Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1505647
3 6 O C T O 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 Tight end Brenton Strange has become an all-around offensive force for the Nittany Lions this fall B renton Strange entered the 2021 season determined to do it all. Pointing to the San Francisco 49ers' Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle as his inspiration, Strange wanted to provide toughness in every phase of the game, while also expanding his role as a pass catcher in Penn State's offense. "In the NFL, you see guys like Kittle. Those are the guys that get paid," Strange said. "That's what I want to be a part of my game." With Penn State approaching the half- way point of its 2022 season, those aims are coming to fruition for Strange. Heading into the Lions' Big Ten home opener against Northwestern on Oct. 1, the redshirt junior tight end had 12 re- ceptions for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns. His average of 15.1 yards per catch was the best of any Nittany Lion with more than one reception so far this season. It's been a stark contrast to his 2021 season, in which he totaled 20 catches for 225 yards and 3 touchdowns in 13 games. Strange struggled to produce consistent performances. While he finished the year as one of Penn State's best run-blockers, his role in the passing attack fluctuated from week to week. Strange enjoyed his best game of the current season in Penn State's 41-12 win at Auburn, pulling in 6 catches on 7 tar- gets for 80 yards, with 59 of those yards coming after the catch. Penn State head coach James Franklin said the former four-star prospect from Parkersburg, W.Va., was starting to reach his potential. "I think he's playing his best football right now," Franklin said. "He's an older guy who has played a bunch of football for us already. This was expected for him and really that whole group. He's play- ing really good football for us, which has been really impactful. "I think Brenton is playing as good as any tight end in the country." The analysts at Pro Football Focus agreed with Franklin's assessment af- ter the victory at Auburn. PFF awarded him an overall offensive grade of 93.9 and a receiving grade of 92.1. Those marks placed him just behind Georgia's NAT E BAU E R | NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM Strange Strange New World New World Strange, a redshirt junior, led the Nittany Lions with an average of 15.1 yards per catch through the team's first four games. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE