How Penn State’s influx of talent and youth at wide receiver will push the offense forward
So much focus will be on Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the weeks ahead that it’s easy to forget he can’t do everything alone. The sophomore is expected to start and take the program to new heights. But a signal caller without weapons won’t get much done — at least not at the level the Nittany Lions want to.
There could be a reasonable level of uncertainty with who those weapons will be at certain spots. The program is replacing its top two wide receivers in Parker Washington and Mitch Tinsley, who became two of the favorite targets of former starting quarterback Sean Clifford.
Now the next wave of weapons must step up and help Allar carry the offense forward and to the goals the program aspires to achieve.
That wave will be a mix of old and new for the Nittany Lions. Two receivers will be joining the program from the transfer portal — Florida State’s Malik McClain is already enrolled while Kent State’s Dante Cephas has already committed — and will be added to a group that features plenty of young, but unproven talent.
McClain has already begun his assimilation into the room.
“I will tell you that Malik has been impressive so far,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “Tested extremely well in our baseline testing when these guys arrive. He’s also just always got a huge smile on his face. ... All the feedback from the strength coaches as well as all of the guys has been really good with him.”
And they’ll be led by a new position coach in the room after Taylor Stubblefield was fired and replaced by Marques Hagans.
That level of turnover can complicate matters. It’s one thing to uproot a group by having its two best players leave. It’s another to bring in a new position coach with limited history with the players and then even more to potentially bring in two new starters from the transfer portal.
There’s reason to believe that could create tension in the room, but Franklin said the program’s transparency with the players will quell any concerns.
“We’ve brought some guys in from the transfer portal who haven’t played significant roles, have been more complimentary pieces to the current room and we’ve brought some guys in that have come in and started and been able to make an impact,” Franklin said. “I think the biggest thing is being transparent with your guys in your current program because, ultimately, you want to do right by the guys in your program. But to me, we also have responsibility to all of the guys on the team and all of the positions to go out and try to bring as much talent in as we possibly can. ... We also talk to those transfers when they come in about how to do that, how to adjust to Penn State, be respectful of the vets in the room, and then start to kind of feel your path.”
Hagans made note of how important relationships with his players are during his introductory press conference Tuesday afternoon, and that will only help build the trust necessary at a position where there’s sure to be plenty of rotation when it comes to who’s on the field.
He went to work early to get to know the receivers already with the team and is trying to establish the bond necessary for his players to buy into whatever the playing time distribution may be.
“He had a list of questions he sent to everybody,” redshirt freshman wide receiver Kaden Saunders said. “We all just answered the same things. It was just him trying to get to know us more on a personal level. ... He’s a relationships guy. I can tell he cares about his players. So do his wife and kids. His kids are always gonna be around. He brought them up here. He’s a big relationship guy. He’s passionate. ... He’s definitely gonna be a good leader for our room.”
Saunders is one of many redshirt freshmen and redshirt sophomores that hope to make an impact this year. He joined the program alongside Tyler Johnson, Anthony Ivey and Omari Evans. Evans burned his redshirt last season but the other three utilized it and have work to do to get on the field consistently.
That group is supplementing one that includes KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Harrison Wallace III and Liam Clifford. Those three and Evans make up the core of returning players, but none did enough to establish themselves as a surefire No. 1 option for Allar.
They very well could, but the introduction of McClain and Cephas is a clear sign that upgrades need to happen. It could come from the incumbents in the rotation, the young up and comers or the two new faces — but it will have to happen for Penn State to reach the level it wants to this season.
Saunders is a prime in-house candidate to take on a bigger role. He was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class and carried the burden of expectations last year. It didn’t help his cause that he learned the hard way with some aspects of college football — like taking care of his body. He admitted the realization came far later than it should have, but said he’s turned the corner.
And now he’s turned the page to working with his fellow former five-star recruit.
“Drew obviously has special arm talent. The velocity he throws with is crazy. It still hurts my hands,” Saunders said with a smile. “We gotta turn the JUGS (machine) damn near all the way up to get ready to catch from Drew. It’s been good. He’s ready for that leadership role. I can tell.”
Whether it’s Saunders, McClain, Cephas or any of the other receivers on the roster, somebody — and probably multiple somebodies — will have to step up.
And if they do, they may be remembered as the top receivers on the first Penn State team to reach the College Football Playoff.
