UNIVERSITY PARK
Micah Parsons, the highest-ranked Penn State recruit in a decade, had lofty expectations when he signed on Dec. 20. Everyone bought into the hype, which was heightened when James Franklin announced that the high school defensive end would try his hand at middle linebacker.
However, as spring practice nears its end with the Blue-White Game set to kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium, the thought that Parsons will be Penn State's next stalwart at 'Mike' has been tempered. The freshman is primarily working at outside, not middle, linebacker. There's a steep learning curve to the demanding role Jason Cabinda grew into over a three-season span, and Parsons isn't there yet.