Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
5 0 A U G U S T 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 / / / / / / / 2 0 2 5 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P enn State head coach James Franklin put the circumstances into context. Asked at a news conference prior to the start of spring practice about forg- ing an offensive identity for the 2025 sea- son, he noted that the passing game was something of a blank slate with three of the team's top four pass catchers from last year — tight end Tyler Warren and receivers Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans — having moved on. There were a couple of different ways one could view those losses, but Franklin chose to think positive. "I look at it as an exciting time," he said. "If I'm a wide receiver or a tight end, I'm excited because Tyler Warren had how many catches last year?" That would be 104 catches for 1,233 yards and 8 touchdowns, the most recep- tions and yards ever by a Big Ten tight end in a single season. No individual player will make such an immense statistical contribution this fall, but the Lions are still going to be looking to throw the ball, meaning that opportunities will abound. "Those catches have got to go some- where," Franklin said. "So, if I'm a wide receiver, I'm excited. If I'm a tight end, I'm excited because that production needs to go somewhere." Stepping Up With Warren off to the Indianapolis Colts, one of the first players Penn State will turn to this fall is his understudy and occasional co-starter last year, Khalil Dinkins. The redshirt senior tight end out of North Allegheny High in Wexford, Pa., has been patiently waiting behind a string of outstanding teammates who've gone on to become NFL Draft selections in Warren, Theo Johnson and Brenton Strange. With those players gone, Dinkins has steadily climbed to the top of Penn State's depth chart at the position. And this season, his final year of college ball, he very much intends to seize the mo- ment. "I'm blessed to be in this position," Dinkins said. "I worked hard just to get to where I am now. I take every opportunity to make the best of it. "It makes me want to go hard every day and practice, never miss a rep, never miss anything. I just try to be the best [version] of who I am. That's probably going to be my message. I'm trying to be the best of who I am today, who I am tomorrow." To this point in his career with the Penn State football program, that growth process has been a gradual one. Taking a redshirt in his first year on campus in 2021, but twice earning Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Week rec- ognition from the Nittany Lions' coach- ing staff, Dinkins parlayed the foundation into back-to-back years of special teams contributions and limited offensive op- portunities. On special teams, he appeared in all four phases between the 2022 and '23 campaigns, while on the offensive side of the ball, he nabbed 4 catches for 53 yards including a 28- yard touchdown from Drew Allar as a redshirt freshman, following it with 5 catches for 57 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2023. With Warren stepping into the stage vacated by Strange and Johnson in 2024, Meeting The Moment Tight end Khalil Dinkins prepares to assume a much bigger role in Penn State's offense NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M