Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
4 2 A U G U S T 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 / / / / / / / 2 0 2 3 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / K eAndre Lambert-Smith strug- gled to find the right answer to a straightforward question. Sur- rounded by a small group of reporters ear- lier this summer, the fourth-year junior receiver paused after being asked what would constitute a great season for him in 2023. "I know you're not supposed to put stats and stuff out there," Lambert-Smith said, peering at the turf in Holuba Hall as he pondered the question. "A great sea- son is me just being able to showcase all my talents. Whether that's 50 catches, 60 catches, 70, 80, 100-plus, I just want to have opportunities to make big plays down the field. "Quick game, reverse, whatever it may be, I want to feel like a playmaker. And I want to feel like at the end of the season, I showcased my talent to the world and I did everything in my power before the season to be the best I can be." The end of the 2023 campaign is still months away, beyond Lambert-Smith's immediate control. But as for the sec- ond part of the equation, the part that involves diligent preparation, the 6-foot- 1, 188-pound veteran has generated a pal- pable buzz within the program. Quarterback Drew Allar lauded Lam- bert-Smith for all the extra time he's been putting in at the Lasch Building this sum- mer. Working to get on the same page, the sophomore quarterback and veteran receiver have grown stronger as a tandem throughout the offseason. Marques Hagans, the Nittany Lions' new receivers coach, has likewise praised Lambert-Smith's willingness to work and help the offense. Embracing a move to the slot this spring, a change from his previ- ous role as an outside receiver the past two seasons, Lambert-Smith has main- tained a positive attitude. Seeking Consistency Preparation is now paramount. Lam- bert-Smith used to arrive 20 minutes before the start of practice, but now he's showing up a few hours ahead of time and putting in work to get his body ready for the challenges ahead. It's all part of an effort to establish himself as a receiver on par with the best in the Big Ten. "It may just be a maturity thing, knowing it's my time," he said. "I don't want to miss this opportunity. I'm the No. 1. I've been waiting for this oppor- tunity. I want to do everything in my power so I can't look back and be like, 'Ah, I folded on my opportunity.' "And honestly, you get tired of hearing [about Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr.], O-State receivers in general, other receivers around the country." Wanting to be a legitimate part of that conversation, Lambert-Smith said the demands have changed. "I've got to be that much more focused because I'm not just competing with guys here. I'm competing with other guys in the country," he said. "As Coach [James] Franklin says, I'm going to be a top guy in the country. And I am. But I just know it comes with work, consistency and habits. So, I've been trying to stick to that." At a critical moment for the Penn State receivers room, Lambert-Smith stands as the lone returning wideout with a real ré- sumé in the program. Through three sea- sons, he's totaled 1,048 yards, 7 receiving touchdowns and a passing touchdown. At no point along the way, begin- ning with the 2020 COVID season, his 34-catch follow-up in 2021, and a 2022 campaign in which he complemented the since-departed Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, has Lambert-Smith been a consistent performer on a game- by-game basis. Last fall, he started the first five games of the season before suffering an injury in a victory over Northwestern in Oc- tober. What had started as a promis- ing campaign — he had 4 catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in the opener at Purdue — turned into an extended downturn. Although he was able to play through the setback, he saw fewer reps and made even fewer receptions. During a six-game stretch from early October to mid-November, he totaled just 4 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Lambert-Smith finished as Penn State's fourth-leading receiver last year with 24 catches for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE KeAndre Lambert-Smith aims to prove that he can be the consistent receiving threat Penn State's offense needs NAT E BAU E R | NAT E . B AU E R @ O N 3 . C O M A Show Of Hands