Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531683
6 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M S econd-guessing becomes a sport after crushing losses, and Penn State's particularly sour setback at the hands of Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl in early January will give all parties plenty of time to think about what could have been. There's never one reason a team loses a football game. Typically, even close contests are decided by a handful of plays over the course of 60 minutes. Against the Fighting Irish, a season's worth of strengths and weaknesses manifested themselves for good and bad. Unfortunately for Penn State, the worst example could not be hidden. The Nittany Lion wide receivers weren't ex- pected to be a big part of any potential win in Florida; it was clear that PSU was going to roll on the shoulders of a revital- ized running game and All-America tight end Tyler Warren. Penn State just needed something — anything at all, really — from Marques Hagans' group of wideouts. Instead, it got zero catches in the 27-24 loss. Any sort of goodwill that the group had gained throughout the season as a clearly peripheral option went out the window with that stat. This isn't a column to rag on the Nit- tany Lions' receivers. That's too sim- plistic and, frankly, would miss the point about the many contributing factors in play. James Franklin came into the season feeling hopeful about the group. By the end of September, he was openly ques- tioning those who had doubted it. "I've been pleased with the step that we've taken," Franklin said before noting that he was "kind of surprised" that his football communications team hadn't shown him "a ton of articles" about Penn State's wideouts and their growth. "There sure were a bunch of articles when they didn't play up to people's thoughts and standards," Franklin added. "But, overall, I've been pleased with what they've been able to do. We've got to continue to build it, build their confi- dence and build their production. I don't think it's hard to argue that they may be the most improved position on the team right now, and let's be honest with it, we needed that to happen. "I'm not saying that some of the things that were written and said in the past weren't fair … but if we're going to be critical, then they should be praised when they're doing some really good things, which I think they are." Franklin's comments came after three different Penn State wideouts went over 100 yards in the first four games. In the end, though, his words proved prema- ture. While Warren's national profile was rising, the receivers were receding fur- ther into the back seat. Penn State's receivers combined for 3 catches against Ohio State and didn't have more than 8 as a group in any of the eight games that followed. In five of those games, they were held to 5 or fewer catches. The receivers were admittedly strong in the run-blocking game down the stretch, but that's hardly a silver lining for a group that exists to catch the foot- ball. Even putting stats aside, the disap- pearing act set the table for inevitable upheaval this offseason. "It would be no different if we won the game and had a whole bunch of stats to validate the performance," Hagans said after the Orange Bowl. "It's the same goal. We've just got to get better. Got to play better. Continue to win our routes, continue to make plays, continue to block, continue to make plays with spe- cial teams. That's always going to be the goal." Most of Penn State's roster is in a great spot ahead of the 2025 season, but if Hagans, whose job seems safe at this point, cannot turn the receivers around this offseason, the Nittany Lions are staring at a redux of 2024. There's no blueprint as to how it's going to play out, either. Frustrated leading outside receiver Harrison Wallace III and deep threat Omari Evans hit the transfer portal in January. Wallace will suit up for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss in his final year, and Evans remains undecided. Reserves Ty- ler Johnson and Mehki Flowers also left, but the math doesn't change much with those departures. Penn State signed former USC wide- out Kyron Hudson and Troy speedster Devonte Ross from the portal, and those two have little choice but to have a bigger impact than last year's addition of Julian Fleming. Right now, Penn State is slated to re- turn 20 catches from its wideouts, with 18 of those coming from veteran Liam Clifford. Hagans and Penn State have a vital offseason ahead of them. That position group needs more hypotheticals to come true than any other. With no silver bul- let solution, there's little choice but to go back to work. "We lean on the whole group," Hagans said. "We've got to grow together, get better together and get prepared to fight and work together. It's going to take the whole group." ■ Group Effort Needed If Receivers Are To Step Forward JUDGMENT CALL O P I N I O N SEAN FITZ SEAN.FITZ@ON3.COM With 18 catches last season, redshirt senior Liam Clifford is by far the Nittany Lions' top returning wideout. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL