Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1359487
B renton Strange has adjusted his expec- tations. The young tight end entered last season with the knowledge that his stat sheet would likely contain plenty of blank space. He was, after all, a redshirt fresh- man playing behind one of the most pro- ductive tight ends in the country the season before in Pat Freiermuth. But when Freiermuth's season ended prematurely, Strange and true freshman Theo Johnson were unexpectedly thrust into more important roles. With an off-season to recalibrate under his belt, Strange now feels prepared to take on that challenge. "Last year, I wasn't really expecting to be the guy to come in and maybe get all the receiving stats, but this year it's a lot different," he said. "I have an opportunity to be the receiving guy and the guy that blocks. The opportunity has presented itself, and I'm going to take advantage of it." Strange produced well enough when his name was called in 2020, coming away >> a portion of the team's off-season drills. "With Noah, we think probably the second half of spring ball, we'll get some work out of him," Franklin said. "It's hard to predict how much. Obvi- ously, a lot can change over a three- or four-week period of time. So we'll see." Seider has been paying close atten- tion to Cain throughout his recovery. He said the sophomore has ap- proached his rehabilitation with the same intensity that he brought to the field as a freshman when he rushed for 443 yards and eight touchdowns despite missing nearly four full games with a high ankle sprain. Cain is "a guy who I think we can definitely win the Big Ten with," Seider said. "But he's also a guy who we need for a whole season. Unfortunately, we haven't had that yet. "It was unfortunate, because that kid worked his tail off [last year] to be the guy. It was going to be fun to watch him and Journey Brown go at it and feed off of each other. There wasn't any doubt in my mind at that point, having all those guys together, that we had the best running back room in the country. It wasn't just their skill set, it was their mindset. They each felt like they were the best player when they touched the field. For any kid, that's what football is, it's a mindset, it's a belief. I am the guy. I am the best player on the field. When we lost those guys, the confidence in the room went out. As a coach, it's hard when you're the only one building confidence and being a leader. You're a better team when the players lead. "But I think we're back to that area. I'm really excited about this whole group. I think we have a chance to be pretty good. I don't know how good yet, but I'm excited about what they're going to be able to show on this field." ■ Strange prepared for bigger role in Nittany Lions' offensive plans | EARLY RISER In his redshirt freshman sea- son at PSU, Strange caught 17 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Photo by Mark Selders/ Penn State Athletics