Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519242
M A Y 2 0 2 4 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Fleming's intensity on the practice field was evident even during the brief oppor- tunities in which the media was able to watch the team work out this spring. His first public performance in a Penn State uniform was in the Blue-White Game. Playing for the Blue team, he finished with 1 catch (on 3 targets) for 5 yards. There's been a learning curve, of course, but the former Southern Columbia High star is pleased with how his transition to PSU has gone. "Honestly, it's been awesome," Fleming said. "The coaches have been great. The players have been very welcoming, so it's been a great opportunity. It's been a very smooth transition. I had relationships [with people at Penn State], and being able to develop them and talk to them, and then being able to come here on my visit [after entering the portal] and seeing that nothing really changed, that's been great." Healthy Again Injury problems hampered Fleming during his time with the Buckeyes. He's undergone operations on both his left and right shoulders, prompting the Colum- bus Dispatch to note last year that he had begun referring to the surgically repaired joints as "bionic shoulders." It was always going to be difficult to compete for snaps as part of an Ohio State receiver corps that ranks annually as one of the best in college football, and the inju- ries only compounded the challenge. Having settled in at Penn State, Fleming is hopeful that those problems are behind him. Indeed, one of the reasons why he's so excited about the opportunity to finish his career at PSU is that his shoulders are completely healed. "I'm healthy as can be," Fleming said. "This is probably the healthiest offsea- son I've had so far. Shoulders are both good. I got those all fixed up, and I've been under the needle a couple of times with stuff, just having to get this and that done, bumps and bruises. But right now, I'm healthy and I'm happy about it. "I never made it through a full spring session [at Ohio State], so just being able to prove more things to myself has been awesome for me." Junior quarterback Drew Allar is ex- cited about what Fleming has shown so far. Allar said in early April that the veteran wideout brings a sense of professionalism with him to the offense that can only help moving forward. "Julian and I have a really good rela- tionship," Allar said. "We have lockers right across from each other, so we're always in there together before practices. Even on our off days, we're always in there. Julian's a great receiver, but I think he brings a certain toughness and men- tality to that receivers room in general. He's just going to go out and consistently do his job and do whatever the coaches ask him to do, no matter if it's involving him in the pass game or he's blocking on screens for the running backs on the perimeter. "He brings a toughness to that room that I think is really good. And then I think Julian is a very pro-like guy who has a very good mentality, work ethic and habits away from the field. He's always putting in extra work. I always see him bringing along other receivers with him to get extra work on the JUGS [passing machine], and he's always asking me after practice to get some reps. He's been really good, and I love being around him." A Good Fit Fleming had been a five-star prospect at Southern Columbia, where he set a state record with 77 touchdown recep- tions. He gave Penn State strong con- sideration, visiting campus more than 20 times. But PSU had employed three receivers coaches during Fleming's time as a Nit- tany Lion recruiting target. The Buck- eyes, by contrast, offered the promise of stability. Fleming announced in May 2019 that he was headed to Columbus. "I had a real good relationship with [Penn State]," he told PennLive.com at the time. "It started early, so it did hurt a little bit saying no to them. They were a little hurt by it." Those hard feelings were still on Franklin's mind when the opportunity arose for a do-over. The Nittany Lions prefer to target portal prospects with whom they already have a relationship, but this was one instance in which the Fleming made his first public appearance as a Penn State player in the Blue-White Game. He finished with 1 catch for 5 yards. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL