One pass turned Penn State’s first bowl appearance in years from a physical grind-it-out game into a high scoring affair.
A 70-yard catch and run by then-freshman receiver Chris Godwin who was about to have the game of his young collegiate career. Seven receptions, 140 yards and a touchdown. It’s the kind of performance that wins games. It’s also the kind of performance that changes careers.
With a year under his belt and time spent in the offensive system, Godwin is like all of his teammates. They’re more comfortable and they’re more prepared for what the season has in store for them.
Like all things though, Godwin knows that talk is cheap and feeling good in practice is only half the battle. When the games finally get here, that’s when all the hard work truly pays off.
“I think the big difference from last year to this year is how comfortable I am with the offense now,” Godwin said. “I’ve been working with Coach [Josh] Gattis, and I think I’ve definitely grown as a player. It’s time to turn it into production.”
What is exciting for fans, the reality that Godwin’s story is essentially the same across the board. Gates believes his unit is at least eight players deep. And that’s not coach speak, that’s eight legitimate receiving threats. Even if half of them can’t live up to the preseason hype that still leaves and entire teams worth of talent.
Even if the talent is widespread, Godwin is a player Penn State will be looking for a lot this year. As head coach James Franklin pointed out earlier this week, Godwin checks off all the right boxes when you’re scouting for talent.
“If you had a list of characteristics that you were looking for, body type, speed, hands, maturity, intelligence, you know, all those types of things, he’s going to have a checkbox,” Franklin said. “He’s going to have a checkmark in almost every single one of those boxes. He gets it. He really does.”
That’s a common threat across nearly all positions this summer. The next step forward has been taken by everyone in practice.
In a few days everyone will start to find out how big those steps truly are.
