A Penn State specialist is no longer with the Nittany Lions
A Penn State specialist is no longer with the Nittany Lions despite having one season of eligibility remaining. Bethlehem, Pa., native Sander Sahaydak is not on the team’s roster for the 2025 season. He arrived in State College back in 2021 and redshirted, meaning that this year would have been his fifth and final one with head coach James Franklin’s program.
Sahaydak was twice the starting place kicker for Penn State but lost the job both times. After handling some kickoff work in 2022, he was initially the Lions’ starter for field goals in 2023. But, after missing both field goals in that year’s opener with West Virginia, he kicked just one extra point the next week against Delaware, while Alex Felkins handled the other eight. It was Felkins’ job from there. He went on to make 19 of 24 field goals and all 47 of his extra point tries while earning All-Big Ten honors. Sahaydak did kick three point after touchdown tries against UMass later that year and also one in that season’s finale against Michigan State.
Sahaydak then won the starting job back coming out of preseason camp in 2024. But, after going 0 for 1 on field goals in the opener against the Mountaineers and 2 of 5 in September, including two field goal misses against Illinois, he gave way to Ryan Barker.
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“Here’s a young man that’s come to Penn State; he has done everything right,” Franklin said on the Penn State Coaches Show when asked about Sahaydak in October. “He’s killing it academically. He’s done all the right things off the field. And he’s earned a starting job. A few years ago, he lost a starting job, battled all the way back from that, which is hard to do, and earns a starting job again. And then obviously, he’s had some struggles.
“But Sander is a part of our team, and we’re totally appreciative of him, and we’re going to need him at some point this year. And I would just ask all of the fans, the true fans out there, to support him because he’s done it the right way his entire time, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. And I got his back.”
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Barker went on to make 15 of 18 field goal tries and earn All-Big Ten honorable mention honors from both the coaches and the media.
What is the Nittany Lions’ special teams outlook in 2024
Barker is the returning starter at placekicker in 2025. Chase Meyer, who transferred into the Lions’ program last offseason, returns for his senior season. And, walk-on Mattew Parker is an early enrollee arrival. Gabe Nwosu returns to handle kickoffs. Riley Thompson is back for his final season as the team’s punter. At kick returner, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are both back. The same goes for Zion Tracy at punt returner. But, second-year coordinator Justin Lustig will certainly evaluate all of his options during spring practice.
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