Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525333
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 31 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Then, just nine snaps into the Nittany Lions' matchup against Indiana on Oct. 28, he suffered a broken collarbone and ended up sitting out the rest of the regu- lar season. The enforced inactivity put a damper on a season that had held so much promise just a few months earlier. "With a broken collarbone, there's not much you can do," Wallace said. "I was really just pushing myself to get back as soon as I could so I could get back on the field with the guys." Wallace did work his way back into the receiver rotation in time for the Nittany Lions' matchup against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. And while he appeared to suffer another injury late in that game, he finished with 4 catches for 67 yards and a touchdown against the Rebels, a performance that helped serve as a springboard into the new year. Wallace said at Penn State's football media day on Aug. 3 that he's as healthy now as he's ever been. The enormous smile he flashed during interviews and later in one of the team's open practice sessions in early August said it all. Like so many other Nittany Lions, Wallace is eager to break out and show the Big Ten and the rest of the college football world that he's ready to seize his opportunity. "I feel great," he said. "I feel the fast- est I've ever been. I'm the most I've ever weighed, and I'm healthy and playing fast at this weight. I'm just pretty con- fident." 'Something I've Always Wanted' That's big news, both for the receiver himself and for Penn State's offense. The Nittany Lions enter the 2024 season with question marks at the position group, and Wallace could be its leading man. He wants to play that role, and the Lions want him to play it, too. Of course, that was the expectation last season before injuries kept those hopes from being realized. Head coach James Franklin and as- sistant Marques Hagans brought senior Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming into the program this past offseason. The for- mer five-star prospect from Catawissa, Pa., caught 80 passes for 990 yards and 7 touchdowns during his time with the Buckeyes and is also known for his downfield blocking and leadership skills off the field. Redshirt junior Liam Clifford has a leadership role, too, and is in line for first-team reps this fall, while junior Omari Evans should factor into the com- petition for starting positions. Beyond Wallace, Fleming, Clifford and Evans, it's anybody's guess who will see snaps in 2024. A quartet of redshirt sophomores — Kaden Saunders, Tyler Johnson, Mehki Flowers and Anthony Ivey — have yet to climb the depth chart, though Saunders has had more of a role than his classmates so far and is in line for the most receiver snaps of his career in addition to handling the team's punt- return work. A pair of 2024 signees — Tyseer Den- mark and Peter Gonzalez — also hope to make an impact during their first year on campus, but there are no guarantees that any members of the group will be able to take the necessary step forward. Those personnel considerations put even more pressure on Wallace to be the go-to receiver in coordinator Andy Kotelnicki's offense, but he said he isn't feeling any anxiety about the expecta- tions surrounding him this preseason. "I feel great. I feel the fastest I've ever been. I'm the most I've ever weighed, and I'm healthy and playing fast at this weight. I'm just pretty confident." W A L L A C E Wallace has impressed in practice throughout the offseason. "He shows up ready to work every day," wide receivers coach Marques Hagans said. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL