Penn State WR's - center of discussion

[blion72]

seems like our WRs are one of the most discussed item every week. what do they lack - speed, size, something else?

• KLS - our number one WR has shown big plays. he also gets held a lot and draws penalties. I thought hwe was a 4* with elite 4.4 speed.
• Trey Wallace - a 3* from the south and has elite athletic skills. He has missed much of the season so far.
• Liam Clifford - good hands and seems okay on short possession plays. did have one nice long play this year. i thought he was a 4* from Ohio.
• Cephas - one of the top portal guys - really not sure his speed but has had several lapses and a couple drops. Maybe he has potential but he is gone after this year.
• Malick Meiga - big and fast (ran 10.5 100m in HS). he seems to be okay catching, but does not play. missing something. assume this is his last year.
• Kaden Saunders - 4* track sprinter from Ohio. i thought he was the next Hamler. Does a nice job fielding punts. He has played and got some catches. Not playing much of a role in the pass game.
• Malik McClain - played a bit and looked like he could bring a lot to the table. he dropped two balls at Illinois, and we have not seen him since then. he is in his 3rd year player.
• Omari Evans - looking at his spring performance, he looked like he would be impact player. I thought he was one of the fastest WRs on the team - 4.35 type player. he has hardly played and got a mop up TD v Delaware.
• Johnson - does not play.in his second year.
• Ivey - is he still on the team. no action in his 3rd year.
• Mason Stahl - former walk-on qb. Have not seen him in a game.
• Christian Driver - has played a little as a second year player - was a DB.

the list of players and their profiles would seem to generate more in the way of the passing game. What is missing?

 

[TV-]

Basically we have a bunch of number 2 or 3 WRs with no number 1. Looking at where we are now, Parker Washington was the biggest loss this off-season. Our receivers this year get little to no separation . I would say they are “serviceable” but the lack of an explosive running game hasn’t helped them out much.

 

[LB99]

seems like our WRs are one of the most discussed item every week. what do they lack - speed, size, something else?

• KLS - our number one WR has shown big plays. he also gets held a lot and draws penalties. I thought hwe was a 4* with elite 4.4 speed.
• Trey Wallace - a 3* from the south and has elite athletic skills. He has missed much of the season so far.
• Liam Clifford - good hands and seems okay on short possession plays. did have one nice long play this year. i thought he was a 4* from Ohio.
• Cephas - one of the top portal guys - really not sure his speed but has had several lapses and a couple drops. Maybe he has potential but he is gone after this year.
• Malick Meiga - big and fast (ran 10.5 100m in HS). he seems to be okay catching, but does not play. missing something. assume this is his last year.
• Kaden Saunders - 4* track sprinter from Ohio. i thought he was the next Hamler. Does a nice job fielding punts. He has played and got some catches. Not playing much of a role in the pass game.
• Malik McClain - played a bit and looked like he could bring a lot to the table. he dropped two balls at Illinois, and we have not seen him since then. he is in his 3rd year player.
• Omari Evans - looking at his spring performance, he looked like he would be impact player. I thought he was one of the fastest WRs on the team - 4.35 type player. he has hardly played and got a mop up TD v Delaware.
• Johnson - does not play.in his second year.
• Ivey - is he still on the team. no action in his 3rd year.
• Mason Stahl - former walk-on qb. Have not seen him in a game.
• Christian Driver - has played a little as a second year player - was a DB.

the list of players and their profiles would seem to generate more in the way of the passing game. What is missing?

Ivey enrolled in June 2022. He is a redshirt freshman. Saunders is the biggest disappointment to me. He came in with a lot of hype and accomplishments from HS.

 

[Tom_PSU]

Basically we have a bunch of number 2 or 3 WRs with no number 1. Looking at where we are now, Parker Washington was the biggest loss this off-season. Our receivers this year get little to no separation . I would say they are “serviceable” but the lack of an explosive running game hasn’t helped them out much.

Actually that wasn’t a bad assessment. Since I’m a nice guy I’m here to help. Don’t take it personally if no one engages in discussion with you, or worse calls you an idiot or a troll. New posters often face an uphill climb.

 

[LB99]

I would expect Franklin to hit the WR portal hard again after this season. Need someone to stretch the field.

 

[psuro]

With better WRs, PSU could beat teams this year by an average of 38 ppg, rather than the 36.6 ppg that is the current point differential.

 

[bdgan]

seems like our WRs are one of the most discussed item every week. what do they lack - speed, size, something else?

• KLS - our number one WR has shown big plays. he also gets held a lot and draws penalties. I thought hwe was a 4* with elite 4.4 speed.
• Trey Wallace - a 3* from the south and has elite athletic skills. He has missed much of the season so far.
• Liam Clifford - good hands and seems okay on short possession plays. did have one nice long play this year. i thought he was a 4* from Ohio.
• Cephas - one of the top portal guys - really not sure his speed but has had several lapses and a couple drops. Maybe he has potential but he is gone after this year.
• Malick Meiga - big and fast (ran 10.5 100m in HS). he seems to be okay catching, but does not play. missing something. assume this is his last year.
• Kaden Saunders - 4* track sprinter from Ohio. i thought he was the next Hamler. Does a nice job fielding punts. He has played and got some catches. Not playing much of a role in the pass game.
• Malik McClain - played a bit and looked like he could bring a lot to the table. he dropped two balls at Illinois, and we have not seen him since then. he is in his 3rd year player.
• Omari Evans - looking at his spring performance, he looked like he would be impact player. I thought he was one of the fastest WRs on the team - 4.35 type player. he has hardly played and got a mop up TD v Delaware.
• Johnson - does not play.in his second year.
• Ivey - is he still on the team. no action in his 3rd year.
• Mason Stahl - former walk-on qb. Have not seen him in a game.
• Christian Driver - has played a little as a second year player - was a DB.

the list of players and their profiles would seem to generate more in the way of the passing game. What is missing?

McClain looked good vs WVa but he's disappeared since the 2 drooped passes vs Illinois. Seems to me

I would expect Franklin to hit the WR portal hard again after this season. Need someone to stretch the field.

• How many top WRs transfer?
• Do we have enough NIL money to get them?

 

[LBUfanatic]

seems like our WRs are one of the most discussed item every week. what do they lack - speed, size, something else?

• KLS - our number one WR has shown big plays. he also gets held a lot and draws penalties. I thought hwe was a 4* with elite 4.4 speed.
• Trey Wallace - a 3* from the south and has elite athletic skills. He has missed much of the season so far.
• Liam Clifford - good hands and seems okay on short possession plays. did have one nice long play this year. i thought he was a 4* from Ohio.
• Cephas - one of the top portal guys - really not sure his speed but has had several lapses and a couple drops. Maybe he has potential but he is gone after this year.
• Malick Meiga - big and fast (ran 10.5 100m in HS). he seems to be okay catching, but does not play. missing something. assume this is his last year.
• Kaden Saunders - 4* track sprinter from Ohio. i thought he was the next Hamler. Does a nice job fielding punts. He has played and got some catches. Not playing much of a role in the pass game.
• Malik McClain - played a bit and looked like he could bring a lot to the table. he dropped two balls at Illinois, and we have not seen him since then. he is in his 3rd year player.
• Omari Evans - looking at his spring performance, he looked like he would be impact player. I thought he was one of the fastest WRs on the team - 4.35 type player. he has hardly played and got a mop up TD v Delaware.
• Johnson - does not play.in his second year.
• Ivey - is he still on the team. no action in his 3rd year.
• Mason Stahl - former walk-on qb. Have not seen him in a game.
• Christian Driver - has played a little as a second year player - was a DB.

the list of players and their profiles would seem to generate more in the way of the passing game. What is missing?

Your assessment is fairly accurate. However, 2 big things which have impacted the passing game: 1) Harrison Wallace’s absence due to injury. Having him back helps take focus off of KLS and Wallace can take the top off of the defense; and 2) Allar’s reticence to wait for routes downfield to develop and to try to fit throws into tight windows downfield. It has been identified several times in film study where Allar has had wide open receivers downfield and he took the safe check down. Maybe it’s not wanting to turn the ball over or maybe it’s just him needing more experience, but that has certainly been a factor.

 

[Ceasar]

I don't mean this as harshly as it sounds - the WR group lacks talent. I understand recruiting rankings aren't everything, but for the most part they will reflect the level of talent in a given group. KLS and McClain are really the only two WRs on the roster who were heavily recruited by big time programs. Maybe Saunders also. Wallace is the outlier, a guy who was not heavily recruited but is emerging as a very nice player. No doubt PSU needs to hit the portal hard in the offseason and find two guys who can step in and play at a high level. Unfortunately, it did not work out last time.

 

[blion72]

I don't mean this as harshly as it sounds - the WR group lacks talent. I understand recruiting rankings aren't everything, but for the most part they will reflect the level of talent in a given group. KLS and McClain are really the only two WRs on the roster who were heavily recruited by big time programs. Maybe Saunders also. Wallace is the outlier, a guy who was not heavily recruited but is emerging as a very nice player. No doubt PSU needs to hit the portal hard in the offseason and find two guys who can step in and play at a high level. Unfortunately, it did not work out last time.

Saunders was a 4* and I thought either Evans or Driver were also 4* rank. Not sure on the rest of them. Clifford had a high level award in Ohio, but not sure his recruit rank.

 

[Ceasar]

Saunders was a 4* and I thought either Evans or Driver were also 4* rank. Not sure on the rest of them. Clifford had a high level award in Ohio, but not sure his recruit rank.

But if you think about the other schools that went hard after PSUs WR recruits,, they were not the top programs. At virtually every other position on the field, we have at least a few guys who had big time opportunities.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

6-0, that’s just noise

 

[marshall23]

6-0, that’s just noise

We deserve better

 

[pamdlion]

Basically we have a bunch of number 2 or 3 WRs with no number 1. Looking at where we are now, Parker Washington was the biggest loss this off-season. Our receivers this year get little to no separation . I would say they are “serviceable” but the lack of an explosive running game hasn’t helped them out much.

You are being way too generous.

 

[Nitt1300]

Your assessment is fairly accurate. However, 2 big things which have impacted the passing game: 1) Harrison Wallace’s absence due to injury. Having him back helps take focus off of KLS and Wallace can take the top off of the defense; and 2) Allar’s reticence to wait for routes downfield to develop and to try to fit throws into tight windows downfield. It has been identified several times in film study where Allar has had wide open receivers downfield and he took the safe check down. Maybe it’s not wanting to turn the ball over or maybe it’s just him needing more experience, but that has certainly been a factor.

yes

 

[SleepyLion]

6-0, that’s just noise

Maybe the take should have been, "are our WRs good enough to beat the big 2?"

 

[DaytonRickster]

I would expect Franklin to hit the WR portal hard again after this season. Need someone to stretch the field.

So, is the WR coaching better this year with Hagans? Is the recruiting better with Hagans? Legitimate questions.

 

[Blair10]

Basically we have a bunch of number 2 or 3 WRs with no number 1. Looking at where we are now, Parker Washington was the biggest loss this off-season. Our receivers this year get little to no separation . I would say they are “serviceable” but the lack of an explosive running game hasn’t helped them out much.

Oh no, the dreaded “serviceable” label. I think you are correct in your WR assessment.

This WR group does not instill fear in opposing defenses. They are very pedestrian.

This is what happens when a program has many years of uninspiring recruiting years for the WR position. Not a single difference maker since Jahan Dotson.

 

[Colt2169]

McClain looked good vs WVa but he's disappeared since the 2 drooped passes vs Illinois. Seems to me

• How many top WRs transfer?
• Do we have enough NIL money to get them?

• How many top WRs transfer?
• Enough
• Do we have enough NIL money to get them?
  No

 

[LB99]

So, is the WR coaching better this year with Hagans? Is the recruiting better with Hagans? Legitimate questions.

No idea. Maybe too early to tell. Losing Washington and Tinsley may be stinging more than we realized it would.

 

[Steelhead52]

Jeesh, We got 3 days to get Daquan Hardy ready for the slot on offense. Yep, play him 3 ways.

 

[VaDave4PSU]

Jeesh, We got 3 days to get Daquan Hardy ready for the slot on offense. Yep, play him 3 ways.

Seriously. Give him a bubble screen, a deep ball, and a jet sweep.

 

[LB99]

Seriously. Give him a bubble screen, a deep ball, and a jet sweep.

I’d be happy to give Singleton a screen. Why don’t they use it to get him in space? They rarely did it with Saquon either. Drove me nuts.

 

[bbrown]

Basically we have a bunch of number 2 or 3 WRs with no number 1. Looking at where we are now, Parker Washington was the biggest loss this off-season. Our receivers this year get little to no separation . I would say they are “serviceable” but the lack of an explosive running game hasn’t helped them out much.

I do think Parker was a loss and I know this is about WR's but to me the biggest loss was Brenton Strange, in both the passing and especially run game. He was much, much better blocker and responsible for a lot of Singelton's big runs.
Getting Tre back was a big boost. I wasn't at last weeks game but I will say that the WR's were open and did create separation in both the WVU and Iowa games.
I expected more out of Saunders, he doesn't look very explosive to me and either because of Injury or something else but Omari Evans isn't bringing much to the table either.

 

[bbrown]

I would expect Franklin to hit the WR portal hard again after this season. Need someone to stretch the field.

I think he has to, unless someone makes a huge push in the final games.

 

[bbrown]

So, is the WR coaching better this year with Hagans? Is the recruiting better with Hagans? Legitimate questions.

All of that, especially recruiting is too soon to tell.

 

[Bwifan]

Saunders was a 4* and I thought either Evans or Driver were also 4* rank. Not sure on the rest of them. Clifford had a high level award in Ohio, but not sure his recruit rank.

Correct he was recruited by many big time programs ... Saunders by his own admission came into PSU just expecting to dominate like he did in high school with little effort. He didn't put the work in across multiple areas... he needed to get bigger and stronger, study film and work on his technique last year. He is now starting to do that but unfortunately has put him a year behind schedule. He is now playing where he should have been last year. I don't expect him to really contribute until next year.