Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1492675
M A R C H 2 0 2 3 11 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ship that Penn State is seeking this year, Allar said it isn't too early for his class of sophomores and redshirt freshmen to start filling that need. "I think the biggest thing about being a leader is coming in every day and put- ting in the work," he said. "Everybody sees that — the coaches see that, the players see that. Earning the respect of your teammates and the coaching staff, I think, is the biggest thing when trying to become a leader. You can't talk the talk and not back it up. You have to be able to put it on the line and do the extra work that nobody sees and push your team- mates along." Pribula, meanwhile, was behind Clif- ford, Allar and Veilleux last season and did not see game action. The former three-star prospect from York, Pa., will be a redshirt freshman this coming fall. With two of last year's quarterbacks gone, Allar and Pribula will be the only scholarship returnees at the position and will be pushing each other throughout winter workouts and spring practice. "We're competing, making each other better," Allar said. "[Pribula] is a great teammate, and I love being around him." ■ JOE KRENTZMAN & SON, INC. • Buyers and Brokers of Steel, Iron and Nonferrous Metals • Industrial Scrap Buyers • Container Service Available • Large Service Territory Since 1903 Lewistown, PA • Hollidaysburg, PA • DuBois, PA (800) 543-2000 • www.krentzman.net F irst i n S cra p Of the five transfers that Penn State added in December and January, four are already on campus and working out this win- ter. That list includes kicker Alex Felkins (Columbia), punter Riley Thompson (Florida Atlantic), cornerback Storm Duck (North Carolina) and wide receiver Malik McClain (Florida State). All are listed as seniors except for McClain, who has junior eligibility. Since the advent of the transfer portal, Penn State has strived to be selective, avoiding large-scale roster upheaval. That ap- proach has paid dividends, and coach James Franklin is hoping for more of the same, pointing to the two position players, Duck and McClain, as examples of how the team has found just what it needs, on the field and off. "We've been fortunate that the guys who have [arrived via] the transfer portal have been really good fits culturally, if you look at the last couple of years," he said. "So far, it looks to be the same way with these two guys." The other side of the portal equation is what it means for Penn State's returning players. With a roster full of up-and- comers vying for bigger roles in 2023, the staff has had to engage in frank discus- sions about competition and improvement within the program. "You have conversations and let people know what you're doing and why," Franklin said. "I think the biggest thing is being transparent with your guys in your current program, because ultimately, you want to do right by those guys. "But we also have a responsibility to all of the guys on the team and all of the positions to go out and try to bring in as much talent as we possibly can. Iron sharpens iron. Our practice every single day is going to put us in the best position to achieve our goals." The other piece, of course, is how the transfers handle the transition themselves. Franklin advises incoming players to avoid disrupting the dynamics of the position meeting rooms they are entering for the first time. "We talk to those transfers when they come in about … how to adjust to Penn State," he said. "Be respectful of the vets in the room, and then start to feel your path. You don't need to come in with your guns blazing. Gradually work into that role." Franklin made a distinction between the specialists and the position players when it comes to the depth-chart battles that lie ahead. While Duck and McClain will be integral to Penn State's plans at cornerback and receiver, respectively, the specialists are in a "different situation," Franklin said, and will need to compete to win jobs outright. "You're bringing some veterans into the room who have kicked in games before, and either allowing some of the younger players time to develop, or competing with them and taking the job," Franklin said. "So far, so good, with all the feedback that I've gotten." Penn State's activity in the transfer portal will continue with the eventual ad- dition of Dante Cephas, a senior wide receiver who is finishing up work on his bachelor's degree at Kent State this spring. The Nittany Lions will also consider pursuing additional players when the portal window reopens from May 1-15. — Nate Bauer Franklin On Portal Additions: 'Iron Sharpens Iron' Junior wide receiver Malik McClain started 12 games for Florida State the past two seasons. PHOTO COURTESY WARCHANT.COM