Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1138762
P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> was just focusing on my athleticism and speed. I wasn't really using hands. I would let the tackle hit me and stuff like that," Oweh said. "Also, you would see that my run game wasn't as good. So that's what I really focused on. "Going against people like Ryan Bates and Rasheed Walker, who has become amazing and will do really well, really helped me, because the physicality really pushed me to use my athleticism, but also doing the fundamental [aspects] of the defense. Just learning the playbook as well really helped me." Oweh also saw action against Illinois, Rutgers and Maryland, playing a total of 34 snaps in those three games. It wasn't a lot of playing time, but it showed Oweh that he needed to get stronger and develop a better grasp of the playbook in order to play faster. Working harder on his tech- nique and fundamentals would also be es- sential to his improvement, he added. So Oweh went to work, both on and off the field. "I've never worked this hard in my life, just finding my inner self and finding what I had to do to be successful, going through academics and everything obviously because I want to major in en- gineering," he said. "So doing that, the course load and everything, it was hard. But I feel like I got better and I plan to have a big year." JUSTIN SHORTER At his news confer- ence welcoming the Class of 2018 to Penn State, head coach James Franklin de- scribed Shorter glowingly. The young prospect was "as good a high school wide receiver as I've ever seen on film and in person," Franklin said. Five months later at Big Ten media days in Chicago, Franklin predicted that the Nittany Lions would likely need to rely more heavily on true freshmen than in recent seasons, with Shorter seemingly included in that group of probable contributors. But shortly before the Lions opened their season against Appalachian State, the five-star prospect suffered an injury that delayed his much-anticipated debut. "Shorter got dinged up during camp," Franklin said. "He was really on a roll and probably would [have seen] significant action early in the season but got dinged up. He's missed a little bit of time. But we're still very, very excited about him. He's big, he's physical, he reminds you a lot of Juwan Johnson, so we're excited about his future." Shorter did eventually find his way onto the field, beginning in week three against Kent State. He played in four games, par- ticipating in 74 total offensive snaps and finishing with three catches for 20 yards. Shorter said his debut season at PSU was "not as I expected it to be." But he added, "God has his own path for everyone, so I feel like this year I'll be able to dominate, just because I'm working so hard." Shorter has indeed been working dili- gently to ensure that outcome. Deter- mined to become one of the leaders of a youthful receiver corps, he has tried to set an example through his work in the weight room and on the practice field, and with his commitment to working the JUGS machine with his teammates. Having endured a period of forced inac- tivity, Shorter soaked up the unintended benefits that can come from it. He said he's become more mindful of the impor- tance of self-care, taking more time for stretching, training room care and the cold tub. And now, armed with that knowledge, he believes he's in a better position to succeed this coming fall. "I feel like once something is taken away from you, you're just going to think about it so much more," Shorter said. "You're just going to be thankful for so much more once you actually get to go back on the field and play. I'm just thank- ful to God that I'm able to come out here and just play." His expectations are "to dominate in all aspects," he said, "because I know I have the size for it, the body for it, and I've just got to go out there and just do it. I've worked so hard that there's no reason for me not to go out there and just dominate every single game." Having learned patience while also staying focused on his goals, Shorter will soon have that opportunity. RASHEED WALKER Iron sharpens iron. Penn State's players and coaches use the phrase often, and it's especially applica- ble to the offensive and defensive lines, as those players frequently battle and, in turn, evolve in lockstep with one another. And so it goes for Walker as he continues his trajectory toward a starting job at left tackle for the 2019 season. Expected to be an integral part of the Lions' offensive line, the 6-6, 314-pound Walker has benefitted from having to face the most formidable challenges that his own team can provide. "It feels really good, because Yetur [Gross-Matos], he's obviously one of the best, if not the best, D-ends in college football right now," Walker said. "So I know if I can block him, I can block anybody. Just blocking [Gross-Matos and Jayson Oweh], it's been a challenge and a grind every day. We get each other better every day." As Walker proved throughout the course DROP ZONE Oweh had two sacks and a quarterback hurry against Kent State last season. He played in four games and re- tained his fresh- man eligibility. Photo by Steve Manuel