Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1495456
2 4 A P R I L 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A year ago, Penn State went into spring practice with a new de- fensive coordinator and plenty of questions to answer on both sides of the ball after dropping six of its final eight games en route to a 7-6 finish. This year, the vibe could not be more different. Manny Diaz's defense proved to be every bit as fierce as hoped in 2022, finishing 10th in the country with an average of 18.23 points allowed per game. That performance, coupled with a solid showing by a freshman-infused offense, helped PSU finish 11-2 with a Rose Bowl victory over Utah. On the heels of Penn State's bounce- back performance, it didn't take long for the team to start showing up as a Big Ten title contender in various way- too-early polls assessing the national outlook in 2023. That spirit of optimism helped animate the Nittany Lions' win- ter workouts, and it will surely carry over into spring practice. Still, the Lions are not without ques- tions. Here's a look at some of the more pressing concerns facing James Frank- lin's team now that its offseason drills are underway. 1. Which position group has the most to prove this spring? It's got to be the receivers, right? They've lost their top two perform- ers in Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, who combined for 97 of the 160 catches by Penn State wideouts last year. They also lost their position coach when PSU dismissed Taylor Stubblefield in January after three sea- sons. Franklin declined to say what led to Stubblefield's exit, but Penn State hasn't developed much depth in its receiving corps, and in recent years it has missed out on several recruits who would have looked good in blue and white. The upshot is that new posi- tion coach Marques Hagans, formerly of Virginia, inherits a returning talent pool that has amassed a combined total of 41 career catches to date. The dearth of proven experience has created an opening for Florida State transfer Malik McClain, a 6-foot-4, 202-pound junior who enrolled in January. Fourth-year junior KeAn- dre Lambert-Smith will also be one to watch this spring after catching 3 passes for 124 yards in the Rose Bowl. It's entirely possible, however, that the Lions' most impactful wideout in 2023 is one who won't be anywhere near Holuba Hall this spring. Senior Dante Cephas is finishing up work on his degree at Kent State and won't ar- rive on campus until after the spring semester. Cephas caught 130 passes for 2,984 yards and 11 scores in his last two sea- sons with the Golden Flashes. A year ago, he totaled 13 catches for 180 yards in games against Washington, Okla- homa and Georgia. He's never played against a full slate of Power Five oppo- nents, though, so he too has something to prove. — Matt Herb 2. Which January enrollees are poised to make an early impact? Penn State welcomed 11 members of its 2023 recruiting class in January, and several of those prospects have already Five Questions Even after a bounce-back 2022 season, the Lions have concerns to address this spring Junior KeAndre Lambert-Smith is Penn State's top returning pass catcher with 24 receptions for 389 yards and 4 touch- downs last season. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE