Tag: Kaden Saunders

Who will be Penn State’s punt returner in 2024?

Penn State may have a leader in the competition to return punts for the Nittany Lions this fall.

Penn State has a number of positions to pay attention to during the annual Blue-White spring game as spring football practices come to a close for the year. Among them is the punt returner role, which was left vacant with the departure of Daequan Hardy. With one final week of spring football practices, there appears to be a leader in the clubhouse to take over the primary role this fall according to Penn State special teams coach Justin Lustig.

In a recent session with the media, Justing suggested [autotag]Kadan Saunders[/autotag] may be the guy to beat for the top punt-returning role this season. Saunders brings with him some experience from doing so last season before Hardy proved to be more valuable as the season went along.

“It’s still an open battle at punt returner but I would say he’s in the lead right now, especially with his experience,” Lustig said, according to Lions247. “One thing about punt return is that you can design the system around who the guy is a little bit, too. Kaden maybe wasn’t quite as dynamic as Daequan Hardy, but I still see some ability to hit big returns.”

Saunders had 14 punt returns for a total of 86 return yards last season, with no touchdowns and few big-yard returns of note. Hardy provided some needed explosiveness in his time returning punts with 17 returns for 248 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Of course, as Lustig noted, having a punt returner who is comfortable simply fair catching a punt and preventing the ball from trickling down field for additional yardage is an overlooked asset.

“He’s able to just catch the ball and not let it bounce down the field, and that’s super valuable,” Lustig said about Saunders. “That doesn’t show up in the stats, but that’s as good as a 15-yard return. If you can average 15 yards a return, you’re gonna be top 10 in the country.”

When Penn State wraps up spring practices with the Blue-White Game later this week, pay attention to Saunders in this role. Others that could see some opportunities to field punts could include Liam Clifford and Cam Wallace.

Penn State’s spring game is scheduled for Saturday, April 13 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Penn State wide receivers respond to critics following Peach Bowl loss

A couple of Penn State wide receivers seemed to respond to critics on Twitter after the Peach Bowl loss.

You will have a difficult time finding anyone coming to the defense of the Penn State wide receivers following a disappointing showing in the Peach Bowl. Penn State’s 38-25 loss to Ole Miss saw no catches by a wide receiver until the fourth quarter, and by the time the receivers did start making plays, the hole to climb out of was too deep for the Nittany Lions. After the game, the wide receivers took some heat, as did quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] for the season-long lack of explosiveness at the receiver position.

And those criticisms were heard loud and clear by at least one member of the Penn State receiving corp. [autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag] responded to the critics with a post on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account on Saturday night, hours after Penn State’s loss to Ole Miss.

“All I see on my Twitter is stuff about wide receivers,” Saunders said. “We have more than enough talent, trust me.”

If the talent is in fact there on the roster at the wide receiver position, then the blame should absolutely go on the playcalling all season long. This is a big reason why Penn State made a late season change at offensive coordinator to fire Mike Yurcich from his role as offensive coordinator. Penn State will look to fix the passing game with the addition of new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who comes to Penn State from Kansas. Given Kotelnicki’s history as an offensive coordinator, that should be filling fans with some optimism going into the 2024 season, which will see Penn State under some serious pressure.

[autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag] may have taken a slightly more veiled response to the same criticisms.

Saunders is coming off his second season in the program. After redshirting the 2022 season with three appearances during the regular season, Saunders made it onto the field in 12 games for the Nittany Lions in the 2023 season. He caught 6 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. He also played a role on special teams with 14 punt returns for a gain of 86 yards, an average of 6.1 yards per return.

Evans is also coming off his second season with the program. After appearing in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2022, Evans made appearances in 11 games for Penn State in 2023. He caught 4 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Neither player caught a pass in the Peach Bowl.

Saunders and Evans will be two of the players to watch during the spring as Penn State looks to get more out of the wide receiver position.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Penn State has the perfect rebound opportunity this weekend

Penn State offense looks to get back on track and maybe introduce a new key contributor this weekend vs. Indiana.

After taking its first hit of the season last week at Ohio State, the Penn State Nittany Lions return home to Beaver Stadium this weekend with a chance to bounce back into the win column. The matchup is about as favorable as it could be given the situation for Penn State as they prepare to host an Indiana program that has struggled since the start of the season. Penn State is a big favorite and it is understandable why.

Penn State’s defense continues to be one of the nation’s best every time it steps on the field. The defense should have few problems this weekend against the Hoosiers. Indiana will come to Happy Valley with the nation’s 118th-ranked total offense with an average of 311.7 yards per game. Indiana has the third-worst total offense Penn State will have faced this season. The defense handled Northwestern (126th, 299.3 ypg) and Iowa (133rd, 232.4 ypg) already this season, including a shutout at home against the Hawkeyes.

But the focus will be on the offense this week. While the defense continues to do its thing, this should be a week where the offense regains some confidence in itself, and perhaps explores some new options after getting shut down in a historically embarrassing fashion last weekend.

The lack of explosive plays continue to plague Penn State this season, so it will be interesting to see if the Nittany Lions use this week and next week at Maryland to try creating some explosiveness. Figuring out how to do so in these next two games could be the biggest area of concern for Penn State because a home game against Michigan is looming. If Penn State can’t create big-play opportunities against Indiana and Maryland, then the offense could be destined to be cooked once more by the Wolverines the way Ohio State managed.

Reports from Penn State practices suggest [autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag] could be a name to keep an eye on this weekend. The young receiver has been viewed as a potential contributor to the Penn State passing game since his arrival. The redshirt freshman will be carrying the American flag onto the field this week for Penn State’s military appreciation day game, and he will hand the flag to his father, an Army vet. But once the game starts, he may be somebody the offense tries to get involved early on.

Penn State fans are still hoping to see a massive day on the ground from star running back [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag]. Maybe this is the week for that. Indiana has the nation’s 108th-ranked rushing defense with an average of 174.43 rushing yards allowed per game. Indiana is coming off a game in which it allowed 276 rushing yards to Rutgers, and the Hoosiers have allowed 3 rushing touchdowns in each of their last two games against Rutgers and Michigan. Singleton rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown in last year’s 45-14 win at Indiana. Similar to this year, that win against Indiana came in the game following the first loss of the season to Ohio State.

Don’t expect to see everything improve on offense this weekend against Indiana. But what happens this week and next week at Maryland will be instrumental in preparing Penn State to have a better showing against Michigan in a couple of weeks compared to its disappointing result at Ohio State.

There is still much to play for this season, but the offense has some things to figure out if the Nittany Lions are going to make a serious push in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff race.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

What James Franklin said about Daequan Hardy’s big game returning punts

James Franklin pleased with big special teams change that had big impact vs. UMass

Despite having an undefeated record, Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] was looking for ways to get a few more explosive plays out of his roster as they came out of the bye week. Penn State’s 63-0 victory over UMass didn’t have quite the impact with explosive plays most want to see out of the offense, but there was a bit of a roster change that led to pair of touchdowns on special teams.

[autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag] had been the primary punt returner this season. But the athletic and speedy Saunders has not been able to turn a big return for Penn State this season. Against UMass, Penn State gave a new player a few opportunities to return punts. That was the veteran [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag], a respected team leader who has spent most of his time on defense with some kickoff return duty on the side. But he had never returned a punt for Penn State until Saturday.

The move paid off in a big way as Hardy returned not one but TWO punts for touchdowns in Penn State’s 63-0 lead. That included the first score of the game in the first quarter as Penn State’s offense was a bit sluggish to start the game.

“Him and Kaden (Saunders) kind of went into a competition all summer camp with catching punts and returning punts. They battled back and forth,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said in his postgame press conference when asked about using Hardy as a punt returner.

“Kaden had done a nice job of catching the ball all year long. But we weren’t, we weren’t very explosive or making a ton of yardage,” Franklin went on to explain. “That’s no knock on Kaden, he was doing a nice job, but we’re looking to try to create some more big plays not just on offense, but special teams as well.”

Hardy delivered. He became the first Penn State player in school history with two punt returns for a touchdown in the same game.

“So, we wanted to get [Hardy] some opportunities and some reps and obviously he did a did a phenomenal job,” Franklin explained. “So, we got two guys we feel like we can win with but he obviously showed tonight that he could be special.”

When Penn State heads to Ohio State next week, don’t be surprised if we see Hardy get a few more opportunities to make some plays with a punt return.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Report Card: Grading Penn State’s dominant Week 2 win vs. Delaware

Grading Penn State’s performance against Delaware in Week 2

There are some weeks in the course of a college football season where you can probably fill out the postgame report card ahead of time and not have to worry about it. Penn State’s Week 2 matchup against Delaware was one of those games where you hoped things would go as planned and you wouldn’t have to worry about too many issues against an FCS program.

And they did.

Penn State’s offense and defense each took care of business against the Blue Hens in the first all-time meeting between the two schools. Delaware may go on to have a solid season in the FCS championship hunt, but they were overmatched in every facet of the game against Penn State, which is also hoping to set the tone for what they hope will be a playoff push of their own this season.

It may have been a home game against an FCS program collecting a solid check, but Penn State did just about everything you would expect a top-10 team to do in this situation. Here are the grades for Penn State’s performance following its 63-7 victory over Delaware.

Quarterback

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: A

After being named the Big Ten offensive player of the week, [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] picked up right where he left off a week ago. The touchdown pass count was down but Allar completed 22 of 26 pass attempts for 204 yards with a touchdown pass (and a touchdown run) for a fine outing before getting an early rest in the second half.

Allar showed great vision and patience and just made smart throws that were taking advantage of the holes Delaware’s defense was giving him.

Backup quarterback Beau Pribula played for most of the second half in relief of Allar. Pribula attempted five attempts with three completions for 22 yards and a short touchdown in the fourth quarter. Pribula added to the ground attack with

NEXT: Running Backs

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

2023 Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 7 Kaden Saunders

As the Class of 2022 leaves its mark on Penn State in 2023, wide receiver Kaden Saunders could still be a year away from securing his big role.

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 forΒ James Franklin this season.

We continue to take a look at this year’s roster for the Nittany Lions with a snapshot look at one of Penn State’s younger wide receivers hoping to see more steps forward in 2023. Kaden Saunders came to Penn State as one of the notable offensive additions in the Class of 2022, but he may still be working his way up the depth chart while others in the same recruiting class take on more prominent roles on the team this fall. But Saunders is not a name to be forgotten moving forward, and Penn State would love nothing more to see him force himself to be included in the offense this fall.

Which Penn State players can be future NFL draft picks?

What current Penn State football players will be future NFL draft picks?

Ever since [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] took over as the head coach at Penn State in 2014 they have seen their players become NFL players more often. We have seen players such as [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag], [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag], and this year [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] all go in the first round or be projected to be drafted that high.

Becoming a first-round player in the NFL is not something that happens very often for players even if they are highly-ranked recruits. Coaching staffs and competition play a major part but also it comes down to the physical development of the player.

Looking ahead as we enter the week of the 2023 NFL draft, Penn State has just one player who is being projected in the first round but what about in the years to come? Some of those players can already be identified or projected to be drafted highly by the NFL.

Penn State spring football preview: Wide receivers and tight ends

Who will be the wide receivers and tight ends to watch in Penn State spring football practices this year?

As Penn State gets ready to embark on the 2023 season, the offense will be expected to be the big storyline this fall. With a new starting quarterback taking the spotlight, it should not go without mentioning that the wide receiver position will be instrumental to Penn State’s success this season. And with its top two wide receivers and leading tight end from last season departing the program for the NFL, there is more to figure out on offense than whether or not its new quarterback is ready to take flight.

Penn State loses Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley at wide receiver and Brenton Strange at tight end. Together, that accounts for 1,550 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns to replace inΒ the passing offense from a year ago. Fortunately, Penn State has some players ready to step up and make up for the lost production, including some young players that will continue to develop this spring.

Here is a look at what Penn State has to offer at wide receiver and tight end this spring when spring football practices open on March 14.

Keandre Lambert-Smith

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Measurables: 6’1″, 184 lb

Year: Junior

Expected role: Starting wide receiver

KeAndre Lambert-Smith is Penn State’s top returning wide receiver from a season ago. Following the departures of Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, Lambert-Smith has the most Penn State experience at the position, and he should remain a fixture in the offense for new starting quarterback Drew Allar to rely on stretching the field.

[autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag]

Harrison Wallace III

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Measurables: 6’1″, 196 lb

Year: Redshirt sophomore

Expected role: Possible starting wide receiver, solid contributor

Competing for a possible starting job could be Harrison Wallace III, who had 19 catches for 273 yards and a touchdown last season as a reserve option. Wallace finished sixth on the team in receiving yards in 2022 and is the third-leading receiver coming back from last year’s roster, although a pair of transfer additions to the roster means Wallace will look to make a statement this spring for consideration for an increased role in the fall.

NEXT: Key transfer additions

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Top 5 position battles heading into Penn State’s spring practices

These position battles will be heating up when Penn State opens spring football practices.

Penn State football is in a very good position overall with the way that James Franklin has this team constructed. Of course, there are a few positions that need to be sorted out still.

The position battles going on this spring will be what solidify the starting lineup. The team is very deep and whoever loses these battles shouldn’t be seen as someone not of the quality you expect from Penn State. Rather, it will speak volumes as to what the starters should be seen as which is top-level quality players.

Here are the top five position battles to monitor this spring.

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.