Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/79325
LETTERMEN RETURNING Ty Howle, Evan Lewis LETTERMEN LOST Justin Brown*, Jon Rohrbaugh*, Anthony Fera* RISING STAR After seeing minimal ac- tion as a true freshman – he finished with one field goal for 43 yards – Sam Ficken is the go-to guy this fall. He had better be ready for it, as he's the only scholarship kicker on the roster following Fera's departure. BIGGEST LOSS Fera is heading home to Texas, and he's one of the team's biggest losses of the summer. Last season, he averaged more than five points a game and more than 41 yards per punt. Faced with major scholarship reductions in the coming years, the Lions are definitely going to miss the two-for-one bargain that Fera represented. NUMBERS GAME As a high school senior, Ficken kicked a 52-yard field goal off "the Indiana cow pasture grass," his high school coach said. In his two seasons at Penn State, Fera never kicked one longer than 50 yards. OUTLOOK This unit received a thor- ough (and thoroughly unexpected) makeover during the off-season. Fick- en figures to handle kicking duties, while junior Alex Butterworth, a for- mer walk-on, takes over the punting job after seeing spot duty during the past two seasons. Rohrbaugh, the punt snapper, has graduated, while Howle, the kick snapper, is out with a torn pectoral. The loss of those two players means junior Emery Etter and incoming freshman Joe Marvin will likely handle the snaps. Who goes back deep? Bill Belton has shown the wiggle to be effective in the return game, but the Lions need to replace Brown on punt returns. PHIL SAYS I believe Adrian Amos and PLACE KICKER NO NAME 97 Sam Ficken 19 Matt Marcinin YR HT WT So. 6-2 172 Fr. 5-11 182 PUNTER 45 Alex Butterworth Jr. 5-10 206 29 Reynolds Parthemore Fr. 6-4 196 KICK RETURNER 4 1Bill Belton Adrian AmosSo. So. PUNT RETURNER 1Bill Belton So. 6-0 5-10 5-10 205 202 202 Belton are capable of bringing a new dimension to Penn State's return game. * Starting experience in 2011