Tag: KeAndre Lambert-Smith

Ex-Florida State wide receiver transfers to Penn State

Penn State stabilizes wide receiver outlook with former Florida State receiver transfer Malik McClain

For the second time in the past week, Penn State has added a wide receiver to the program from the transfer portal. Former Florida State wide receiver [autotag]Malik McClain[/autotag] has reportedly enrolled in classes at Penn State and committing to the Nittany Lions. McClain has yet to announce the commitment on his Twitter profile, but he has updated his profile image on the social media account.

McClain played in all 13 games for Florida State during the 2022 season and caught 17 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. He caught 16 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in 2021.

McClain is a former four-star recruit of Florida State’s Class of 2021 from IMG Academy, a program Penn state is certainly no stranger to. At the time of his recruitment out of high school, McClain was the no. 38 receiver in the nation.

McClain’s transfer commitment is paired with the recent addition of [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag] from Kent State. Together, Cephas and McClain will help to fill the veteran void left by the departures of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag], who are both off to the NFL this spring. They should each help to take the pressure off the leading returning receiver, [autotag]Keandre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], who is coming off a terrific performance in the Rose Bowl.

McClain will also help to give the offense an experienced target, along with Cephas, as [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] steps in to lead the offense at quarterback in 2023. Allar is already having some Heisman hype surrounding him entering the new season. Having a receiver like McClain should help that cause.

This news also comes a day after Penn State added its second commitment in the Class of 2024 with the addition of four-star linebacker [autotag]Anthony Specca[/autotag]. So it’s been a pretty decent week for head coach James Franklin.

Of course, the transfer portal has a way of breaking even sometimes. Also on Wednesday, Penn State wide receiver [autotag]Jaden Dottin[/autotag] announced he was entering the transfer portal.

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Penn State lands coveted WR transfer Dante Cephas

Penn State receives commitment from wide receiver target out of transfer portal.

Penn State has hauled in a big-time playmaker out of the transfer portal in the form of [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag]. Just like last year when they got [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag], expectations will be high for Cephas but his play style may allow for more playmaking than the previous one.

Cephas spent four seasons with Kent State, becoming a more prominent player in a revamped fast-paced Kent State offense. Cephas entered the transfer portal in early December and was a key target for Penn State as well as other schools such as Colorado and North Carolina. He became a bigger focus for the team after [autotag]Parker Washington’s[/autotag] announcement that he would enter the NFL draft last month.

If the Nittany Lions can get consistent play out of [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] with Cephas it could prove to be a more than sustainable supporting cast for future starting quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag].

Get to know the new playmaker from Penn Hills in the Penn State offense.

Where does Penn State land in ESPN’s way-too-early top 25 for 2023?

ESPN’s way-too-early top 25 suggests another solid season for Penn State in 2023

The dust has just settled on Penn State’s 11-2 season with a victory in the Rose Bowl capping off the year, but the hype for what could be in store in 2023 is already on the rise.

ESPN released its way-too-early top 25 this week as the college football season came to a close with the national championship game, and Penn State secured a top 10 ranking. ESPN ranks Penn State at no. 6 in the way-too-early top 25 for the 2023 season, another encouraging sign that Penn State could be preparing for a big season that could have them in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff picture.

But Michigan and Ohio State each come in ranked ahead of the Nittany Lions in the way-too-early ranking from ESPN, which is not too surprising considering both the Wolverines and Buckeyes are coming off an appearance in the College Football Playoff and should be in playoff contention again next season.

Here is what ESPN had to say about Penn State in looking ahead to the 2023 season;

After a couple of mediocre seasons, coach James Franklin has the Nittany Lions headed back in the right direction. Penn State won 11 games in 2022 and might be poised to challenge Michigan and Ohio State for a Big Ten title. Clifford departs at quarterback, but the coaching staff is excited about freshman [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], who was the No. 2 pocket passer in the 2022 ESPN 300. Many of Penn State’s best players this past season were freshmen or sophomores, including tailbacks [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag], receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]. The defense made tremendous strides under new coordinator [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag], finishing in the top 20 in the FBS in scoring defense, run defense and total defense. The Nittany Lions will play division crossover games against Iowa (home) and Illinois (road) next season, and they’ll play Ohio State on the road and Michigan at home.

Penn State seems to have a schedule that could play to its advantage. It’s clear Penn State has to at least split its games against Michigan and Ohio State if it wants to have a realistic shot at a Big Ten title, and games against Iowa and Illinois should be good challenges next fall, but each of the crossover games should be winnable. And Penn State will open the season against West Virginia at home.

Penn State was ranked no. 5 in the way-too-early top 25 from 247Sports.

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Transfer portal helping Penn State plug roster for 2023

Penn State gets commitment form NC State transfer receiver Devin Carter.

After losing [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] a year early to the NFL draft a year ago, Penn State tapped into the transfer portal to add [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] from Western Kentucky to provide some much-needed stability and experience. Now, just as Penn State celebrated in blue and white confetti and rose petals after a Rose Bowl victory in Pasadena, the Nittany Lions have already taken advantage of the transfer portal to help boost the depth at receiver heading into 2023.

[autotag]Devin Carter[/autotag], a transfer wide receiver from NC State, announced on Twitter shortly after Penn State’s Rose Bowl victory over Utah that he had committed to Penn State. Carter will have one final year of eligibility after starting for the Wolfpack for four out of the last five years. If Penn State was looking for an experienced starter at receiver, they certainly found one in Carter.

Carter was NC State’s second-leading receiver in 2022 with 25 receptions for 406 yards with two touchdowns. Carter won’t be coming to Penn State with the same kind of offensive numbers Tinsley did when he arrived, but he should slide well into the offensive mix for an offense that will return [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and a dynamic young running back tandem with [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] to go with quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag].

Don’t expect that this is the final look Penn State will take in the transfer portal for help at receiver. There is still room for another receiving target out of the portal as Penn State looks to plug the few holes it appears to have on the roster heading into the 2023 season.

Just this week, Bowling Green wide receiver Tyrone Broden announced he has received an offer from Penn State as well. Could he be the next receiver to come to Penn State out of the transfer portal? For now, we simply wait for more updates.

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Report Card: Grading Penn State’s Rose Bowl win

The grades are in for Penn State’s performance in the Rose Bowl, and there are plenty of high marks to share!

There have been easy report cards to make this year in what turned into an impressive year for the Nittany Lions but this was easily the most complete performance this team had all year.

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff pulled out all the tricks in their book while having a game plan that was designed to be consistent on offense and to bend but not break on defense.

This is your final Penn State football report card of the 2022 season.

Quarterback

Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: A+

[autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] played the game of his life and is going out as tied for the winningest quarterback in school history. He made a ton of big throws that he hadn’t made all year. So much so that the Utah defense couldn’t stack the box against the Penn State running game which ended up making the difference. Congrats on a perfect game and an amazing career Sean Clifford.

NEXT: Running backs

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Instant Reaction: Penn State wins the Rose Bowl!

Penn State wins the Rose Bowl! Defense shuts things down after halftime of 35-21 win over Utah.

After witnessing the Big Ten lose four consecutive bowl games leading up to the Rose Bowl, Penn State ended its season on a winning note and snapped the Big Ten bowl losing streak in a big way. Penn State took full control of Pac-12 champion Utah in the Rose Bowl on Monday and celebrated a 35-21 victory in Pasadena.

After the teams played to a 14-14 tie in the first half, Penn State got the scoring started in a big way with [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] rushing 87 yards early in the third quarter on a third down and short. Just seconds into the fourth quarter, once again facing a third down deep in their own end, Clifford connected with [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] for an 88-yard touchdown pass to extend the Penn State lead to 28-14. Almost four minutes later, [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] punched one in from the goal line to push the Penn State lead to 35-14.

In fairness, the game took a huge swing in Penn State’s favor early in the third quarter when Utah starting quarterback Cam Rising left the game with an apparent leg injury. Bryson Barnes came in to lead the Utah offense but Penn State defensive coordinator [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] brought the heat and the defense took control of the game almost immediately. [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag] picked off a deep pass by Bryson shortly after Utah was forced to go with the backup, and the Utes offense never regained much momentum.

Penn State closes out the season with a record of 11-2, with the only losses coming to two Big Ten teams that participated in the College Football Playoff, Michigan and Ohio State. The roster will see some roster turnover with players heading off to the NFL and another solid recruiting class coming in, and the outlook for 2023 already looks promising with the continued development of some key players from the 2022 season including Singleton, Allen and [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]. And, of course, the potential for expected starting quarterback Drew Allar will lead to some promise in the fall.

This is the third New Years Six bowl victory for Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag]. Franklin previously coached Penn State to victories in the Fiesta Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. This is Penn State’s second Rose Bowl victory in program history, joining the 1994 team’s victory in the 1995 Rose Bowl.

Penn State’s spring game will be played on April 15, 2023 and the countdown to the start of the 2023 season is already underway. Penn State will open the 2023 season at home against West Virginia on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

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Offensive keys for Penn State against Utah in the Rose Bowl

What are the offensive keys for Penn State in the Rose Bowl vs. Utah?

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and the Penn State Nittany Lions head to Pasadena next week for the Rose Bowl against the Utah Utes. Utah is by no means an offensive powerhouse but one thing Kyle Whittingham has established as the coach there is the fact they will be a top-notch defensive team.

They will be disciplined, deep at every position, and regardless of what they look like after losing players to the draft, there will be two players popping up in their absence.

This Utah defense is losing one key factor on defense but the rest of the defense is going to be ready to cause problems for a run-heavy Penn State offense. [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] is going to have to rely on [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] for sure but he also has to make plays. One draft declaration for Utah specifically may allow for that to happen.

PSU recruiting: Transfer receiver has Penn State in his top 5

If Penn State ios looking for a veteran transfer wide receiver, here’s one who has his eye on the Nittany Lions.

Penn State will be heading to the Rose Bowl to take on Utah to start off the new year. After that, it’s the offseason, and when it comes to the transfer portal, [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] is no stranger to that.

The past two offseasons, the Nittany Lions have utilized the transfer portal and have found great benefits from it. Last season, they brought in Temple transfer defensive end [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag], who went on to be a second-round draft pick to Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 draft.

This season, they brought in Maryland defensive lineman [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag], Western Kentucky wide receiver [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] and Cornell offensive lineman [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag].

As of right now, there is a player that has Penn State in the mix for his latest list of top schools.

We’re staying on the offensive side of the ball for another pass-catcher. South Florida wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. is down to four schools: Colorado, Penn State, Houston, and Texas A&M.

According to his social media posting, it appears Horn Jr. anticipates announcing his transfer decision on Christmas. It is worth a reminder the early signing period opens up on Dec. 21. And with Colorado making a major splash hire with Deion Sanders recently, the Buffs could suddenly be an attractive candidate for almost any transfer right now.

As mentioned, the Nittany Lions brought in Tinsley, who really started to find his groove in the offense throughout the second half of the season. He finished the regular season with 528 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Horn Jr. finished this season with 551 receiving yards and three touchdowns. South Florida also hired their new head coach over the weekend in Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh.

With [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and Tinsley potentially leaving for the draft, that leaves a receiver room full of youth. The next guy in line would be [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag]. But, if Penn State can add another veteran player to pair with him, that would be a big help for [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] in his first year starting at the collegiate level for the Nittany Lions.

There are already a few pass-catchers in the transfer portal, some of which could help the Nittany Lions quite a bit. Oregon wide receiver Donte Thornton Jr. is one of them, and USF receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. is another.

With players entering the transfer portal left and right, it will be interesting to see if Penn State brings in another pass-catcher. With the Nittany Lions in his top five, Horn Jr. is a key guy to watch for Penn State transfer portal players this offseason.

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Report Card: Grading Penn State’s win vs. Michigan State

The grades are in for Penn State’s performance against Michigan State in this week’s report card.

Despite it getting interesting towards the end, this was a thorough thrashing by the Nittany Lions against Michigan State. Not only did Penn State win impressively but they also won the Land Grant Trophy while also keeping Michigan State from becoming bowl eligible.

As for Penn State, they now will end the year with double-digit wins and as a top-ten team after starting the season unranked. Just as we alluded to before the season, [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag]’s teams do very well when they are underestimated.

For this game though, there were some highs and lows but overall this game should be seen as a easy scorecard.

Quarterback

Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B-

[autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] looked like his usual self on Senior Night, in what could be considered his third one but we will let him have his moment. Anyhow, Clifford made some big time throws including a dicey deep ball for a touchdown to [autotag]Keandre Lambert-Smith[/autotag]. It was a nice way to cap off a long career for Clifford. He will now have a chance most likely on the stage of a New Years Six bowl to get Penn State one more big win.

NEXT: Running backs

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Instant reaction: Penn State finds a way to close out Michigan State for 10-win season

The Land Grant Trophy returns to Happy Valley as Penn State finishes off Michigan State

Nothing against Michigan State ever comes easily for Penn State, and this year’s game was no different. On a day where the Penn State offense was sluggish from start to finish, the Nittany Lions turned in the drive of the year for [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] and the offense when it needed it the most to keep any hope of playing in a  New Years Six bowl game alive and it helped lift Penn State to a 35-16 victory. With the win, Penn State finishes the regular season with a 10-2 record and hopes that will be enough to play in a major bowl game this bowl season.

With Michigan State hanging around and sniffing a real shot at an upset on the road, Penn State put together a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a decision to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Michigan State 12-yard line. Up 21-16 at the time, [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] ultimately realized a field goal would leave the Spartans with life, but a first down at worst would continue to work some clock or force Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker to think about burning some timeouts. The result? A screen pass to freshman running back Nick Singleton, who followed the blocking and eluded a defender on his way to a touchdown.

That play allowed Penn State to begin breathing a sigh of relief because Michigan State had been fighting and clawing their way back into the game throughout the second half. But the defense came up with an interception on Michigan State’s ensuing possession and Clifford dropped a dime into the hands of [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] in the end zone on the next play from scrimmage to give Penn State a quick 35-16 lead.

Crisis averted.

Clifford capped his lengthy six-year collegiate career in Beaver Stadium with 202 passing yards and four touchdowns despite a shaky afternoon from the offensive line in front of him. Four different players caught a touchdown pass, with tight end Theo Johnson catching two in the game. Lambert-Smith tossed a touchdown to Johnson on a trick play in the second quarter to extend Penn State’s early lead to 14-0. Penn State built a 21-3 lead before the Spartans cut things to 21-16 in the fourth quarter and the offense came alive for a couple of touchdowns to provide the cushion at home.

Penn State’s next game will be in a bowl game. Which bowl game remains to be determined. Bowl announcements will be made official for Penn State and the rest of the Big Ten teams after the conference championship games are played next weekend.

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