Question of which WRs will step up for Penn State football still unanswered heading into season
With less than a month until the start of Penn State football’s 2020 season, the biggest question still remains — who will emerge from the group of mostly unproven wide receivers to replace the loss of KJ Hamler?
The room is short on game reps and proven production, but long on youth and the urge to prove its doubters wrong. The wide receivers at Penn State are ready to show they’re not going to hold back a team that could potentially make the College Football Playoff.
“People definitely look at us like the weaker link on the offense and on the team as a whole,” junior wide receiver Jahan Dotson said last week during Penn State football’s virtual media days. “And that just pushes guys every day to come out and prove people wrong. I feel like it starts with proving yourself every day. You know your worth, you know what you’re capable of doing, so just coming out and working as hard as you can, knowing you didn’t leave anything on the field. That’s huge for us right now, just growing as a group.”
The list of candidates to take the top spot — and get the ball directed their way — is long and varied with different types of weapons throughout. There are smooth route-runners like Cam Sullivan-Brown and Dotson who can find space with their footwork and execution. There are physical forces like Daniel George and T.J. Jones who can out-muscle you or run by you. There are freshmen like KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Parker Washington who are ready to prove themselves in their first year on campus.
Freshmen Lambert-Smith and Washington have already done their part to catch the eye of the group’s most experienced player.
“I like the way those guys are coming to practice, playing and completely,” Dotson said. “They love to compete, and that’s what we need in our room right now. They just want to get better with everything. They want to listen, they’re coachable, and they just want to get better every day. They’re two great guys to have.”
The freshmen pair have already gone above and beyond what could be expected for two players so early in their career and are preparing for impact roles in the offense. Washington has taken to asking Dotson questions after one-on-one reps, searching for feedback on how he needs to improve, and Lambert-Smith has used his time after practice to work on footwork and using his hands, Dotson said.
The praise for the young wide receivers wasn’t only coming from the offensive side of the ball during media days. Redshirt freshman cornerback Joey Porter Jr. heaped praise on the duo when asked about the position group.
“You’ve got Washington, KeAndre, they’re both putting a lot of great stuff on tape, showing that they can play,” Porter Jr. said. “I’m proud that those guys are ready to compete at a high level so fast, because it’s a really hard thing to do. Not a lot of people can.”
The time and effort Lambert-Smith and Washington have put into learning the position at the college level could pay huge dividends for Penn State this season. The Nittany Lions need someone to step up and establish themselves as a reliable target — and they may even need two or three someones.
While the answer at the position is still unclear, new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca is clear about what’s most important for the position group to succeed.
“Explosive plays are important,” he said Wednesday during Penn State’s virtual media days. “I’ve always believed that turnover margin and explosive plays are really important. I think that one of the key things that I do, is not necessarily an exact play that I call at the exact time, but how do we decide who the ball is trying to get directed to? Who are we trying to allow to give opportunities to influence the game?”
Ciarrocca frequently utilized three wide receivers on the field at once at Minnesota, and that could open the door for several new faces to establish themselves at the position.
All of the team’s scholarship options are in a position to earn playing time this fall as each one tries to build a rapport with junior QB Sean Clifford and prove he can rely on them.
“During quarantine I was throwing to my brother (Class of 2021 commit Liam Clifford),” Clifford said. “(The wide receivers) were all sending me videos of them running routes so I could try to visualize in my head what these routes would look like. Getting on the field finally, I think it’s extremely important that we talk through everything. Communication is key for me. If I have a problem with a guy running a certain route or if I really liked a certain route, I’m going to express that to him. Because I know that we’re kind of battling the clock here.”
The connection between Clifford and the wide receiver will likely come naturally, with his eyes gravitating toward the players he trusts most in difficult situations. Dotson has a leg up, in that sense, because he was Clifford’s second-favorite target among the position group last season. However, that doesn’t guarantee the junior wide receiver more passes this season.
The talent level has increased and the other veteran wide receivers are in a position to close the gap. Sophomore cornerback Keaton Ellis said several of his teammates across the field have stood out in the lead-up to the season.
“The whole group, they’re just continuing to grow every day in practice,” Ellis said. “You can tell they’re getting a lot of confidence and they’re really starting to play well together and play well as a unit. They just continue to grow and grow every day. I’m really excited to see what they can do across the board. I think the sky is the limit for those guys.”
Sullivan-Brown is the most veteran of the group as the only scholarship receiver who is in his fourth year on campus. The elder statesman of the room is ready to earn his keep after struggling with injuries in the past but said he’s stepped up as a leader alongside Dotson and George.
Their leadership could define the style the receivers bring to the table. However, Sullivan-Brown said he and the other wideouts are still working to establish their personality.
“I think it just comes organically,” he said. “Obviously not being all together for a long period of time doesn’t help that, but I think as we started to practice more as a unit and we started to grow together, it just grows organically into what type of receiver group we want to be.”
Now that the pads are back on and kickoff is less than a month away, it’ll soon be time to find out who will rise to the occasion.
