Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / T H E O F F E N S E / / / / / / / dictates his appearance here; it's his irre- placeability. While it's true that position coach Phil Trautwein has more talent at his disposal than in previous seasons, it's important to note that there is less depth at certain positions than at others. When it comes to the tackles, most of the discussion this offseason has concerned the battle between redshirt sophomore Anthony Donkoh and red- shirt senior at Nolan Rucci on the right side. There's also been some specula- tion about how redshirt sophomore swing lineman J'ven Williams will fit into the team's plans. At no point have we openly consid- ered what's next if Shelton were to be injured. Williams or redshirt freshman Eagan Boyer would likely slide into that spot, but think about that scenario for a second. Do you sense how tenuous the situ- ation becomes? That uneasiness you're feeling is what happens when you remove the keystone block from a formation. Sud- denly, the offensive line combi- nations become less about best- case scenarios and more about adaptation. KEYSTONE PLAYER NO. 2 Tight end Khalil Dinkins It may be surprising to find a tight end on this list. But again, a keystone player is defined by his value to the team and not his out- right talent. Dinkins proved his value the past two seasons while serving as the understudy to cur- rent NFL tight ends Tyler Warren and Theo Johnson. Dinkins was the Nittany Li- ons' de facto X wide receiver in the final two games of the 2023 season. He came back a year later and morphed into the team's top blocking tight end despite the presence of Warren. This year, the 6-foot-4, 251-pound red- shirt senior will be the one in the spotlight. Dinkins' borderline dominant blocking performances opened up big holes for the running backs last season, and that's not an easily rep- licated skill. Sophomore Luke Reynolds and redshirt sophomore Andrew Rapple- yea both stand 6-4, and both are about 250 pounds; they have the physical ability to fill the void. However, Reynolds is still young, and Rappleyea is returning from an injury that cost him virtually the entire 2024 season. The dependability of the tight ends room is crucial to Penn State's offense. And because the team uses three tight ends, it isn't enough to have one or two reliable players at this position group. Without Dinkins, this year's trio would consist of a couple of sophomores, one of whom is coming off a season-ending injury, and, most likely, a freshman. That's a much less reliable group no matter how talented they are. KEYSTONE PLAYER NO. 1 Quarterback Drew Allar The starting quarterback on any team is the keystone player of the entire organiza- tion, especially when that player reaches his senior season. So, ending our list with Allar is a no-brainer. Penn State has no returning "star" pass catcher. While we highlighted Dinkins' ability, this group lacks an obvious player to build around. Receivers may emerge in time, but Allar should be the center of the passing attack this season. Just because the Nittany Lions have no obvious stars does not mean they lack tal- ent. PSU has the opportunity to put five dangerous pass catchers on the field this season. In that environment, Allar should shine. He'll need to improve the rough edges of his first year under of- fensive coordinator Andy Kotel- nicki, but that's doable. Playing with more clarity and consistency is the goal for a player with as- pirations of leading a national championship run and locking up a spot in the first round of next year's NFL Draft. Beyond that, it would be help- ful if Allar became more of a run- ning threat than he was last sea- son. Given the danger that Penn State's run game poses to oppos- ing defenses, option plays should be open for the 6-5, 235-pound quarterback. There's a common misconcep- tion that Allar needs to be an elite runner. He doesn't. He just needs to be judicious and pick the right times to keep the ball when the defense is most vulnerable. Finally, it's no secret that the quarterback can be the eraser for the offense on every play. If some- one makes a mistake, the quarter- back can find a creative solution with his arm or legs. The goal for Allar is to find the right balance of when to be Superman and when to just be Clark Kent. ■ Tight end Khalil Dinkins caught 14 passes for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns last season, but his most valuable contribution to the PSU offense was as a powerful blocker. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT