Blue White Illustrated

October 2016

Penn State Sports Magazine

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[is important], because they definitely don't cover a lot, especially against wide receivers. It's really just putting my ad- vantages [against] everyone else's weak- nesses, so it really has played out in my favor. It's been a good move." But it's not been without some disap- pointments. While Hamilton led Penn State in receiving against Pitt, the throw that occupied his thoughts after the Nittany Lions' 42-39 loss was the one he didn't come down with. Mc- Sorley had seen him break free and heaved a deep pass toward him as he streaked downfield inside the Panthers' 30-yard line. The play looked as though it could have given the Lions their first lead of the game, but the ball skittered off Hamilton's fingertips and the drive ended moments later on an interception in the end zone. Hamilton was still fighting off tears in the postgame media room, but the play did nothing to diminish the confi- dence of his coaches and teammates. "I believe in DaeSean Hamilton," coach James Franklin said. "Always have and al- ways will. We will continue to go to him BWI asked Penn State sports historian Lou Prato to select the top receiver corps in school history. Most of the players listed below are wideouts, but there have been many seasons in which the tailbacks and tight ends have 8gured prominently in the passing game, and they, too, are listed here. Here's Lou's list: 2005-08 Deon Butler, Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood No three wide receivers in Penn State history can com- pare to this group over their entire four-year career. They were an integral part of Joe Paterno's late-ca- reer resurgence, during which the Lions won two Big Ten championships and played in the 2006 Orange Bowl (a victory over Florida State) and 2009 Rose Bowl (a loss to USC). Butler, an invited walk-on, holds the school record for career receptions (175) and is second in career yardage (2,771). Williams (161 catches for 1,743 yards) and Norwood (158 for 2,015) are among the Lions' career lead- ers in both categories. 1993-95 Bobby Engram, Freddie Scott, Joe Jurevicius Engram, who is arguably the team's greatest wide receiver, is still Penn State's career leader in receiving yardage (3,026), with Jurevicius ninth (1,894) and Scott 14th (1,520). In career receptions, Engram ranks third (167), Jurevicius is tied for 14th (94) and Scott 16th (93). They all came together in the Lions' undefeated 1994 season. Engram was a junior that year, Scott a sophomore and Jurevi- cius a freshman. They played key roles in one of the most powerful and balanced o:ensive machines in college football history. 1980-82 Kenny Jackson, Gregg Garrity, Curt Warner Jackson was Penn State's 8rst 8rst-team All- America wide receiver in 1982 and '83 and still ranks seventh in career yardage (2,006), with Garrity 25th (952). Garrity may be Penn State's most famous walk-on. He was an outstanding clutch receiver who is best remembered for his dramatic touchdown catch in the 1983 Sugar Bowl, which helped give the Lions the national championship. No tailback has been better at catching passes coming out of the back8eld than the All-American Warner, who gained 662 receiving yards in his Hall of Fame career. 1989 David Daniels, Terry Smith, O.J. McDu+e Because this team lost three games, the individual play- ers are o

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