Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1315054
HIGH FIVE After two seasons as K.J. Hamler's wingman at Penn State, junior Jahan Dotson has emerged as one of the top receivers in the Big Ten. Will his penchant for spectacular catches help the Nittany Lions finish on a high note? ahan Dotson didn't get to see his grand- mother one last time before she passed away in April. She had been hospitalized, and the COVID safety precautions that had been put in place made family visits difficult. Dotson had to settle for a few phone calls. He would ask her how she was doing, tell her that he loved her. When she died, he was left with many fond memories of the part his grandparents had played in his childhood – how they took him to school every day, how they had attended just about every sporting event that he and their other grandchil- dren had competed in, whether it was in their hometown of Nazareth, Pa., or somewhere in New Jersey or anywhere else their budding ath- letic careers would take them. "They were always trying to be there for all of us," Dotson recalled. "We couldn't have asked for better grandpar- ents." But he wasn't left with just memories. In a way, Gloria Bigelow has never left her grandson's side. After the junior wide receiver put on a dazzling show against Ohio State earlier this season, catch- ing eight passes for 144 yards and three touch- downs, including two of the more acrobatic catches any receiver in college foot- ball is likely to come down with this season, Dotson said she was the in- spiration behind his big night. "I talk to her before the game" each week, he said. "I have a little conver- sation with her. She let me know the opportunity was there today, and I've got to make the most of it." Dotson did that and more. On one fourth-quarter catch, he juggled the ball mo- mentarily before trapping it against his helmet, then pulled it into his body with his left hand to convert on third-and-17. And on the very next play, he made an even more spectacular grab, spearing a seemingly overthrown pass with his right hand, pulling the ball into his chest and scooting into the end zone for a touchdown. The back-to-back catches, covering 58 yards, high- lighted a spirited if ultimately unsuccessful sec- ond-half rally against the Buckeyes. And on both of them, Dotson beat Shaun Wade, one of the most draft-worthy cornerbacks in the country this season. If he was sensing his grandmother's presence that night in Beaver Stadium, it's partly because he senses it pretty much everywhere. "Ever since she passed, she's been with me the whole time," Dotson said. "I've just been asking her to be by my side, keep me healthy, look over us, look over the family, little stuff like that." His grandmother's memory is not the only force that has been pushing him toward excellence. Since the Big Ten season started up in October, Dotson has been on the receiving end of many en- couraging words, including a few from former teammate K.J. Hamler. A few days before the Ohio State game, Hamler and Dotson talked about the game against the Buck- eyes, and the Denver Broncos rookie wideout told him to "just go out there and ball out, leave it all on the field." "That's what you know how to | MOVING FORWARD Through the Nit- tany Lions' first five games this season, Dotson was ranked fourth in the Big Ten in receiving with an average of 105.4 yards per game. Photo by courtesy of Penn State Athletics J