Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1430714
D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 6 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M of the season in Minnesota's road upset of the Chargers in Week 10, his fourth appearance of the season. Pat Freiermuth (2018-20), TE, Pittsburgh Steel- ers: Freiermuth continues to become more and more vital to the Steelers' offense. Backup quar- terback Mason Rudolph targeted Freiermuth a career-high nine times against Detroit in Week 10. The former Nittany Lion reeled in five of those targets for 31 yards. He did, however, experience a rare rookie mo- ment in overtime, fumbling in Detroit territory to end a Steelers drive in what would end up as a 16-16 tie. He is up to 32 receptions for 276 yards and four touchdowns through the first nine games of his career. Will Fries (2016-20), OL, Indianapolis Colts: The seventh-rounder is still waiting to make his season debut for the Colts. Mike Gesicki (2014-17), TE, Miami Dolphins: It was a bizarre Week 10 for the Miami Dolphins tight end. Gesicki was targeted seven times in an upset of the Ravens on Thursday Night Football, but he did not bring in a reception. Still, he's emerged as a big-time receiving threat, with 44 receptions for 529 yards and two scores in 10 games with four starts. Blake Gillikin (2016-19), P, New Orleans Saints: Is tied for 11th in the NFL with 14 punts inside the opposition's 20-yard line and is averaging 47.7 yards per attempt (13th in the league) with a 42.2 net. Kevin Givens (2015-18), DT, San Francisco 49ers: In five games off the bench, he has logged five stops. Chris Godwin (2014-16), WR, Tampa Bay Buc- caneers: Has posted 57 catches for 717 receiving yards and four touchdowns in nine appearances (all starts), and he's also rushed for a two-yard touchdown. Robbie Gould (2001-04), K, San Francisco 49ers: The veteran is 17 for 17 on PATs and 5 of 6 field goal attempts with a long of 52 this year (five games played). Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19), DE, Carolina Pan- thers: In eight appearances off the bench, he has 11 tackles and one sack. Jesse James (2012-14), TE, Chicago Bears: Has played in eight games this season with five starts and hauled in all six of his targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. Austin Johnson (2012-15), DT, New York Giants: Posted 36 total tackles and three sacks over the first nine games, all starts. Juwan Johnson (2015-18), TE, New Orleans Saints: Hauled in nine receptions for 108 yards and three scores in eight games with one start. DaQuan Jones (2010-13), DT, Carolina Panthers: Totaled 13 tackles with one sack in 10 contests, all starts. Connor McGovern (2016-18), OL, Dallas Cow- boys: Played 27 snaps against Atlanta in Week 10 for the Cowboys, his highest total since his opening-week fill-in start. Eleven of those snaps came at fullback and one came at wide receiver — he continues to thrive in a utility role for Dallas. Carl Nassib (2011-15), DE, Las Vegas Raiders: In nine appearances as a reserve, he has logged 11 stops with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Amani Oruwariye (2014-18), CB, Detroit Lions: Through nine games (all starts), he has totaled 34 stops with three interceptions and six passes de- fended. He is tied for eighth in the league through Week 10. Odafe Oweh (2018-20), DE, Baltimore Ra- vens: The rookie has notched 18 tackles and four sacks through his first nine games, to go along with 11 QB hits and a pair of forced fumbles. John Reid (2015-19), CB, Seattle Seahawks: Has played in four contests and notched a special teams tackle. Allen Robinson II (2011-13), WR, Chicago Bears: Snared 30 receptions for 339 yards and a touch- down through nine tilts, all starts. Miles Sanders (2016-18), RB, Philadelphia Ea- gles: Remains on injured reserve with an ankle problem. He is eligible to return ahead of the Ea- gles' Week 11 game against New Orleans. In seven starts, he totaled 63 rushes for 300 yards and 19 catches for 118 yards. Nick Scott (2014-18), S, Los Angeles Rams: Has seen an uptick in defensive action during his third season in the league. Through 10 games, he's played 30 percent of the Rams' snaps on defense, up from 20 percent last season, and logged 18 stops with the first two picks of his professional career. Donovan Smith (2011-14), OL, Tampa Bay Buc- caneers: Has started all nine games so far this season for Tampa Bay at left tackle. Shaka Toney (2016-20), DE, Washington Foot- ball Team: Saw action in three games off the bench for Washington, but has not recorded any statistics. ■ Lamar Stevens Headlines Penn State's NBA Contingent Penn State was represented by three alums when the NBA tipped off its 75th season in October. Former Nittany Lions forward Lamar Stevens is in his second season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Calvin Booth is beginning his second year as general manager of the Denver Nuggets, and Andrew Jones is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons. Stevens signed a multi-year deal with the Cavs in April. Slowed by an ankle sprain, he saw ac- tion in nine of Cleveland's first 15 games, total- ing 17 points and 14 rebounds. A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and team MVP, Stevens led the Nittany Lions in scoring in both his junior and senior campaigns. He finished his career in 2020 as Penn State's No. 2 all-time leading scorer with 2,207 points. Booth was named the Nuggets' general man- ager in July 2020 after previously serving as assistant GM. Following a 10-year NBA playing career, he entered the front office with the New Orleans Pelicans as a scout in 2012 before work- ing with the Minnesota Timberwolves as a scout and director of player personnel from 2013-17. The 1998 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Booth was a three-year starter and two-time captain at Penn State. Jones was hired as an assistant coach in charge of player development by the Pistons in July after previously spending two years on the Philadelphia 76ers' staff. He was a four-year starter during his time at Penn State, finishing his career as the school's 12th-leading rebounder. The Philadelphia native played a key role in leading Penn State to the 2009 NIT champi- onship, averaging 10 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in that postseason run, before help- ing guide the Nittany Lions to the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Stevens, the No. 2 scorer in Penn State history with 2,207 points, has been slowed by an ankle injury in his second season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER