Blue White Illustrated

September 2022

Penn State Sports Magazine

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3 0 S E P T E M B E R 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 this preseason for the starting spot op- posite Brown. Offering athleticism and playmaking ability, Reed will be on the field and im- pacting games this fall, with or without the "starter" designation. 12. Adisa Isaac | R-Jr. | DE This one might be a bit of an over- reach, but it's not an exaggeration to sug- gest that Penn State is counting on Isaac to be among the team's best players this season. A year ago, Temple transfer Arnold Ebiketie made an immediate impact as a pass rusher, while veteran linebacker Jesse Luketa transitioned smoothly to de- fensive end. Both are now in NFL train- ing camps, and Isaac will be expected to pick up where he left off before an Achilles tendon injury forced him to miss the 2021 season. 13. Landon Tengwall | R-Fr. | G Tengwall was good enough to play as a true freshman, but he was limited to three late-season games. The Nittany Li- ons' offensive line was struggling at the time, and adding an inexperienced player to the mix, even one with considerable long-term potential, could have led to bigger problems for an already inconsis- tent group. That's no longer the case, though. Tengwall has narrowed his focus to left guard, though he still boasts useful ver- satility, and is now in line to start as a red- shirt freshman. 14. Sean Clifford | Sr.+ | QB Maybe no one wants to hear it, fa- tigue certainly having set in as Clifford approaches his sixth season with the Nittany Lions. And yet, regarding his star-crossed 2021 campaign, there is a widespread acknowledgement of what might have been. Clifford completed 103 of 153 passes for 1,336 yards and 11 touchdowns with just 3 interceptions before he got hurt at Iowa in Week 6, leading Penn State to two wins over Top 25 opponents along the way. And that was in his first season with Mike Yurcich serving as offensive coordinator. Now healthy and better versed in what Yurcich wants to do — and with a pre- sumably improved offensive line and rushing attack to complement him — Clifford is poised to be an effective quar- terback for the Nittany Lions this season. 15. Chop Robinson | So. | DE A leap of faith is required when in- cluding newcomers on a list like this (see also: Singleton, Nick and Tin- sley, Mitchell). Robinson, however, is a unique example. Featured as a line- backer at Maryland last season, he will primarily be used as a defensive end now that he has settled in with the Nit- tany Lions after announcing his transfer in April. Robinson's athleticism and natural pass-rushing abilities all but assure that he will make an early impact as a sopho- more, and his role is only likely to ex- pand through the course of the season. 16. Juice Scruggs | R-Sr. | C Scruggs is a well-liked and well-re- spected member of Penn State's program, but his on-field impact after an offseason transition to center could be just as great this year as his leadership and other in- tangible contributions. With two seasons of action under his belt, and four years to his credit as a Nit- tany Lion, the redshirt senior is one of the big reasons why the offensive line is expected to improve this year. 17. KeAndre Lambert-Smith | So. | WR Lambert-Smith was not a consis- tently productive wideout in his first Third-year sophomore wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith scored Penn State's only touchdown in the Outback Bowl, catching a 42-yard pass from Sean Clifford in the second quarter. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL

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