Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / T H E B I G P I C T U R E / / / / / / / Set against an always-energizing White Out backdrop, this matchup of national champion- ship hopefuls could be one of the best games of the entire season. 3. Indiana | Nov. 8 Curt Cignetti got the nation's attention last fall, turning the 3-9 team he had inherited into a College Football Playoff participant in his first season in Bloomington. Now he has a chance to show that the Hoosiers are built to last. Landing former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the nation's No. 4 transfer signal- caller, to replace Kurtis Rourke was a good start. Meanwhile, the returning talent includes three defensive All-Americans — edge rusher Mikail Kamara, linebacker Aiden Fisher and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds. No one's sleeping on the Hoosiers this year. 4. Nebraska | Nov. 22 After a surprisingly lengthy downturn, the Cornhuskers appear to be on their way back up. Quarterback Dylan Raiola was impres- sive as a freshman and should keep Nebraska pointed in the right direction, especially if he can cut down on the turnovers after tossing 11 interceptions last fall. Coach Matt Rhule will be returning to his alma mater for the first time since leading Temple into Beaver Stadium in 2016. It'll also be a homecoming for defensive coordinator John Butler, who was part of Bill O'Brien's PSU staff during the 2012 and '13 seasons. 5. At Iowa | Oct. 18 Penn State has fared better at Kinnick Sta- dium than at the Horseshoe over the years, but it's also experienced its share of heart- break, including a 23-20 come-from-ahead loss in its most recent visit in 2021, a game in which it was firmly in control until quarterback Sean Clifford got hurt in the second quarter. The Hawkeyes need to continue upgrading their much-maligned offense, which ranked 117th in the FBS last year with an average of 328.8 yards per game. It didn't help that their new starting quarterback, South Dakota State transfer Mark Gronowski, missed spring practice while recovering from shoulder sur- gery. But coordinator Phil Parker's defense can always be counted on to give opponents trouble, even in a rebuilding year. BREAKOUT CANDIDATES 1. Zuriah Fisher | DE Due to injuries, Fisher has only played in 15 games the past three seasons, and he sat out the 2024 campaign entirely after getting hurt last spring. As a result of those extended absences, the 6-foot-3, 258-pound super senior hasn't gotten much national attention, but he's slated to start this fall and has been generating "a lot of excitement internally," James Franklin said in June. Thin at defensive end, the Lions will need him to have the kind of breakout season he seemed to be trending toward earlier in his career. 2. Khalil Dinkins | TE Dinkins has patiently awaited his chance to be Penn State's top tight end. With All-Amer- ican Tyler Warren graduating, that moment has arrived. Dinkins' career totals to date — 23 catches for 232 yards and 5 touchdowns — are modest, but that's about to change. And he's been a reliable blocker throughout his career. 3. Luke Reynolds | TE Yes, another tight end. The Lions got 104 catches and 1,233 yards from Warren last year, so it'll take more than one player to re- place him. Reynolds is going to get plenty of reps along with Dinkins after showing great promise while playing in all 16 games as a true freshman last year. Athlon listed him as one of its top dozen breakout players in 2025. Who are we to argue? 4. Devonte Ross | WR Ross has already broken out, just not at Penn State. He caught 76 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior at Troy, but now he'll have chance to show what he can do on the big stage. The Lions are hoping he can be the field-stretching deep threat they've mostly lacked the past couple of years. Ross also averaged 17 yards on 9 punt returns last year and will have a chance to make an impact on special teams. 5. Elliot Washington II | CB Washington was the breakout star of win- ter workouts. The junior cornerback made a clean sweep of the position group's Competi- tor of the Day awards, winning all six. By all accounts, he maintained his momentum in spring practice and appears ready to take over a full-time starting cornerback role after mak- ing one start last year. TRUE FRESHMAN IMPACT 1. Koby Howard | WR The Lions have more than enough man- power at the slot position, but there's no proven depth at the outside spots behind projected starters Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross. That could open up opportunities for one of the team's freshman-eligible wideouts. Redshirt freshman Tyseer Denmark hasn't proven he's the guy yet, so if one of the four recently arrived wideouts can pick up the of- fense quickly, there's a big opportunity to be the third or fourth option as a backup receiver outside. Howard impressed in spring practice, which makes him a player to watch. 2. Daryus Dixson | CB Penn State has three excellent cornerbacks in juniors A.J. Harris, Audavion Collins and Elliot Washington II. The Lions need a fourth if they're going to field a solid two-deep, and Dixson could be the guy. A four-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, he played for one of the country's best high school programs, Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif., and flashed his college potential in spring practice. 3. Tikey Hayes | RB Senior co-starters Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen are going to get the vast ma- jority of the reps at running back, especially when the Big Ten season starts, but the Lions need to have someone else ready. The 5-foot- 11, 204-pound Hayes enrolled last winter and already looks thicker and stronger than his older teammates. While that's not the only skill it takes to see the field, it does make him a strong contender for the RB3 role. 4. Yvan Kemajou | DE The Nittany Lions were looking a bit thin at defensive end even before redshirt freshman Max Granville went down with an injury that is expected to keep him out of action for an extended period. That could open the door for the 6-3, 250-pound Kemajou, a four-star prospect who spent time with the first-team defense during spring ball. 5. Lyrick Samuel | WR Samuel had a 42-yard touchdown catch in the Blue-White Game, and while that's hardly proof he's ready to see action on Saturdays, the Lions do need playmakers at the outside receiver spots. At 6-4, 181 pounds, he'll likely need to pack on more muscle before he can be expected to play a significant role. ■ Tight end Luke Reynolds played in all 16 games as a true freshman last year and finished with 9 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS