The NFL Combine is still underway in Indianapolis but the workout portions are now in the books for the four Penn State players who made the trip to work out and interview for potential NFL jobs. Linebacker Gerald Hodges appears to have had the best overall workout performance among the Nittany Lions, but defensive tackle Jordan Hill and offensive lineman Matt Stankiewitch should still feel OK about their potential draft stock. And what can you say about linebacker Michael Mauti and the way he took control of the one workout he was able to participate in?

Michael Mauti takes advantage of limited exposure

Mauti is still in the recovery phase from that ACL injury from last November, so running and jumping were out of the mix in Indianapolis. So Mauti made sure to go in to beast mode on the bench press work out and walked away with the third best rep total among linebackers. Assuming he impressed in any potential interviews with NFL teams, this should have been a solid trip for Mauti as he looks to remain a potential second day draft pick.

Our friends over at Optimum Scouting currently have Mauti ranked sixth overall among inside linebackers (4th round grade). National Football Post has Mauti as the 12th best outside linebacker (4th round grade). I see Mauti more as an inside linebacker given his injury history. I think it slows him down and makes him more suitable for inside coverage.

The Nittany Lions Den Podcast is back to fill your off-season Penn State football fix. In our first podcast of the off-season we are joined by Greg Pickel of Fight On State.

Some of the topics discussed in this podcast...

- How Penn State's Class of 2013 was pieced together in the face of NCAA sanctions

- Adam Breneman developing early leadership

- How Christian Hackenberg fits in to Penn State's quarterback picture for 2013

- Key players joining the Penn State defense, including Garrett Sickels

- John Butler maintaining southern ties after Ted Roof moves to Georgia Tech

For subscribers of the podcast in iTunes or for those listening on Stitcher Radio, you may notice this episode not showing up immediately. We are aware of the situation and working to resolve the issue. We hope to have the problem fixed before the next episode.

Subscribe to the Nittany Lions Den Football Podcast on iTunes.

Penn State is still looking to work out a plan to play a game in Ireland in the future. Quite honestly, as one of Irish descent, I love the idea.

Playing a game in Ireland may get overshadowed nationally if the game is played on the opening weekend of the college football season. When huge games are kicking off the season in Atlanta and Arlington, a non-conference tilt on European soil will tend to fly under the radar. Even this past season's match-up between Notre Dame and Navy never really grabbed a national spotlight. The trick is to line up a game that would generate that kind of buzz on a weekend that is largely dominated in the southeast.

But playing in Ireland brings a share of the national spotlight for a program looking to demonstrate good will, and the cultural experience of practicing and playing in Ireland while getting a chance to soak in the culture and environment can be far more rewarding than a postseason bowl game.

Before we get too excited about this potential game, let's keep in mind there is a lot that needs to be done before confirming this type of game is a done deal, and by all accounts Penn State is in the early stages of this discussion. When that game will be played and who they would play are two big questions that need to be pieced together of course, and finding answers for those two could prove to be a difficult task. The NCAA would also have to approve the game.

There are a few factors that must be kept in mind when figuring out when a game in Ireland may be able to be scheduled. If the Big Ten moves to a nine-game conference schedule that will leave just three non-conference games to work with. And what if the Big Ten dares to expand to ten-game conference schedules?

Penn State is currently discussing with Central Florida when a return game to Orlando will be scheduled. If it is scheduled for 2014 that will complete Penn State's non-conference schedule and likely mean any game being played in Ireland may not happen until 2015 at the earliest. Or will it? We'll discuss this in a moment.

Penn State is also looking to reschedule a game with Virginia for a future date. A home game in 2013 was postponed by Virginia and the schools are hoping to have it rescheduled for another date in the future. There is no timetable known for when that game would be moved, but do not expect Penn State to move that game to Ireland. It is not likely Penn State would consider losing a home game to play in Ireland.

So, who might be an option for Penn State to work with in partnering for a game in Ireland? Let's take a look...

Penn State football player Garry Gilliam (#89) announced this afternoon via twitter he will be switching from tight end to offensive tackle starting this spring.

Gilliam, the 6'6" redshirt junior from Carlisle, PA, debated the position change since November of 2012. After several discussions with head coach Bill O'Brien, he ultimately decided at the conclusion of the regular season switching positions on the line would be beneficial for the Nittany Lions.

"I decided to do what's best for the team," Gilliam said. "We have plenty of depth at tight end with great players, but tackle is  a lot thinner and I think I could help the team the most there."

Gilliam, who weighed 262 lbs. at the beginning of the 2012 season as a tight end, now weighs 297 lbs. and is working with the strength and conditioning staff to continue building in size.

Gilliam now joins his roommates Donovan Smith and Nate Cadogan at tackle, leaving the tight end position to promising young players including Kyle Carter, Jesse James, Matt Lehman, Brent Wilkerson and nationally ranked freshman TE Adam Breneman.

After returning to the field for the first time since October 2010 due to a severe knee injury, Gilliam had seven catches and 65 receiving yards at the "Y" TE position during the 2012 season. He was granted sixth-year eligibility by the NCAA , making him a redshirt junior heading into the 2013 season.

Spring football practices begin Monday, March 18th on the practice field outside Lasch Football Building.

Today is National Signing Day, the most important day of college football's off-season. While the national attention will focus on a number of recruiting announcements in SEC territory we know that you are more interested in a unique recruiting class being put together in Happy Valley. Penn State's Class of 2013 figures to a pivotal one for Bill O'Brien and the Nittany Lions as Penn State organizes the first recruiting class under NCAA sanctions.

By now you are probably familiar with the restrictions Penn State has to work with:

• Reduced from 25 available scholarships to 15
• Three years left on a postseason ban

Despite the sanctions it appears as though Penn State is lining up a top 25 quality recruiting class. Ohio State and Michigan still have the upper hand according to the recruiting services but Penn State is still holding their own thus far.

We will be updating this thread throughout the day as National Letters of Intent are confirmed as received by Penn State with thoughts on Penn State's Class of 2013 and perhaps a look around what is happening around the Big Ten and the nation. For a broader look at the big news around the country today be sure to visit Crystal Ball Run's National Signing Day open thread.

This is also as good a time as any to remind you to be following us on Twitter and Facebook. We will be active on those social networks all day long. Other than that, feel free to reload this post as the day progresses for the latest on Penn State's Class of 2013.

You do not have to look for in the state of Pennsylvania who believes the NCAA is a fraud institution, incapable of managing collegiate athletics with an ounce of credibility. After the way the NCAA handled Penn State last summer, admittedly going beyond their normal reach and overstepping typical procedures to issue significant penalties against the university following the release of the Freeh Report, the NCAA was criticized not just by the Penn State faithful, but by national columnists and analysts as well.

"Trust and credibility are essential to our regulatory tasks."

Whether it was right or wrong for the NCAA to issue sanctions against Penn State, or whether or not the NCAA was too harsh or too lenient on Penn State remains a topic of debate for some to this day. The state of Pennsylvania is even going so far as to challenge the NCAA over the sanctions through the legal system. Time will tell how much impact that has of course. I remain somewhat skeptical myself to the level of success the state will see out of the lawsuit, but today I have a feeling they may have just picked up at least a small bit of hope.

The NCAA announced they are opening an external investigation in to their own enforcement program after uncovering some potential problems during an investigation in to the University of Miami. Simply put, the NCAA enforcement staff uncovered information illegally to be used in the investigation and they now must re-evaluate their own procedures before they can move forward with any more on the Miami case. It could be good news for Miami in the long run, although it may be premature to suggest the case will be abandoned or counted as a mistrial.

In case you needed a reminder of what Penn State's football culture is all about, here are the latest updates from Penn State's football office...

Nearly 50 Members of #PennState Football Team Earn 3.0 GPA or Higher During 2012 Fall Semester: tinyurl.com/ae62q7z

— Jeff Nelson (@GoPSUJeff) January 17, 2013

Among the 47 #NittanyLions with a 3.0+ GPA last Fall, a program record 20 on Dean's List by earning at least a 3.5 GPA

— Jeff Nelson (@GoPSUJeff) January 17, 2013

17 @pennstatefball true freshmen earned a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2012 Fall semester, with 5 on Dean's List

 

— Jeff Nelson (@GoPSUJeff) January 17, 2013