Tag: KeAndre Lambert-Smith

Texas A&M is set to host former Penn State WR this weekend

In need of more wide receiver depth, Texas A&M will reportedly host WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith this weekend

Just three days until the annual Maroon & White spring game, Texas A&M and head coach Mike Elko will now reportedly host one of the top playmakers who recently entered the spring transfer portal, as former Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith is back on the market.

After it was revealed that former Troy WR Jabre Barber sustained an injury that will keep him sidelined for at least four months, adding one or two more proven receivers to the roster was a priority regardless of Barber’s sustained absence.

While the current wide receiver depth chart is respectable, Ainias Smith’s departure to the draft, coupled with Evan Stewart’s transfer to Oregon, left a noticeable experienced-based hole. As soon as it was announced that Lambert-Smith was back in the portal, Elko and his staff immediately made the call.

Standing at 6-1 and nearly 190 pounds, Lambert-Smith has been extremely productive for the Nittany Lions over the past four seasons. He recorded 1,721 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns through the air, including a career-high 673 yards and four scores in 2023.

With size, speed, and experience, this would be a home run signing for a team just a couple of playmakers away from competing in 2024. According to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Lambert-Smith will visit Texas A&M on Saturday, April 20, to the following Monday after visiting Auburn the previous Thursday-Saturday.

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Penn State receiver KeAndre Lambert Smith officially enters transfer portal

Penn State’s leading WR from a year ago officially enters the portal after being away from the team.

If it was not already apparent after Saturday’s Blue-White Game, Penn State will be looking for another receiver in the transfer portal after its leading receiver from a year ago, [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], officially entered the portal. After reports came out Monday afternoon, Lambert-Smith announced his exit on Instagram. He will have one season of eligibility left.

“I want to thank Penn State for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream of playing college football at the highest level, while also being able to earn my degree,” Lambert-Smith said in a message on his Instagram account. “With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal as a grad transfer. Everyone has their own book. This is just the next chapter in mine.”

Late last week, reports said that Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith was away from the team and considering entering the portal. After he was nowhere to be seen at Beaver Stadium on Saturday during the spring game, all signs pointed to his exit.

Lambert-Smith led the Nittany Lions with 53 catches and 673 yards last year. After a big game against West Virginia in the 2023 season opener, he never eclipsed the 100-yard mark again. He seemed to rarely be on the same page with starting quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag].

He will leave Penn State ranked in the program’s top 20 for career receptions and receiving yards and the only player to record multiple 80-yard receptions.

Penn State’s passing offense was not good last season and lacked explosiveness. Lambert-Smith was supposed to take the top off the defense, so replacing his ability to stretch the field should be a massive priority for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff during this open period of the portal.

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James Franklin on how Andy Kotelnicki will help Drew Allar in 2024

James Franklin says Andy Kotelnicki will have a few ways to help take the pressure off Drew Allar in 2024.

After a frustrating season with the offense in 2023, Penn State is hoping for much more positive and explosive results in 2024. Penn State hired one of the top offensive coordinators in the country this offseason with the addition of [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] from Kansas, and the transfer portal has likely helped add some potential to improve the passing game with the addition of [autotag]Julian Fleming[/autotag] from Ohio State. But head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] knows all of these changes will only help out if Kotelnicki and quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], who is heading into his second season as the starting quarterback, get on the same page as early as possible.

Kotelnicki and Allar are getting more of a feel for each other this spring as football practices continue on and lead up to next month’s spring game, the Blue-White Game, but Franklin knows there will be a lot that goe sinto helping Allar take his game to the next level. And he belives Kotelnicki will use a number of things to help take the pressure off of Allar and improve his game this fall.

“I think some of the things that we can do to compliment the run game in the play action pass to create explosive plays to open really the field up and make them defend the whole 120 yards and the whole 53 and one-third, I think is really important, and I think the play-action pass will be a big part of that with Drew, with Andy, with our offense in general,” Franklin said in a recent press conference.

“The other thing is, I think some things that you can do that we did later in the season,” Franklin added. “I think the last two games, if you look at our explosive play percentage, it dramatically increased. I think there’s some things that you can do with the wide receivers in terms of motion, in terms of alignment, like stacks and bunches and things like that, that we can do to help our guys versus man coverage. I think that’s going to be really, really important for us as well.”

Penn State was lacking in explosive plays last season but the return of [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and the addition of Fleming could help change that a bit this fall. Opposing defenses were rarely threatened by Penn State’s wide receivers, so the hope will be that Kotelnicki finds ways to get the ball to Allar’s targets quicker so they can do some damage.

Quotes provided by Penn State athletics.

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Penn State’s leading receiver poised to return for the 2024 season

Penn State’s leading receiver shared a social media post seemingly suggesting he has made up his mind for the 2024 season.

The wide receivers were Penn State’s worst position group throughout the 2023 season. It never seemed to completely click between the receivers and starting quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag]. No pass catcher surpassed the 700-yard mark or 53 receptions.

Yesterday evening, Penn State’s leading receiver from a season ago, [autotag]KeAndre Lambert Smith[/autotag], posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), giving a shoutout to Penn State’s NIL collective, Happy Valley United. Although this is technically not an explicit declaration of returning to State College, it does seem that the post, plus no announcement from Lambert-Smith about NFL draft plans, points to a return.

With former Ohio State wide receiver and former 5-star recruit [autotag]Julian Fleming[/autotag] also now in the fold, the wide receiver room seems to be trending in the right direction. Lambert-Smith caught 53 passes for 673 yards and four touchdowns. The return of ‘KLS’ adds to the veteran leadership presence to mentor the younger guys like [autotag]Harrison Wallace III[/autotag] and [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag].

Consistency will be key up and down the depth chart, but no doubt new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelenicki will count on Lambert-Smith and others to produce far better than last year. The receiver group will definitely be a position to watch throughout spring ball and as the season approaches.

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Keandre Lambert-Smith silent on his future at Penn State

Penn State’s leading wide receiver did not comment on his status for 2024 after the Peach Bowl loss.

It was a tough year for the entire Penn State passing game, and it was even more disappointing how things ended in the Peach Bowl. Penn State’s leading wide receiver for the 2023 season, [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], was without a catch in the Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss, and he was not ready to share any insight on what the future holds for him in Happy Valley.

Lambert-Smith did not answer questions about his status with the program beyond the Peach Bowl, and the comments from wide receivers coach Marques Hagans were less than inspiring about the possibility of Lambert-Smith returning to Penn State in 2024.

“I think everybody has to make their own decisions on what the future holds and no one can control that,” Hagans said to reporters after the Peach Bowl when asked about Lambert-Smith’s position with the program in 2024.

Lambert-Smith did not offer any comments on the subject, leaving many to speculate that he may not be on the team in 2024.

It is unknown if Lambert-Smith is looking to go to the NFL or enter the transfer portal. But the postgame comments suggest it is more likely Lambert-Smith is not in a Penn State uniform more than the chances he is.

Penn State is already looking for help at the wide receiver position in the transfer portal this offseason, and the Nittany Lions continue to be the favorite to land a commitment from former Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming. When that decision is known remains to be seen, although it will likely be coming soon. Even if Fleming does commit to Penn State, the team and coaching staff have a lot of work to do to get the passing game in gear for the 2024 season.

New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki will look to inject some new life into the offense as a whole, and his key area of focus has to be the passing game with Drew Allar and whoever he has available at receiver. If Lambert-Smith is in the picture, that would be a nice pairing with the expected addition of Fleming. Either way, the receivers already on the roster will have to improve. And according to at least one receiver, they have the talent needed.

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Top 10 Penn State bowl game passing performances

Top-10 Penn State bowl game passing performances

When looking at historic performances in Penn State bowl games, the quarterback performances are not as eye-popping compared to other yardage records but still offer some memorable moments.

Penn State’s bowl success seems more often than not centered around its defense and rushing attack rather than a dynamic passing game. Just take a look at the Nittany Lions’ top bowl game rushing performances and you can see how Penn State typically relies on a strong running game. Only twice as a Penn State quarterback completed more than 30 passes speaking to the typically run-dominant offense.

A general rule of thumb is that a 300+ yard day as a quarterback is a pretty good day at the office. Penn State has only had two players ever accomplish that feat in a bowl game. There are a few bowl game outings, including the two 300-yard games, from former Nittany Lion signal callers that most Penn State fans will undoubtedly remember.

With [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] being touted as one of the most talented quarterbacks in recent Penn State history, perhaps a new top-10 performance is on deck in this year’s Peach Bowl.

Five stats that show what Andy Kotelnicki’s offense is all about

These numbers suggest Penn State’s offense will be in good hands under the leadership of Andy Kotelnicki.

Penn State’s search for a new offensive coordinator officially came to a close with the hiring of [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag], just a day after reports of the hire began to spread.. The Minnesota native will be tasked with turning one of the country’s least explosive offensives into one that can take the top off the defense. For most, Kotelnicki’s name might not have been at the top of their shortlists, but in the 24 hours since the news broke, everyone seems to agree that the hire is a slam dunk.

If you have watched Kansas football this year, you would know that the creativity jumps off the tape, and that trait was sorely missed in Happy Valley this season. James Franklin said he wanted a head coach of the offense, and Kotelnicki’s track record at Kansas and before that Buffalo shows that he can and will make the offense his own. While we won’t have any visuals on the new look Nittany Lion offense until the 2024 Blue-White game in the spring, that won’t stop us from diving into some numbers that should give Penn State fans some hope that better offensive production is on the way.

Olu Fashanu named Big Ten offensive lineman of the year

The return of Olu Fashanu paid off for Penn State in 2023. Now he’s adding some hardware to his collection.

When offensive lineman [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] announced he would be returning for another year at Penn State, it was a bit of a shock. Expected to be a potential first-round draft pick had he declared for the 2023 NFL draft, Fashanu gambled on a return for one more season of college football before turning pro. It seems that gamble has been paying off quite nicely.

On Wednesday, the Big Ten announced Fashanu had been named the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. He was also a consensus first-team All-Big Ten player according to Big Ten coaches and media.

Fashanu is the second Penn State player to win the Big Ten’s top offensive lineman award. [autotag]A.Q. Shipley[/autotag] received the award in 2008. Fashanu remains a clear first-round draft pick prospect, and he could be one of the earlier picks in the draft after his performance this season.

Here is a look at how the Big Ten coaches voted for the conference’s top players on the football field in 2023. Penn State was well-represented across the board this year.

All-Big Ten selections by Big Ten coaches

  • OT Olu Fashanu (first-team)
  • DE [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] (first team)
  • LB [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] (first team)
  • DE [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] (second team)
  • RB [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] (second team offense, honorable mention special teams)
  • DB [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] (second team)
  • C [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag] (second team)
  • DL [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] (third team)
  • DB [autotag]Johnny Dixon[/autotag] (third team)
  • DB [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag] (third team defense; second team special teams)
  • RB [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] (third team)
  • TE [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] (third team)
  • K [autotag]Alex Felkins[/autotag] (third team)
  • OL [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • OL [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • OL [autotag]Sal Wormley[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • TE [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • WR [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • QB [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • P [autotag]Riley Thompson[/autotag] (honorable mention)

 

5 reasons Penn State will beat Michigan State in Detroit

With a Black Friday showdown against Michigan State, we break down five reasons Penn State finishes the regular season with a victory.

This Friday, the Land Grant Trophy is on the line when Penn State (9-2) kicks off against Michigan State (4-7) to close out the regular season. The Nittany Lions and Spartans will face off at Ford Field in Detroit. Despite the series being tied 18-18-1 all-time, Penn State is a comfortable 19.5-point favorite on FanDuel as of Monday morning.

Since the trophy was implemented in 1993, Penn State has won 17 of the 27 meetings against Michigan State. Friday’s matchup will mark the tenth consecutive meeting of the two schools, and with the Big Ten expanding next year, the next matchup won’t be until 2025.

The Nittany Lions and Spartans are both coming off wins. Penn State beat Rutgers 27-6, while the Spartans held off Indiana for a 24-21 victory. Several questions surround the Nittany Lions, specifically the injury status of [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and whether [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag] gets a shot against a below-average Spartan team. A win would put Penn State in a prime position to secure a New Year’s Six bowl.

Let’s take a look at five reasons Penn State takes home the Land Grant Trophy for back-to-back seasons.

Offensive keys for Penn State against Rutgers

Three keys for Penn State’s offense as they aim for a bounce back win against Rutgers.

The Nittany Lions are likely to come out aggressive and want to prove a point after their defeat to Michigan. With Rutgers being a formidable defense, it might take Penn State a few drives to get separation, but overall, this matchup should be good for the Drew Allar-led offense.

Rutgers is also coming off a loss after getting shut against Iowa. If the Hawkeyes, who own the worst offense in the Big Ten (243 ypg), were able to put up 22 points against an average Rutgers defense, Penn State should be in a good spot to do some damage.

With new play callers Ja’Juan Seider and Ty Howle in charge after Penn State fired offensive coordinator Miek Yurcich, it remains to be seen how the offense looks with new voices at the helm.

Penn State is a heavy favorite at home against Rutgers, a team it has not lost to since Rutgers joined the Big Ten. But the Scarlet Knights played Ohio State tough in the first half, so they are not a team to be taken lightly. are not a team that looks to be easily intimidated this season. The Nittany Lions offense must be on their A game.

Here is a look at some offensive keys for Penn State.