Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1430714
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 11 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Dotson's performance in College Park was exactly what a lot of people envi- sioned when the veteran receiver said back in the spring that he wanted to have a "legendary" final season at Penn State. Teaming up with fifth-year senior quarterback Sean Clifford, Dotson had amassed 932 yards and nine touchdowns through nine games, with his 71 recep- tions easily leading the Big Ten. That Dotson was still wearing a Nittany Lion uniform at the start of the 2021 sea- son was a victory in itself for Penn State, because he could have left early for the NFL. Coach James Franklin said he dis- cussed the decision with Dotson and his parents, Robin and Al, after the 2020 sea- son concluded, feeling all along that the receiver had a lot to gain by coming back for one more year. "They asked a bunch of questions, and we had a bunch of information for him — where he was at, where he was pro- jected, what he needed to work on, what his strengths were," Franklin said. "At the end, they asked my opinion. I was going to support Jahan whatever he did. That's what we always do. But I do think there's a difference in coming back when you're one of the receivers across the country that everybody is talking about. "What I mean is, coming into a season, when you've established yourself, you start the season on everybody's list, the NFL people's list. … I just felt like he had an opportunity this year with Sean com- ing back, to have a lot of momentum and take it to a whole other level, to go from an obvious draft choice to hopefully a high- round draft choice." Dotson has indeed emerged as one of the most draft-worthy receivers in the country. In early October, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranked the 5-11, 184-pounder as the best receiver in the 2022 class and the eighth-best prospect overall. No one knows Dotson's game-chang- ing potential better than Penn State of- fensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. The first-year Nittany Lion assistant coach likes to go with the hot hand in any given game, and Dotson was clearly the Lions' go-to player at Maryland, including in the game's most crucial moment. The Terrapins had just marched down the field to tie the score at 14-14 early in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the ensuing Penn State drive, Clifford took a sack, setting the Nittany Lions up with second-and-18 deep in their own territory. The play the Nittany Lions dialed up was designed to rip through the Maryland coverage. It did exactly that, with Dotson streaking over the middle of the field and finding nothing but open turf in front of him. "He's just crafty," Penn State senior cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields said. "He has a lot of tricks in his book. His release game is crazy. He knows manipulation, as far as getting in blind spots." Clifford, who finished with 363 pass- ing yards and a touchdown, said Dotson wants the ball on every single play. That may be an impossibility, but the team does strive to get it to him as often as pos- sible. Clifford targeted Dotson on 15 of his 46 passing attempts at Maryland, and who could blame him? Dotson is Penn State's answer to every question on the offensive side of the ball. At this point in his career, nothing he does could be considered surprising. Not to his coaches and teammates, anyway. After the Maryland game, Franklin said, "I'm not surprised at all by what he did tonight. They were playing very aggres- sive man coverage, either cover one or cover zero. We knew if we got the ball in his hands, he could make those type of plays. He's really done it his entire ca- reer." ■ CHARTING PENN STATE Dotson Climbing Penn State's Career Receiving Yards List Senior receiver Jahan Dotson has only a handful of games remaining in his college career, but he's within striking distance of the Penn State record for most career receiving yards. That record currently belongs to Bobby Engram, one of the best players of PSU's early Big Ten era, with 3,026 yards. Dotson had 2,507 yards through the Nittany Lions' first nine games this season. Even if he doesn't get the record, Dotson is sure to finish his college career in very good company. With his 242-yard afternoon at Maryland on Nov. 6, he passed three of the best receivers in school history: Derek Moye, Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson. In addition to Engram, he still trails DaeSean Hamilton and Deon Butler. Here's a look at where Dotson ranks among Penn State's all-time leaders in receiving yardage: RK NAME YEARS YARDS 1. Bobby Engram 1991, 1993-95 3,026 2. DaeSean Hamilton 2014-17 2,842 3. Deon Butler 2005-08 2,771 4. Jahan Dotson 2018-present 2,568 5. Allen Robinson 2011-13 2,479 6. Chris Godwin 2014-16 2,421 7. Derek Moye 2008-11 2,395 8. Jordan Norwood 2005-08 2,015 9. Bryant Johnson 1999-2002 2,008 10. Kenny Jackson 1980-83 2,006 11. O.J. McDuffie 1988-92 1,988 12. Joe Jurevicius 1994-97 1,894 13. Jack Curry 1965-67 1,837 14. Terry Smith 1988-91 1,825 15. Derrick Williams 2005-08 1,743 16. Tony Johnson 2000-03 1,702 17. KJ Hamler 2018-19 1,658 18. Freddie Scott 1993-95 1,520 19. Mike Gesicki 2014-17 1,481 20. Chafie Fields 1996-99 1,437