Tag: Anthony Ivey

James Franklin praises wide receiver group for offseason improvement

James Franklin provided some optimism about the Penn State wide receivers ahead of the season opener.

After the 2023 season, Penn State made it a priority to work in the offseason to find ways to get more out of its wide receivers in 2024. Despite losing some players to the transfer portal, including the team’s leading receiver, Penn State hired a new offensive coordinator and added a key transfer as part of a plan to revamp the offense’s production this fall. And with the first game of the season now just days away, head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] seems to be gaining confidence in his wide receiver group.

“I would say wide receiver. I would say quarterback. I would say offensive line, specifically obviously with the offensive lineman that we lost to the NFL last year. I would say those three positions,” Franklin said during his weekly press conference this week, also noting the improvement of the offensive line and quarterback groups. “I think everybody had pretty good idea who we were at tight end, who we were at running back, so I would say those three positions, and really the three positions we needed to, right?”

Penn State hired Andy Kotelnicki from Kansas to inject some new life into the offense, and the addition of veteran [autotag]Julian Fleming[/autotag] from Ohio State was believed to help solidify the group. And with Drew Allar gearing up for his second season as the starting quarterback, things look like they may be in good shape this fall, beginning this weekend on the road at West Virginia.

One player who has stood out to Franklin among the receivers is [autotag]Liam Clifford[/autotag], the younger brother of former Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford.

“He’s more confident, more comfortable,” Franklin said of Clifford, a player who could step up and become a bigger contributor this season. “He’s much more consistent, which is what it’s all about for all these guys at this level. But it would not surprise me at all, and we are anticipating him having a really good year for us.”

So how many receivers is Penn State looking to field this season?

“I think at wide receiver when you talk about being an 11 personnel set, you know, you’re talking about two deep at two of the positions and then a swing guy in some ways,” Franklin said. “I think we are close to that.”

The big story for the receivers will be figuring out just who is going to step up and demand the football more this fall. Fleming is the veteran option, but Franklin noted a couple of other names we should be watching for.

“I think if you look at kind of across the board, a guy like [autotag]Mehki Flowers[/autotag] has really stepped up for us. Tyler Johnson has really stepped up for us. I think [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag] have really stepped up for us.

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2023 Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 12 Anthony Ivey

Could Anthony Ivey be a surprise player at wide receiver this season for Penn State?

Going into the 2023 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] this season.

Continuing this effort is a look at wide receiver [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag]. The redshirt freshman came into Penn State as a coveted prospect from the state of Pennsylvania. He redshirted his true freshman year in 2022 and didn’t see the field at all. Will Ivey see the field and flash his potential or is he a developmental player that will pop later in his college career?

2022 Penn State football: Nittany Lions’ wide receivers preview

A quick look at what Penn State has on the roster at the wide receiver position heading into the 2022 season.

Penn State is prepping for a season in which the program hopes to redeem itself on the national stage. After back-to-back seasons of mediocre results, Penn State is aiming to bounce back and prove themselves worthy of being in the Big Ten championship hunt, if not a little bit more.

Penn State kicks off the 2022 season with a Thursday night primetime matchup at Purdue on September 1. After losing a first-round NFL draft pick in [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag], Penn State has some big shoes to fill at wide receiver., Fortunately, the depth of the position could be in Penn State’s favor with the returns of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and the addition of transfer [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag]. And there are some young receivers to look forward to as well.

Here is a look at what Penn State has on the roster at the wide receiver position for 2022, starting with the top three receivers that should be a factor with the first-team offense this fall.

Penn State in top 12 for talented four-star receiver from Philly, Tyseer Denmark

Penn State included in top 12 for four-star WR Tyseer Denmark from Philly in Class of 2024

As Penn State begins to put the finishing touches on its Class of 2023, some of the recruiting focus can now begin to shift to the Class of 2024. And keeping one of the state’s top players close to home could be a priority for James Franklin and his staff.

Wide receiver Tyseer Denmark, of Philadelphia, is a four-star recruit according to the 247Sports composite rankings and he is the No. 78 player overall in the nation and the No. 2 player overall in Pennsylvania in the Class of 2024 according to the same ranking system. Naturally, that means Franklin will do whatever he can to keep Denmark from leaving the state, and the competition just went to the next level after Washington revealed his top 12 schools.

Penn State was among the 12 schools included in Denmark’s top schools. The rest of the list is a compilation of some heavy hitters on the recruiting trail with Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC also making the cut.

The 5′-11″ wide receiver from Roman Catholic is clearly a hot recruiting prospect with a ton of tremendous options to weigh as he continues on his recruiting process. He would certainly be a big get for Franklin if he ultimately chooses to go to Penn State, and the Nittany Lions could be in the market for a stud receiver in the Class of 2024. [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] could both be playing in the NFL after the upcoming 2022 season and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] isn’t far away from moving on either. Penn State has obtained some key receivers through recruiting in the Class of 2022 with a couple of four-star players in [autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag]. Penn State also has a couple of receivers potentially lined up with commitments from Class of 2023 four-star [autotag]Ejani Shakir[/autotag] from New Jersey and three-star in-state recruit [autotag]Yazeed Haynes[/autotag]. But adding one of the top receivers in the country in the Class of 2024 would be a nice boost for the program.

