Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1179560
T H E 2 0 1 9 S E A S O N out the following year. He didn't make his collegiate debut until October 2017, nearly three years after he signed his let- ter of intent. He didn't catch his first pass until November of that same year, a touchdown grab vs. Nebraska. But this past August, just before Bow- ers' final season was set to began, Franklin predicted that the tight end was "going to have a huge year for us." Sure enough, Bowers has gotten off to the best start of his career, ranking fourth on the team through seven games with five catches for 136 yards, including two catches against Maryland – a 55-yard ramble and a 15-yard touchdown. "I'm just thankful that I have this op- portunity and I'm in this role," Bowers said. "I'm really appreciative of where I am right now, and I'm trying to take it all in. This is my last year, and I'm trying to get better every single day." The three other remaining members of Penn State's Class of 2015 – cornerback John Reid, safety Garrett Taylor and of- fensive guard Steven Gonzalez – are all in the starting lineup. Reid and Gonzalez both found early success, earning start- ing nods in 2016, but Reid later had to overcome a knee injury that forced him to sit out the entire 2017 season. As for Taylor, he had to wait his turn, breaking into the starting lineup last year as a redshirt junior. Penn State's other starting safety, La- mont Wade, arrived two years after Tay- lor, in the Class of 2017. Rated by Rivals.com as a five-star prospect, he didn't play as much as he expected his first two seasons and entered the trans- fer portal this past winter. After spend- ing a few weeks exploring his options, he announced that he would be returning to Penn State. "I just came to the con- clusion that this was the best choice for me," he explained at PSU's football media day in August. "This was the best spot to be." Three months have now passed, and heading into the Michigan State game, Wade was the Nittany Lions' third- leading tackler with 36 stops. Sometimes, the best move is the one you don't make. ■ LT Rasheed Walker Des Holmes Bryce E9ner LG Steven Gonzalez Mike Miranda Bryce E9ner C Michal Menet Mike Miranda Hunter Kelly RG C.J. Thorpe Anthony Whigan Mike Miranda RT Will Fries Des Holmes Caedan Wallace QB Sean Cli9ord Will Levis Ta'Quan Roberson Michael Johnson Jr. RB Ricky Slade Journey Brown Noah Cain Devyn Ford WR Justin Shorter Daniel George Cam Sullivan-Brown WR Jahan Dotson Dan Chisena Isaac Lutz WR K.J. Hamler Mac Hippenhammer Weston Carr TE Pat Freiermuth Nick Bowers Zack Kuntz Brenton Strange DEFENSE DE Shaka Toney Jayson Oweh Adisa Isaac DT Antonio Shelton P.J. Mustipher Judge Culpepper DT Robert Windsor Fred Hansard Damion Barber DE Yetur Gross-Matos Shane Simmons Daniel Joseph OLB Cam Brown Brandon Smith Charlie Katshir MLB Jan Johnson Ellis Brooks Jesse Luketa OLB Micah Parsons Jesse Luketa Lance Dixon CB Tariq Castro-Fields Keaton Ellis Joey Porter Jr. Saf. Lamont Wade Jaquan Brisker Drew Hartlaub Saf. Garrett Taylor Jonathan Sutherland C.J. Holmes CB John Reid Trent Gordon Marquis Wilson P Blake Gillikin Jordan Stout Bradley King K (FG) Jake Pinegar Jordan Stout Rafael Checa K (KO) Jordan Stout Jake Pinegar Rafael Checa H Blake Gillikin Michael Shuster Bradley King LS Chris Stoll Joe Calcagno Austin Sullivan PR K.J. Hamler Jahan Dotson John Reid KR K.J. Hamler Journey Brown Ricky Slade * As of mid-October D E P T H C H A R T * O F F E N S E D E F E N S E S P E C I A L T E A M S OR OR OR