Tag: Jahan Dotson

Maxwell Football Club names pair of Nittany Lions to watch lists

Penn State’s top two players were named to a pair of top college football award watch lists by the Maxwell Football Club.

Watch list season stepped into full swing on Monday with the release of watch lists for two of the top individual awards in college football. The Maxwell Football Club released its watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award, and a pair of Penn State players made the initial cut.

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson was among those named to the Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award is awarded to the nation’s top college football player by the Maxwell Football Club.

Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker was included among those named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list. The Bednarik Award is awarded to the nation’s top defensive player in college football.

Penn State has a storied history of Maxwell Award winners. Penn State is tied with Notre Dame for the most all-time Maxwell Award winners. Former Penn State running back Larry Johnson is the most recent recipient of the award from Penn State in 2002. Other former Penn State Maxwell Award winners include Kerry Collins (1994), Chuck Fusina (1978), John Cappelletti (1973), Mike Reid (1969), Glenn Ressler (1964), and Richie Liucas (1959).

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith won the Maxwell Award for the 2020 season.

Penn State has also seen a handful of Bednarik Award winners since first being awarded in 1995. Former linebacker LaVar Arrington was the first Bednarik Award winner from Happy Valley in 1999. Paul Posluszny won the award in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006. He remains one of two back-to-back winners of the award, joining current Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald (Fitzgerald won the award each of its first two seasons of being awarded in 1995 and 1996). Dan Connor won the award in 2007 to make it three consecutive years for a Penn State player winning the Bednarik Award. No school has matched that feat.

Tulsa’s Zaven Collins won the Bednarik Award for the 2020 season.

Dotson and Brisker will get their first chances to make some noteworthy highlights on September 4 when Penn State opens the 2021 season at Wisconsin in a Big Ten opener.

Penn State football returns in 8 weeks

Recapping the week that was for Penn State football news and headlines, including a Twitter beef with Ohio State recruits

What will you be doing in two months? Watching Penn State football. That’s what.

The countdown to kickoff for Penn State continues as we are now just eight Saturdays away from seeing the Nittany Lions kickoff the 2021 season on the road in a challenging Big Ten opener in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. And if the summer momentum is any indication, Penn State could be preparing for a big bounceback season in 2021.

Penn State’s recruiting has been cruising its way up the national recruiting rankings lately. This week saw Penn State climb as high as No. 2 in the national recruiting rankings. That’s in large part to having a brilliant July 4th weekend with commitment after commitment after commitment after commitment. That was followed by a key in-state commitment from running back Nicholas Singleton. The commitment frenzy led one member of Penn State’s loaded Class of 2022 to brag about Penn State’s recruiting efforts and jab the beats that is Ohio State just a bit.

Penn State commit takes aim at Buckeyes

It’s all in good fun though, right?

Penn State’s top players being recognized

It’s preseason time in college football, with all-conference lists and top player lists turning out left and right. Sporting News recognized wide receiver Jahan Dotson as a first-team All-American, and Pro Football Focus listed safety Jaquan Brisker among their top 50 players in college football entering the 2021 season.

Micah Parsons is gonna be a star

Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is getting settled in with his new team, the Dallas Cowboys. And with the HBO series Hard Knocks set to profile the Cowboys, one Dallas-based sportswriter says Parsons is going to be one of the top stories to follow on the docuseries.

In the meantime, the countdown to Penn State’s 2021 season opener continues.

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Sporting News names Jahan Dotson preseason first-team All-American

Two of Penn State’s best players were named Sporting News preseason all-Americans for 2021

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson is entering the upcoming season with some mixed opinion on where exactly he stands compared to other receivers in the nation and in the Big Ten. but Sporting News thinks Dotson is clearly among the best of the best.

On Tuesday, Sporting News released its preseason All-Americans for the 2021 college football season. Dotson was one of two Nittany Lions to make an appearance. Dotson was named a first-team preseason All-American by Sporting News, joining fellow Big Ten wide receiver Chris Olave of Ohio State on the first-team offense.

Here’s what Sporting News had to say about the Nittany Lions’ top receiver;

Dotson was among the bright spots for the Nittany Lions last season. He averaged 17.0 yards per reception, and he had five games with 100 yards or more. Dotson’s 144-yard, three-TD performance against Ohio State in primetime highlighted a skillset that will translate well at the next level.

Despite Dotson’s performance in returning punts in 2020, he failed to make a second appearance on the Sporting News preseason All-American lists for special teams. But he was not the only Nittany Lion to be recognized.

Safety Jaquan Brisker was named to the second-team Sporting News preseason All-American team.

What Penn State player made PFF’s Preseason All-America Team?

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Here is every Penn State player on PFF’s preseason All-Big Ten team

Eight Penn State platers appear on PFF’s preseason All-Big Ten team for 2021, including a couple of First-Team honors.

The Pro Football Focus preseason All-American team may have been light on Nittany Lion representation, but the eAll-Big Ten team is a different story. As you would expect,m once you focus on just one conference, Penn State figures to receive much more attention in forming a preseason All-Big Ten team. And the PFF preseason All-Big Ten team entering the 2021 season is certainly proof of that.

In all, eight players appear on the PFF All-Big ten team at least once as a First-Team, Second-Team, Third-Team, or honorable mention on offense, defense, or special teams. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson actually appears twice on the preseason All-Big Ten list as both a wide receiver and as a punt returner.

You can check out the full PFF preseason All-Big ten roster here. Below is a full list of which Penn State players are named on the list.

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Jahan Dotson and Rasheed Walker among Athlon Sports All-Big Ten players for 2021

Penn State had 10 players named to the Athlon Sports preseason All-Big Ten teams for 2021.

We are now officially in preseason mode. In addition to kickoff times being released, the preseason all-conference lists are starting to make the rounds. Athlon Sports released its 2021 All-Big Ten team heading into the upcoming season, and a few Penn State players were scattered throughout.

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson and offensive lineman Rasheed Walker were included on the first-team offense. This is not too surprising given Dotson was among the Big Ten’s best receivers in 2020 and Walker is already being projected as a potential first-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Jaquan Brisker was the only Nittany Lion to appear on the first-team defense by Athlon Sports.

Offensive lineman Mike Miranda was the only Penn State player to appear on the second team for either offense or defense. Dotson was honored as the second-team punt returner, however.

Running back Noah Cain, defensive lineman P.J. Mustipher, linebacker Brandon Smith, and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields appear on the third team. Wide receiver Parker Washington made the fourth team.

Penn State’s 10 players making the four all-conference teams by Athlon Sports is tied for the third-most in the Big Ten. Ohio State leads the way with 13 players. Wisconsin and Iowa each had 11 players included. Indiana also had 10 players represented. For what it is worth, Rutgers had nine players and Michigan had seven. Make of that what you will.

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Penn State Blue-White game preview: 5 questions for the offense

Penn State’s offense has been the main story of the spring. On Saturday, fans will get to see what the fuss is all about.

Penn State’s spring football practice schedule will culminate this weekend with the final spring practice being held on Saturday inside Beaver Stadium. A small fraction of fans will be allowed to enter through the gates of Beaver Stadium for the first time since 2019, which is exciting on its own, but the offense of the Nittany Lions has a real chance to offer its own form of excitement. The Blue-White Game, in whatever form it will hold this week, should offer a glimpse of big things to come, but just how much of that will we see in live action?

With a new offensive coordinator in Mike Yurcich, a third-year starting quarterback in Sena Clifford, and one of the Big Ten’s top wide receivers in Jahan Dotson, the key ingredients for a fun offense appear to be in place. Here are five questions about the offense to keep in mind this weekend.

1. Just how much of the Mike Yurcich offense will we actually see?

Penn State made an upgrade on the coaching staff this offseason with the addition of Mike Yurcich, formerly of Texas. Yurcich inherits an offense that got off to a tough start in 2020 but started to turn a corner in the second half of the season. There is no question Yurcich has some good players to work with in the Penn State offense, but for reasons that will be outlined in a moment, it may not be fair to judge the status of the Penn State offense based on whatever is shown off on Saturday.

Saturday’s final spring practice will not likely be a showcase for all that will be unfolding in the Yurcich offense, either because some of the key players may not be on the field long enough to get a chance to shine the way they may in the fall. Instead, this could be a good opportunity to see what some other players on the roster have to offer.

Speaking of which…

2. What will the quarterback situation look like after the spring game?

One of the biggest questions Penn State head coach James Franklin has faced this offseason has been what he will do with the quarterback situation after the spring. Sean Clifford is without hesitation the team’s starting quarterback, but the experience and depth behind him is a looming concern following the transfer of Will Levis (to Kentucky) and Micah Bowens (to Oklahoma).

How much time in the final spring practice is dedicated to Sean Clifford may be relatively brief. Instead, this will serve as a good opportunity to get more reps for backups Taquan Roberson and Christian Veilleux. If all goes well, both will show they have blossomed this spring and given Franklin and Yurcich much more confidence about what they have on the depth chart behind Clifford. Otherwise, Penn State’s search in the transfer portal could intensify in a hurry.

Next: Brenton Strange taking charge at tight end

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2021 Penn State Nittany Lions Profile Card: Jahan Dotson

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson is motivated for big success in 2021, both as an individual player and as a team.

Name: Jahan Dotson

Number: 5

Position: Wide Receiver

Class: Senior

Height: 5′-11″

Weight: 182

Hometown: Nazareth, Pa

High School: Nazareth Area

Twitter: @H55ZY

Overview

A year ago Jahan Dotson was thought of as a receiver who could be expected to become a significant part of the Penn State offense, but it was unknown just how much of an impact he would have. It turns out, he was a major part of the offense with his dazzling highlight catches and big numbers.

After posting 488 receiving yards in 13 games as a sophomore in 2019, Dotson doubled his receiving yardage in four fewer games as an emerging star in the Big Ten. Dotson led the Big Ten with 884 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, although other wide receivers on more successful teams landed more notable postseason accolades around the conference. But it was impossible to ignore some of Dotson’s signature moments for the Nittany Lions.

Of course, Dotson isn’t just a threat to catch the football on offense. Penn State has seen big returns from him on special teams. Last season, Dotson recorded the nation’s best punt return average for the season, setting the school season record in the process.

Dotson could have headed off to the NFL and been an interesting receiver prospect to monitor. But he joined a few of his upeprclassmen teammates I making a decision to return for one more season and attempt to redeem themselves as a team after a disappointing 2020 season. Driving Dotson’s own motivation is the chance to leave Penn State as a true Nittany Lion legend. As he makes his way up the school’s all-time receiving list, his legendary status is a goal coming into sight.

Dotson is putting in work this offseason to ensure his impact will once again be respected by his peers and opponents, while at the same time serving as inspiration for younger receivers around him on the offense. With a third-year starting quarterback in Sean Clifford throwing him the football in an innovative offense designed by new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, Dotson should be in for a big year for the Nittany Lions.

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Jahan Dotson moving his way up list of Penn State’s all-time leading receivers

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson is projected to finish in the top 10 among Penn State’s all-time leading receivers.

Penn State wide receiver has commented on how he wants to be a legend like Saqon Barkley before he leaves the Nittany Lions. One step toward becoming a legend would be to move his way up the list of Penn State’s all-time leading receivers with one final and full season in 2021.

Dotson will begin the 2021 season already in the top 20 in the Penn State record books for most career receiving yards. Dotson is 17th on the all-time list at Penn State, just behind his former teammate KJ Hamler. Dotson would have to turn in a record-setting single-season performance for Penn State to climb to the top of the list, as he is 1,451 receiving yards away from the Penn State career record of 3,026 yards held by Bobby Engram. Allen Robinson holds the single-season receiving record with 1,432 yards in 2013.

With Dotson setting his own personal goal to leave Penn State with legendary status, here is a look at the top 20 players in Penn State history with the most career receiving yards.

Locked On Nittany Lions: Penn State offense will be theme of spring football this week

Expect plenty of discussion about the progress of the Penn State offense this week during spring practices.

Penn State opens another week of spring football practices this week, and the offense figures to be the main talking point in the ongoing coverage. Penn State will put some key offensive players in front of webcams for Zoom conference calls this week as questions about the offense will be addressed.

Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford will be one of the first players to get to meet with the media this week (he is scheduled for a Monday conference call). While there won’t be questions about his status since he will be entering his third season as the starter, Clifford will likely be asked about working with new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and how the transition is going for him.

What new things is Clifford working on with his new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator (Yurcich serves both roles), and what is he seeing from his potential backups? Is Clifford even bothering to think about the possibility of Penn State heading to the transfer portal to add another quarterback to the depth chart?

Wide receiver Jahan Dotson will also be scheduled to meet with the media on Monday, and wide receivers coach Dana Stubblefield is scheduled for a Wednesday conference call, as is head coach James Franklin. Dotson will also likely be asked about what he is seeing from some of the other receivers on the team.

Wide receiver may not be quite the same looming concern it was heading into the 2020 season, but there is still some question about whether or not it will be a position that can be relied on regularly, outside of Dotson.

Also discussed in this episode is the reaction of Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to Penn State’s pro day and what a Zach Snyder cut of Penn State football might have looked like given the reception to the recent release of the Snyder cut of “Justice League.”

Follow Locked On Nittany Lions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and wherever else you get your podcasts. Or, you can catch today’s episode below and listen in your browser.

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What QBs in the transfer portal could be Penn State targets?

WATCH: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson makes incredible TD catch

Watch Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson make an amazing one-handed touchdown catch against Ohio State

Even in a losing effort for Penn State, wide receiver Jahan Dotson made one of the best catches of the year in all of college football.

Going up against one of the nation’s top corners in Ohio State’s Shaun Wade, Dotson made an incredible one-handed stab, landing in bounds and then finishing it off by taking it into the end zone.

Wade is widely regarded as a first-round talent in the 2021 NFL draft class, and Dotson is doing his best to prove that he belongs in the same conversation.

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