While no crystal ball predictions have been officially cast on 247Sports, the On3 recruiting prediction machine calculates Penn State as an early favorite for Denmark’s commitment. Penn State is given a 37.0% chance of securing Denmark’s commitment according to its computer model, but it is far too early in the process to know how much weight Penn State is carrying in the recruiting process for sure.

What we do know is Denmark has long been Penn State’s radar, as you might expect for a talented wide receiver from Philadelphia. Denver visited Penn State’s campus early in his recruiting process in April 2021, just two months after Penn State was one of the first schools to extend an offer (Pitt was the first, with Penn State the second a couple of weeks later). He also attended Penn State’s football camp in June 2021 and returned for an unofficial visit on campus last September for Penn State’s spotlighted primetime game against Auburn. At this time, the only other visit Denmark has made is an unofficial visit to Texas A&M back in March of this year.

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Penn State makes top 5 for four-star receiver from Ohio

Penn State makes top 5 for rising Ohio wide receiver in Class of 2023.

A player who previously was committed to another Big Ten program has included Penn State among his top schools as he inches closer to a new decision on his future. [autotag]Anthony Brown[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver from Ohio, announce his top five schools on his Twitter account on Thursday afternoon. Penn State is one of two Big Ten schools in the running for his commitment.

Brown included four schools from power conferences in his top five; Penn State, Michigan, Kentucky, and Oklahoma. Cincinnati is the fifth school on his list, the only in-state option which will become an official member of the Big 12 in 2023.

Brown attended Penn State’s junior day event in January and a football camp in June 2021. It was his attendance at that Penn State football camp that ultimately led to an offer being extended to Brown to firmly put the Nittany Lions in the running.

Kentucky is perceived as an early favorite to land the commitment from one of the rising prospects out of Ohio. Kentucky owns the only crystal ball prediction at this time on 247Sports and the On3 prediction machine gives Kentucky an 82.3% chance to receive his commitment. Just based on these two trends, it would seem as though Penn State is in an uphill battle for Brown.

One team noticeably absent from Brown’s top five is Minnesota. Brown had previously been committed to the Golden Gophers. After committing to Minnesota in September 2021, Brown reopened his recruiting in February of this year, a mere two weeks after attending Penn State’s junior day event.

Perhaps Penn State has more of a shot to land Brown’s commitment than the predictions are indicating? Only time will tell for sure.

Penn State’s Class of 2023 currently consists of two wide receivers with [autotag]Ejani Shakir[/autotag] and [autotag]Yazeed Haynes[/autotag]. Penn State’s Class of 2022 added three wide receivers with [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag], [autotag]Tyler Johnson[/autotag], and [autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag].

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Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 12 Anthony Ivey

Penn State will have a plethora of receivers going into next season, including Anthony Ivey.

Going into the 2022 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] this season.

Penn State will have a plethora of receivers going into next season, including [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag], who comes in along with a handful of new and fresh pass-catchers to State College.

Ivey will likely use at least the first year as a reserve player to learn from [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] and [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag], but the Nittany Lions will have plenty of talent in their wide receiver room.

Penn State commits help Pennsylvania dominate Maryland in Big 33 Football Classic

Penn State commit Keon Wylie was impressive in the Big 33 Football Classic

A handful of future Penn State Nittany Lions to part in one of the longest-running high school football traditions in the state this weekend. The Big 33 Football Classic, pitting top high school seniors from Pennsylvania against some of the top seniors from the state of Maryland, took place in Harrisburg on Monday. A total of six players heading to Penn State participated in the game.

[autotag]Mekhi Flowers[/autotag], [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag], [autotag]Blaise Sokach-Minnick[/autotag], [autotag]Ken Talley[/autotag], and [autotag]Keon Wylie[/autotag] all played for the Pennsylavnia. [autotag]Jim Fitzgerald[/autotag] suited up for Maryland.

Pennsylvania won the game, 28-7, to earn a third straight victory over Maryland in the series. Pennsylvania has now won seven of the last nine Big 33 games. Wylie was one of the defensive stars of the game, earning game MVP honors for his effort resulting in two tackles, one pass breakup, and a sack.

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Penn State adds four-star receiver Ejani Shakir to Class of 2023

Penn State adds commitment from four-star wid receiver form New Jersey to Class of 2023

Penn State’s Class of 2023 got a little bit better on Wednesday night. [autotag]Ejani Shakir[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver from New Jersey, announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions to give Penn State’s current recruiting class an offensive weapon.

Penn State had been emerging as the favorite to secure Shakir’s commitment with West Virginia believed to be the top competition in the final stages of his recruiting process. The 6′-0″ 175-pound wide receiver is rated as a four-star prospect according to 247Sports, although the 247Sports composite ranking results in a three-star rating.

