Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
7 8 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 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / BY THE NUMBERS 3 Field goals of 50 or more yards by Alex Felkins during his four seasons at Columbia. Felkins, who transferred to PSU in January, is one of only two kickers in Ivy League history to connect on 3 or more 50-yard attempts. 4th Nicholas Singleton's spot among Big Ten kickoff returners last fall with a 24.9-yard average on 14 attempts. Indiana's Jaylin Lucas led the league with a 28.1-yard average. 116th Penn State's place among FBS teams in punt-return average last year. With Parker Wash- ington handling 18 of the team's 24 return attempts, the Lions averaged 4.38 yards. PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★★ National Title; ★★★★ Top 10; ★★★ Top 25; ★★ Too Unproven; ★ Major Concern STARTERS ★★ If sophomore running back Nicholas Singleton contin- ues to return kicks, the Nittany Lions will have a proven Power Five performer in at least one facet of their kick- ing game. Singleton showed his potential last year on a 100-yard touchdown return against Rutgers. He finished the year with a 24.9-yard average on 14 attempts. Everything else is pretty much up for grabs. Redshirt freshman Alex Bacchetta has attempted just 4 punts at the college level, while redshirt sophomore placekicker Sander Sahaydak has only tried 2 field goals. Their challengers — senior punter Riley Thompson and senior kicker Alex Felkins — both arrived via the transfer portal and are more experienced, but they are moving up from Conference USA and the Ivy League, respectively. The Lions must also figure out who will kick off. That was a problem last year, with Sahaydak and Gabriel Nwosu getting their shots before giving way to the since-graduated Jake Pinegar. Special teams coordinator Stacy Collins said Nwosu, a redshirt sophomore, impressed in the spring, but this job is still open, and let's not forget that the Nittany Lions must also choose a new punt returner, long snap- per and holder. EXPERIENCE ★★ Felkins was a three-year All-Ivy League performer at Columbia and holds the school scoring record for kickers with 183 points. Thompson only played one season at Florida Atlantic before entering the portal, but he punted 61 times for a 45.4-yard average. If the two transfers win their respective starting posi- tions, the Lions will have some experience at the top of the depth chart, albeit not at the Power Five level. If they don't win those jobs, PSU will be very inexperienced at those two critical spots. DEPTH ★★ The Lions probably have more depth — or at least more variety — in the return game, where sophomore Kaytron Allen is likely to join Singleton bringing back kick- offs and about half a dozen players are challenging senior frontrunner Daequan Hardy for the punt-return job. At the kicking spots, it would be premature to assert that the Lions have sufficient depth when we don't even know if they have reliable starters yet. OVERALL GRADE ★★ This area is a total mystery. The Lions' kicking game could be an asset or a liability. It could be an asset and a liability if the kickers shine and the punters struggle, or vice versa. We reserve the right to upgrade this rating in the months ahead. In particular, Thompson seems like he has the potential to make an immediate impact. For now, though, unproven is probably the best word to describe Penn State's kicking game. 2022 vs. 2023: Stock Up Or Down? It's probably fair to say the Nittany Lions' stock is holding steady, even with a wide- ranging overhaul underway. A year ago, they finished fifth in the Big Ten in net punting aver- age (40.7 yards), eighth in field goal percent- age (72.2) and 12th in punt-return average (4.38 yards). Those numbers can certainly be equaled and, with any luck, surpassed. That said, the Lions will need their two scholarship specialists — redshirt freshman punter Alex Bacchetta and redshirt sopho- more placekicker Sander Sahaydak — to be ready for vastly expanded roles. Failing that, they'll need their two transfer portal acquisi- tions — senior punter Riley Thompson and senior placekicker Alex Felkins — to hit the ground running. X-Factor Do the Nittany Lions have someone on their roster who can handle the pressure of a game- winning kick in front of 106,000? This isn't just a thought exercise. Michigan was the Big Ten's best team last year by a wide margin, but even the Wolverines needed a clutch kick in the final seconds against Illinois to keep their unbeaten record intact. Penn State is going to require a similar kick at some point. It's not a matter of if but when. Sahaydak hasn't yet had a chance to show his mettle, having attempted just 2 field goals in his career to date. Felkins, a Columbia trans- fer, is accustomed to the less frenzied atmo- sphere of the Ivy League. His home stadium the previous four seasons had 89,572 fewer seats than the Beav. If he wins the starting job, he's going to have to adapt to a whole differ- ent level of scrutiny. Freshman Outlook Bacchetta is battling to be Penn State's starting punter, but Thompson might have the inside track. The Lions' willingness to spend a second scholarship on a punter suggests that the staff wasn't satisfied with its options as of last December. The other area where a freshman or two could have a big role — besides the coverage teams, obviously — is on punt returns. Among the candidates that coordinator Stacy Collins will be looking at in preseason camp are red- shirt freshman receiver Kaden Saunders and true freshman defensive backs King Mack and Zion Tracy. — Matt Herb Senior Alex Felkins arrived at Penn State in January after setting the school record at Columbia for most career points by a placekicker (183). PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE