And how do they identify the best?  Let’s see what Cael says:  “We’re not relying on facilities to get recruits—those aren’t the […]

2 months ago | 0 reads

Position Grades: Clemson (Pinstripe Bowl)

No opt-outs here! Whether it’s a win or loss, home or away game, playoff game in a tropical climate or a mid-tier December bowl game in freezing temps/snowy weather in New York City, the position grades will be graded out. Think of this like your local mail carrier. Quarterback: A After a tough first half, […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Oh, Hello: 2026 Virginia Three-Star WR Ben Whitver Commits To Penn State

THE SKINNY Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 190 poundsHometown/High School: Powhatan, VA (Powhatan H.S.)Ranking: ★★★ (0.8711 247Sports — No. 1,008 overall)Notable Offers: JMU, Wake Forest, UNLV HIGHLIGHTS OUTLOOK Ben Whitver committed to James Madison in June and signed with the Dukes on December 3rd. Once JMU head coach Bob Chesney left Harrisonburg for UCLA, Whitver was able to […]

2 months ago | 0 reads

Three Takeaways From Penn State’s 22-10 Win Over Clemson

1) Bad weather? No problem Below-freezing temperatures, swirling winds, and flurries of precipitation certainly worked in Penn State’s favor. Both teams struggled with the cold football, but the Nittany Lions proved to be the grittier team in the end. Ryan Barker, who was the clear MVP of the first half, stepped up when his team […]

2 months ago | 6 reads

Penn State 22, Clemson 10: A Fine Finish

Penn State’s tumultuous 2025 football season came to a close Saturday afternoon in Yankee Stadium. Thankfully, it ended with a fourth straight win, a little bit of fun, and some big plays from both familiar faces and some guys who were thrown into the fire. Ethan Grunkemeyer threw two touchdown passes in the final quarter […]

2 months ago | 3 reads

BSD YouTube Show: Pinstripe Bowl Postgame

The 2025 Penn State football season and the short (but sweet) Terry Smith era is officially in the books, and we now turn our full attention to the Matt Campbell era. Jared and I (Tim) break it all down for you beginning around 3:30 PM EST.

2 months ago | 0 reads

BSD YouTube Show: Pinstripe Bowl Postgame

The 2025 Penn State football season and the short (but sweet) Terry Smith era is officially in the books, and we now turn our full attention to the Matt Campbell era. Jared and I (Tim) break it all down for you beginning around 3:30 PM EST.

2 months ago | 0 reads