Blue White Illustrated

THE BIG SCORE There are high hopes for James this season after a freshman year in which he caught five touchdown passes. Steve Manuel Carter said. "It's definitely exciting in practice, and I'm excited for this year and what we can all do." While Carter and Breneman watched the Blue-White Game from the sideline, Wilkerson was making the most of his time on the field. A scout team standout last fall, he worked diligently with strength coach Craig Fitzgerald and position coach John Strollo. Wilkerson caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Steven Bench in the third quarter of the spring game. It was his only catch of the afternoon, but it was another illustration of the impact that all of the tight ends are capable of having in this offense. "I still have a long way to go," Wilkerson conceded. "But that year off helped me prepare myself a little bit better for the defensive ends who are bigger and stronger, and the route running as well. Just getting a firsthand look at Allen Robinson and Kyle Carter and those great route runners and seeing how well they get open – that was a big adjustment for me." Carter praised Fitzgerald, who has been drawing rave reviews for his offseason conditioning program since coming to Penn State. "Coach Fitz definitely has a lot of stuff that I can do," Carter said. "When I first got injured, I just lifted with the right hand. I used a strap to go around my forearm. But now I'm able to lift every day. I can back squat, power clean, and all that. I'm definitely doing everything with the team. I'm running with the team. I pull some sleds with the team. Lifting-wise, I'm definitely doing everything the team is doing."

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