The heat is on and the hype is real for the 2017 Penn State football program.

The Nittany Lions flew under the radar in 2016, especially after a 2-2 start. But after a comeback overtime win over Minnesota, they won nine-straight, including an upset win over then No. 2 Ohio State, and a Big 10 Championship Game win over Wisconsin.The pre-season Coaches Poll came out earlier this week, and Penn State won't be flying under the radar this season. The Coaches Poll has the Nittany Lions at No. 6, its highest ranking since 2008.Saturday marked the annual Penn State media day, where head coach James Franklin, his assistant coaches, and players were on hand at Beaver Stadium to discuss the upcoming season.As expected, one of the main topics was the high expectations that have been placed on the program."Last year's success or last year's record should not impact us. I'm challenging everybody in our organization to go back to Day One as if they've never heard the offense, defense, or special teams installed," said Franklin. "Obviously, we learned from last year's experiences, and it was helpful from a growth perspective and from a maturity perspective, but last year is last year, and this year is this year. We want to take all those experiences and maturity that we gained from last year and then continue growing and evolving."A big question mark this season for Penn State isn't the talent of the offensive line, but rather who will start. Because of injury, Penn State saw a lot of different combinations along the offensive front a season ago, as many underclassmen gained valuable experience.The players expected to battle for a starting positions include Connor McGovern (C), Ryan Bates (G/T), Steven Gonzalez (G), Andrew Nelson (T), Brendan Mahon (G/T), Chasz Wright (T), Michael Menet (G/T), and Will Fries (T). McGovern and Bates seem to be locks at the moment, and also Nelson and Mahon, who are returning from injury. It will be interesting to see who will make up the Nittany Lions' starting offensive line, as of right now that unit isn't quite formed."I think you hope to settle the offensive line as soon as you possibly can. That's always the scenario. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is identifying the best five and get them on the field," said Franklin. "So hopefully sooner, rather than later, those guys can build a tremendous amount of chemistry together."Penn State cornerback John Reid was expected to have an All-Big 10 type season in 2017, until he suffered a knee injury in spring practice. It appears Reid will be lost for the season, so the Nittany Lions will have to fill that spot opposite two-year starter Grant Haley.Christian Campbell is favored to take on that role because of all the football he's played so far, with Amani Oruwariye and Zech McPhearson fighting to get more time. Two freshmen to keep an eye on are Lamont Wade and Tariq Castro-Fields.Staying in the secondary, another position battle to watch is the starting strong safety position opposite Marcus Allen. With the graduation of Malik Golden, there is a handful of guys vying for playing time.The favorite at this time appears to be Troy Apke, with Ayron Monroe and Nick Scott pushing him. Either way, there is plenty of talent in the in the secondary, especially with all these guys battling for playing time.Getting to the quarterback is paramount in the game of football, especially if you're trying to compete for a College Football Playoff berth. Starting defensive ends Evan Schwan and Garrett Sickels are no longer in Happy Valley, so it's key for Franklin to find their replacements and find them quickly.Torrence Brown and Shareef Miller played a ton of football for Penn State last season on the ends and are expected to fill the starting roles. Shane Simmons, who was was a highly-touted recruit from two seasons ago, will see time along with Ryan Buchholz. Shaka Toney is also a name to watch out for this season."You go out to practice the first couple days and I'm kind of talking to Coach (Dwight) Galt, and I'm covering my mouth and saying, "We look different." Physically, we just look different," said Franklin. "I think one of the things we've probably done each year is we keep upgrading. We keep upgrading the way we're developing these guys in the offseason, the way the top end guys, your first two teams in the program, the strides that they're making offseason because their motivation and because they've had a taste of success and liked what came with it."It appears safe to say the theme at media day and the theme of the football team this season is that there is a ton of talent on the roster. There are some position battles, but the overall feel is that whoever is plugged in will do a good job and maybe even better than that.Pair that with what is expected to be one of the most explosive offenses in the country with Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley, and the hype is well-deserved. There's no doubt that Penn State faithful have a reason to be excited this season.The question is, can a program that has had its share of ups and downs over the past decade, handle the high expectations? It will certainly be interesting to watch, as the season opener is only a few weeks away.