Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1445781
1 8 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Malick Meiga came to Penn State in the class of 2020 alongside fellow re- ceiver prospects Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Those two wideouts quickly established them- selves as playmakers for the Nittany Li- ons, seeing substantial action as true freshmen. Meiga needed a bit more time to adapt. He was coming to Penn State from Quebec and was a newcomer not just to the American version of football, but to the English-speaking world. Having been born in Ivory Coast and grown up not far from Montreal, Meiga was accustomed to speaking French and was hav- ing to learn a new language while he acclimated to major college football. Not surprisingly, he didn't get on the field in 2020 and was redshirted by the coaching staff. This fall against Rutgers, Meiga flashed his potential on a 67-yard touchdown catch from true fresh- man quarterback — and fellow Canadian — Christian Veilleux. The play showcased his game- breaking ability and hinted at a bright future in his final three seasons of eligibility. With Jahan Dotson off to the NFL this spring, the Nittany Lions will be looking for someone to get behind opposing defensive backs and make big plays downfield. Meiga recently discussed his path to Penn State and how he put him- self in contention for a much bigger role as a redshirt sophomore in 2022. QUESTION: What was the biggest difference for you in transitioning to the way the game is played in the United States as opposed to Canada? MEIGA: "The biggest difference is that everything is way faster. … Every- thing happens really quick. That's the biggest thing I had to get adjusted to." QUESTION: When did you start playing football, and when did you re- alize that it might be an avenue to a col- lege scholarship? MEIGA: "I started playing football in eighth grade. Growing up, I was a big soccer player. I did not see football as the main sport for me. I thought soccer would be my [focus]. "But it just blew up on me after three years of playing football. I started lik- ing it and doing camps everywhere, and that's when I realized that I could make something out of football and play in the United States for Penn State, a big school like that." QUESTION: How much did fellow Canadian players Jesse Luketa and Jon- athan Sutherland affect your decision to come to Penn State, and what kind of mentors have they been to you? MEIGA: "They affected my decision a lot, especially Jesse Luketa, because he speaks French, too. My first language is French. I'm still not that good with English, and I'm still trying to figure it out. It's great to have a person you can talk to in your own language, your first language. "That definitely had a major impact on me choosing Penn State, and ever since I've been here, they've been great men- tors. We go to dinner, talk through stuff, talk about what's going on with life. It's been great ever since I've been here." QUESTION: With English being your second language, how difficult was it to adapt to American football, because there's so much communica- tion that has to go on when you're on the field? MEIGA: "At the beginning it was pretty hard because my English wasn't good enough. But I'm trying hard. We work at it every day, and it's pretty easy now. I definitely got better last year." QUESTION: You said you started out playing soccer. What kind of soc- cer player were you, and what was it about football that pulled you away? MEIGA: "I really loved soccer, and I was a pretty good player. I started playing football and I re- ally didn't like it. I was missing practices and stuff like that to go to my soccer practices. That's how much I loved soccer. "I wasn't very good at the be- ginning, so I had to work really hard. But working hard like that, it gave me a work ethic, and it paid off. I started liking football, and I started making plays. It was pretty fun." QUESTION: What skills have carried over from soccer to foot- ball? MEIGA: "I would say my foot- work is something that's pretty good from soccer because you work a lot on your footwork. I'm pretty good with my feet. Some- thing else is endurance, cardio. In soc- cer, that's all you do. You run all day. I feel like my cardio is something that's pretty good for me." QUESTION: You room with Parker Washington. What's it been like get- ting to know him, and how do you think you guys complement each other on the field? MEIGA: "It's been pretty good liv- ing with Parker. I'm from Canada; he's from Texas. I feel like we're from differ- ent worlds. … But as far as football, he's helped me a lot. We've been working hard, doing extra work together — drill work, cone work, everything. He helps me a lot." ■ Sitting Down With Malick Meiga Meiga showed breakout potential last season with a 67-yard touchdown catch against Rutgers. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL