Let’s talk about receivers, the actual position, not players who are simply catching passes.
So take out KJ Hamler, since he’s gone, and then Pat Freiermuth because he’s a tight end, and all the running backs. The result doesn’t leave you with much in terms of established receivers on Penn State’s offense. Sure Freiermuth and the running backs will make a difference, but Penn State’s best teams have had great receivers at the position designed to do just that.
And right now, there’s a question mark instead of a true threat.
Consider for instance, Jahan Dotson, the presumed No. 1 option in 2020. He enters the season with 27 receptions to his name in 2019. That’s not bad by any stretch, but between the [frustratingly un-round] 99-catches the Hamler/Freiermuth combo had, Dotson’s contributions feel far less impactful.
Next up? Daniel George and his nine receptions. Beyond that, Cam Sullivan-Brown and his eight.
So Penn State wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield has his hands full to find new names and faces to step into crucial roles by the time this upcoming season finally rolls around. But of course he’s hopeful to have his hands full of talent too.
‘I can see quite a few of the guys stepping up,’ Stubblefield said on Wednesday. ‘That’s what is still kind of unknown as far as who might have a head start over somebody else. But there’s some talent in that room; there are some guys in there that really want to be be great. And so it’s really going to challenge them over this period of time to see who is learning the playbook the way they need to learn it and work on the technique in order to put themselves in the best position once we have a camp to be able to do that.
‘So naming one particular guy, I’m not sure that I can do that. I know that I’m excited for competition to see who because it’s going to be flat out open competition. Guys are going to have to show up.’
Stubblefield isn’t wrong about that. Penn State will have plenty of new names fighting for time this year with 13 receivers on the current roster and at least three more freshmen set to enroll, including Norval Black, Malick Megia and the more highly-touted Parker Washington out of Richmond, Texas.
It will likely be a mix of both old and young, though, with seven of those receivers entering their junior year of eligibility. The issue isn’t a shortage of options, simply a shortage of known ones.
But back to Dotson, the No. 1 guy. Penn State will in many ways go as he does. The Nittany Lions already have plenty of playmakers, they just need some guys who can catch the ball nearly every time it’s thrown their way. Penn State hasn’t lacked for talent, simply consistency. Find that, and the rest will take care of itself.
‘Jahan is much more athletic than than I ever was,’ Stubblefield, a receiver at Purdue from 2001-04, said with a laugh. ‘He can do some things athletically. I was more of a technical skilled guy. He’s a guy that has more athletic ability than I have had. And so that’s what’s exciting about him is that he has that flexibility. And then to put a skill on top of [athleticism] makes a great combination.’
