Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538407
3 0 S E P T E M B E R 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 T erry Smith was so matter-of-fact, he was almost overlooked. Asked about how often his first-teamers face Drew Allar in camp, the long- time Penn State cornerbacks coach of- fered a quick response. "Drew takes a lot of snaps, so the ones, when they're up, he's up," Smith said. Then came the follow-up, aimed at a group staking a claim as one of the team's best, if not the best. "Do they benefit from that?" "You're looking at one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and we've upgraded our receivers room, so now it creates a new, better challenge for us as a secondary," Smith replied. To sum up, one of the best quarterbacks in the country, paired with an upgraded receivers room, is playing an important role in the cornerbacks' development this preseason. It's the latest in a string of u p d a te s o n Penn State's o f t - d i sc u sse d wideouts. The team is counting on their production after a 2024 season in which the Nittany Li- ons ranked 66th nationally in pass- ing offense, averaging 227.9 yards per game through the air despite a 10th- place finish in team passing efficiency (154.98). Even the threat of a dangerous aerial attack is central to the plans of head coach James Franklin and offen- sive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Taking Steps In January, Penn State targeted trans- fer portal additions Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross to offset the departures of Omari Evans and Harrison Wallace III. A third transfer, Trebor Peña, joined in April. Arriving from USC, Troy and Syra- cuse, respectively, the three senior new- comers made a combined total of 198 catches for 2,446 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. The most productive of the three was Ross. He became the first Troy player in more than a decade to surpass 1,000 re- ceiving yards, totaling 1,043 on 76 catches and winning first-team All-Sun Belt Conference recognition. The Big Ten will pose a whole new set of challenges for the 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior, and he's been working since January to adjust to the level of competition within a preseason top-five team that plays in arguably the best conference in college football. Flash Flash Forward Forward Penn State's wide receiver corps shows off its growth in preseason practice NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Liam Clifford had a 14-yard score in Penn State's 56-0 victory over Kent State last fall. It was the first touchdown reception of his career. PHOTO BY STEVEN WALTER/PENN STATE ATHLETICS