Shakir is the 12th member of Penn State’s current recruiting class for 2023 and he is the first wide receiver in the class. Penn State added [autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag], [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag], and [autotag]Tyler Johnson[/autotag] at the position in the Class of 2022. Penn State also welcomed Western Kentucky transfer [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] to the program this spring to help fill the void left by first-round draft pick [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] in the 2022 NFL draft. [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] are each back for the 2022 season as well.

Shakir has said he felt Penn State would be his decision for. few months, but it was best to fully evaluate his options before coming to any final decision.

“To be honest with you, I felt like I knew I was going to go there since I went up there (a while ago),” Shakir said to Lions247. “A lot of schools didn’t really reach up to their potential. I knew I was going to go there for a couple of months.”

New Jersey is an important recruiting state for Penn State, as it typically is for a number of Big Ten programs. Shakir is the first New Jersey recruit in Penn State’s Class of 2023 at this point. Shakir is the No. 7 recruit overall in the state of New Jersey according to the 247Sports composite rankings (No. 3 just according to 247Sports).

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With Jahan Dotson opting out, Parker Washington becomes Penn State’s top receiver

With Jahan Dotson opting out, Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith tasked with stepping up in Outback Bowl

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As many expected would happen, Jahan Dotson officially announced he is declaring for the NFL draft in 2022. As a result, Dotson will pass on playing one final game for the Penn State Nittany Lions and thus will skip this week’s Outback Bowl against the Arkansas Razorbacks in Tampa. With Dotson unavailable, Penn State has a new leading receiver in Parker Washington.

The sophomore from Texas should be ready for the responsibility of being the team’s top receiver for quarterback Sean Clifford. Washington has already established himself as a valuable asset in to the Penn State passing game after serving as the perfect complement to Dotson and at times having better performances than his NFL-bound role model.

Washington enters the Outback Bowl already with 722 receiving yards, making him the leading receiver for either team playing in the Outback Bowl (Arkansas also lost its top receiver to an opt-out in Treylon Burks). Although Washington has only been responsible for four touchdown catches this season, he has made plenty of big plays to give Penn State’s offense a lift, which is why Clifford will likely look to Washington in key spots against the Razorbacks when the Nittnay Lions need some big yards.

Washington won’t be the only receiver looking to step his game up with extra opportunities in the absence of Dotson. KeAndre Lambert-Smith will also be a player to keep a close eye on. Lambert-Smith has 31 receptions for 447 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season, and his role should be elevated a bit without Dotson in the picture. Lambert-Smith leads Penn State in average yards per reception among players with at least 17 receptions this season (Malick Meiga has an average of 26 yards per reception with just three receptions for a total of 78 yards thanks to a long touchdown against Rutgers). Lambert-smith has also come up with some clutch plays for the offense and is capable of turning out some big chunk of yardage as well.

Odds are pretty good Penn State’s staff and roster were aware of the likelihood they would be playing without Dotson and a handful of key defensive starters, so it is likely offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has been designing his gameplan for Arkansas around the idea of spreading the ball around a bit more with Washington and Lambert-Smith as the top two receivers. This would appear to be a good week to also have Clifford find ways of getting the tight ends more involved. When tight ends Theo Johnson and Brenton Strange are making solid contributions, Penn State’s passing game is likely in for a big day.

Beyond the Outback Bowl, the future of the wide receiver position for 2022 looks promising. Washington and Lambert-Smith are slated to return in 2022 to give the offense a solid combo at receiver. The Class of 2021 included a four-star receiver in Lonnie White Jr., but the talented two-sport athlete has already decided to pursue a career in professional baseball after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2021 amateur MLB draft. But the Class of 2022 seemingly made up for it with four-star players Kaden Saunders and Anthony Ivey. It may not take too long next fall to begin hearing those names on Saturdays.

Penn State faces Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on Saturday, January 1, 2022 at 12 p.m. ET.

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Penn State Class of 2022: Anthony Ivey’s route running will be key to offense

Penn State’s Class of 2022 has a bright future at the wide receiver position, and Anthony Ivey is a big reason why

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 6′-0″

Weight: 190 lb

Hometown: Lancaster, PA

High School: Manheim Township High School

Twitter: @AnthonyIvey16

Committed: October 29, 2020

247 Sports: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Penn State is losing Jahan Dotson, but there is a lot of youth in that wide receiver room. Joining them in the Class of 2022 will be Anthony Ivey, who stands 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds.

As one 247Sports analyst mentioned, he doesn’t have that prototypical body frame, but his talent makes you overlook that case.

Ivey had a good amount of offers throughout the NCAA, including four Big Ten schools in Michigan State, Maryland, Nebraska, and Rutgers.

Ivey is an exceptional route runner that can be a deep ball threat at times. Ivey joins the list of three receivers in the 2022 recruiting class. He has the talent to be in a potential starting role for Penn State’s offense.

As stated, Ivey’s lean body frame doesn’t matter too much. For example, Dotson is just 183 pounds and his talent absolutely says otherwise. Ivey was as light as a 170-pound receiver at one point in his high school career.

Overall, Ivey brings a lot of skills and traits to the table that will be crucial for the Nittany Lions offense.

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