Penn State Sports Magazine
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O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M play-action fake to Singleton in the backfield. As six Mountaineer defenders raced toward Allar, the pocket collaps- ing around him, the sophomore signal- caller moved to his right, avoided the pass rush, and stepped back up toward the line of scrimmage. With a flick of his wrist, eyes upfield throughout, Allar fired a pass 40 yards to a streaking Lambert-Smith across the middle of the field. Making the catch while shedding the lone West Virginia defender to his back and maintaining his balance, Lambert-Smith gathered in the ball and trotted the final 25 yards into the end zone with no other players from either team anywhere near him. And that was just the beginning. He added a key 30-yard reception on a third down in the sec- ond quarter and a 12-yard touchdown catch early in the second half. The numbers he compiled in Penn State's 38-15 victory ranked among the best of his career. His 2 touchdowns were a career high, and his 123 total re- ceiving yards were just shy of the 124 he posted against the Utes in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2. It was the culmination of an offseason devoted to making personal improve- ments under the tutelage of new receiv- ers coach Marques Hagans and creating cohesion with Allar. Lambert-Smith was pleased with how everything came to- gether against the Mountaineers. "Honestly, it wasn't much of a sur- prise to me," he said. "We put in so much work. Seven days a week, Coach Hagans is demanding a lot out of us, and it's for a great reason. "He sees the potential in the room. We see the potential in the room, so we all buy into the message that he's trying to get across to us. So far, it's paying off. But we've got to continue to build on it." Ups And Downs For Lambert-Smith, that process has been ongoing throughout his Penn State career. Proving his talent from the moment he stepped on campus as part of the Nittany Lions' 2020 recruiting class, the Nor- folk, Va., native played in all nine games and started five during a COVID-short- ened freshman season, finishing with 15 catches for 138 yards. That effort propelled Lambert-Smith into a 2021 campaign in which he more than doubled his output, catching 34 passes for 521 yards and 5 touchdowns. But concerns about his resiliency arose along the way. Franklin said he needed to find a way to bounce back from a tough practice rep or a drop in a game. Still, with 18 career starts to his credit heading into the 2022 season, he again began as a starter for the Nittany Lions. Playing opposite Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, Lambert-Smith reeled in 4 receptions on 8 targets at Purdue, producing 58 yards with a key touch- down. But as had been the case in previous seasons, his apparent breakthrough proved unsustainable. Hobbled by an injury against Northwestern in Week 5, Lambert-Smith saw his reps and targets drop significantly in the ensuing games. Only upon returning to the starting rotation, with Washington out for the season, did Lambert-Smith again con- nect for 3 or more receptions in a game. He did so in consecutive appearances, combining to catch 8 passes for 92 yards against Rutgers and Michigan State. Then came the Rose Bowl, in which he had 3 catches for a career-best 124 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that ranked as the longest pass play in the game's history. "I just think he has such a bright future," Franklin said following PSU's 35-21 victory. "To see him have such a big night is great, because there are so many lessons that are being taught through the game of football, and I'm really proud of KeAndre and how far he's grown." A Breakthrough Moment For Lambert-Smith, the win in Pasa- dena acted as a springboard into the off- season. He improved as a leader, competi- tor and teammate throughout the spring and summer, and his performance against West Virginia encapsulated the develop- ment he exhibited within the program. "He is thriving academically. He's thriving as a football player. He's earned the respect of the locker room and the coaching staff," Franklin said. "And yeah, it hasn't always been a smooth ride. I think he's a really good example for a lot of guys that you trust a process, you keep working, and at some point, you're going to have that breakthrough mo- ment, and it's going to turn for you." Lambert-Smith has embraced that re- ality this season. No longer the second or third piece of a puzzle, he is now the unquestioned leader of PSU's receiving corps and is determined to capitalize on his opportunity. "That's all I've been wanting since my freshman year," he said. "I'm the num- ber one guy now, and that opportunity is here, so I'm going to make the most of it." Aiming to turn his sparkling perfor- mance against West Virginia into some- thing routine and expected, Lambert- Smith has made believers of two key stakeholders. The first is Franklin, who said the junior wideout has the potential to be "one of the better wide receivers in the Big Ten and college football" this season. The other is Lambert-Smith himself. He said after the West Virginia game that his performance only hinted at the kind of impact he can have going forward. "I don't like to seem cocky or anything, but the player I know I am and the stan- dard I hold myself to, it was nothing," he said. "It was only 4 catches today, and I've been here when guys went for 10 catches, 12 catches. I'm grateful for all opportuni- ties that come my way, but that's just the beginning." ■ "I think he's a really good example for a lot of guys that you trust a process, you keep working, and at some point, you're going to have that breakthrough moment, and it's going to turn for you." J A M E S F R A N K L I N O N L A M B E R T - S M I T H