Penn State, Stacy Collins eager for placekicking competition in camp

Jordan Stout proved himself to be incredibly talented and invaluable at Penn State. The Baltimore Ravens thought so much of that ability as to choose him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. 

New special teams coordinator Stacy Collins and the Nittany Lions have an opportunity to improve in his absence, though, in one particular area.

Finishing the 2021 season ranked 82nd in made field goal percentage, hitting on 16 of his 23 attempts last season, Stout’s miscues were at times a true detriment. Notable misses like a 23-yarder at Wisconsin, a 40-yarder against Illinois, a missed 43-yarder against Michigan, and a 27-yarder at Michigan State, either directly or indirectly impacted outcomes. 

In what has been a busy first season of work for Collins, working to build on the foundation of Joe Lorig but also tasked with replacing elite contributors within Penn State’s special teams units, that means a kicking competition is on tap for placekicker in August.

“It’s gonna be a great competition when we get into fall camp,” Collins said. “It’s no different from any other position right there. They work with each other. Granted, it’s a little bit older guy and a little bit younger guy. But, they’re gonna work with each other, they’re going to help each other out, and they’re going to compete their tails off.”

Penn State kicking competitors

Three kickers currently appear on the roster in fifth-year Jake Pinegar and redshirt freshmen Sander Sahaydak and Mitchell Groh. When it comes to handling PATs and field goals, though, Pinegar and Sahaydak are expected to be the primary competitors to earn the jobs. 

In Pinegar, Collins is working with a kicker with extensive experience. Fourth in Penn State history for career PATs made, sixth in overall field goal percentage, and 11th in field goals made, the Iowa native has already held the role for three seasons as a Nittany Lion.

And in Sahaydak, Penn State has a big, big leg at its disposal. Drawing attention from coaches, teammates, and fans alike for his booming kicks, Sahaydak presents an intriguing skillset despite his lack of experience.

In both, though, Collins reported concern over the inconsistency seen from both through the beginning of Penn State’s spring practices. 

“I thought through spring, they both had their peaks and valleys early. And then I thought they both trended in the right direction as we finished our spring practices and went into the spring game,” Collins said. “Jake has more experience. He’s older, he’s been in games. Sander has a very, very live leg. 

“There are days where, hey, we didn’t hit the ball well. Just flat out, we missed some kicks and kicks we should have made.”

Next steps

Framing those setbacks as an opportunity to grow, Collins said the challenge now is to identify the mettle of his competitors for the job.

“How do you respond to that and bounce back?” Collins said. “The reality is, you’d love to make every kick. It’s not going to happen. So just as important is making sure we have one kick mentality. 

“What is the next kick and how do I come back from it? There were days where we were lights out, and there were days where we weren’t. And so, how can we create that consistency? And, when we do have a hiccup, are we able to bounce back?”

Weeks away from the next opportunity for Sahaydak and Pinegar to perform in front of coaches and teammates in pressure situations, it’s a competition Penn State and Collins are eager to see in action again.

“It’ll be a great competition as we go through and we’ll be interested to see how it plays out.”