How Penn State RB Journey Brown continues to impress, & other notes from strength coach Dwight Galt
Penn State running back Journey Brown bobbed his head to the hip-hop music blaring over the loudspeakers in the Nittany Lions’ weight room Wednesday, before narrowing his eyes and getting down to business.
Brown was one of several dozen players on-hand for the media’s annual glimpse at a team strength and conditioning session, the 22nd such session this winter with the final session coming Friday. Although Brown didn’t max out in front of reporters, strength coach Dwight Galt had plenty of positives to share about the back, who sang along with some tunes before his workouts began but became stoic once they started.
According to Galt, the rising redshirt junior can now bench 395 pounds and squat about 500 pounds — which is pretty rare, considering he weighs in at 211. Plus, Brown had already beaten out Saquon Barkley’s old 40-yard mark; Brown now leads the running backs with a time of 4.29 seconds, better than Barkley’s 4.33.
“When Saquon came in, after six months, his bench went up like 70 pounds. Journey’s more old-fashioned,” Galt said after the workout inside the weight room at Lasch. “He’s just been punching the clock every week, every month, for now almost three years here. It’s been much more methodical.”
Brown, a former three-star prospect, didn’t have much of a training program at his small-city hometown of Meadville, Pennsylvania. He came into Happy Valley with a 295-pound bench press, meaning he’s boosted it by exactly 100 pounds.
That increase isn’t exactly surprising. Galt said that’s the career aim. What is surprising, per Galt, is the fact that Brown hasn’t even been on campus for a full three years. He first arrived in the summer of 2017, meaning he’s about a year ahead of schedule.
“He was kind of broken-hearted he couldn’t get 400,” Galt said, referring to Brown’s 395-pound bench. “But that’s a darn good bench press, almost double his body weight. He did a really good job.”
Brown led all Penn State running backs last season with 890 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. His 202-yard performance in the Cotton Bowl set the school’s bowl-rushing record.
“He’s kinda getting his his confidence now,” added Galt, whose official title is as the assistant athletic director in charge of performance enhancement. “And we’re really excited about the year coming up. He’s been training really hard.”
Biggest ‘freaks’ in the weight room
Linebacker Micah Parsons and defensive end Jayson Oweh were both ranked inside the top 10 last year on Bruce Feldman’s annual list of college football “freaks” — and there’s no reason to think they won’t make the list again.
Oweh clocked a 40-yard dash time last season of 4.33 seconds, while Parsons wasn’t far behind with a 4.43. Galt organizes his players by tiers, with Tier 3 being the best, and 23 total Nittany Lions are currently in Tier 3. Both Parsons and Oweh are believed to be a part of that.
Unfortunately for Oweh, he’s coming off “some shoulder issues,” according to Galt, so he was on a separate training program this offseason. Parsons did not max out in front reporters Wednesday, either, but Galt said they’ve been trying to focus more on speed than strength with the linebacker.
“He’s more velocity-based,” Galt said. “And when Jayson comes back this summer, that’s going to be very interesting resuming that competition — because Jayson got him a little bit, so we’ll see how Micah responds this summer.”
Quarterbacks peaking in offseason
Dwight Galt said, when it comes to his quarterbacks’ strength, there’s not a whole lot more to improve upon.
“They tested for the last time in their careers this week; I’m done testing them,” he said. “They’re both strong as oxes.”
Backup Will Levis power-cleaned 340 pounds Tuesday, while starter Sean Clifford one-upped him with 350 pounds. At this point, with both quarterbacks on Galt’s Tier 3, he wants to save their shoulders and focus on their speed and movement.
“Right now, I got them exactly where I want them,” Galt added. “Physically, they do fit that true running back/quarterback model that we really try to produce at that position. And they are very well-prepared.”
Clifford finished last season with the second-most rushes (116) on the team for the third-most yards (402). Levis carried the ball 51 times for 213 yards.
Early enrollees making an impact
When asked what early enrollees were impressing, Galt didn’t hesitate.
He immediately mentioned wideout KeAndre Lambert, whom many projected months ago as having the potential to make an instant impact this season.
“He came in and he was benching 230, and he’s doing 280 — so he’s gone up 45 pounds in seven-and-a-half weeks, which is pretty darn impressive,” Galt said. “And I’ve been really impressed with his movement. Very explosive horizontally, vertically. Done a really nice job.”
Lambert has trained a lot with fellow true freshman Enzo Jennings, a safety, whom Galt also said has “adapted well.”
Another name that Galt went out of his way to mention was offensive guard Nick Dawkins, a three-star in-state prospect.
“One guy who’s been really good — he’s a joy to work with and he’s just a grinder — is Nick Dawkins,” Galt said. “Really done a nice job. He’s a low-key guy, but he just brings it every day. Every day.
“Started out with a lot of work to do and the improvement he’s made in seven-and-a-half weeks is phenomenal. He’s been a very low-key leader of that group; very mature kid. We’re really pleased to have him, as well.”
Numbers to know
Saquon Barkley isn’t going to like this, Dwight Galt warned, but defensive tackle Antonio Shelton passed finally passed the former running back in the bench-press.
Barkley was tied second all-time at Penn State with Shelton at 455 pounds, but Shelton moved into sole possession of second Tuesday with a max of 465. (Steven Gonzalez remains first with 475 pounds.)
Linebacker Micah Parsons also set the record for linebackers in the power-clean with 375 pounds. The former record-holder was Jason Cabinda with 370 pounds; Parsons’ previous best was 365.
“Went for 385 a couple times, and I thought he had it,” Galt added. “So he continues to build on his vertical explosion.”
Des Holmes also set a new school mark among offensive linemen with a power-clean of 375 pounds, beating out Evan Galimberti’s 370 pounds, which has stood since the summer of 2015.
Another offensive lineman who continues to impress is right tackle Will Fries, who did three sets of squats at 405 pounds. “That’s his training weight,” Galt said. “He’s a guy who came in running a 5.5, not very strong, and he’s in his fifth year and just done a tremendous job building his body up.”
Other numbers Galt mentioned: OL Caedan Wallace and DT Fred Hansard both reached 400 pounds on the bench-press, and DT Hakeem Beamon got 395 on the bench. DE Adisa Isaac is now up to 257 pounds, up 29 pounds from when he arrived last summer. And TE Brenton Strange is up to 246 pounds, when he was in the 207- to 208-pound range when he first joined the team.
Players who were observed squatting Wednesday: OL Blake Zalar (495 pounds), DT PJ Mustipher (435), WR Jahan Dotson (335), safety CJ Holmes (425), TE Zack Kuntz (405).
Difference between Pat Freiermuth and Mike Gesicki?
Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth was among the best at his position last season, even if the Mackey Award committee didn’t quite agree.
Regardless, Dwight Galt was asked Wednesday how the All-American measured up to second-round NFL draft pick Mike Gesicki. Galt avoided making any direct comparisons but still had a lot to say about Freiermuth.
“He’s a different kind of guy than Mike; he’s been phenomenal,” Galt said. “He got 380 on the bench yesterday, he’s cleaned 350, he’s squatting about 540 right now. Whereas I love Mike, Mike was a tremendous asset to our program, not only playing but as a leader and as a person — Pat’s more of a blue-collar grinder.
“He’s just in here every day grinding. Positive attitude. Great work ethic. Great leadership ability. Very into the team and into helping whoever he can. Not that Mike wasn’t, but I think that’s what Pat really brings. ... He’s been a positive influence on the entire team.”
Best of all, Galt said, Freiermuth is even hungrier than last season. And there’s no concern about him resting on his laurels.
This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 5:56 PM.
