Ranking Penn State football’s buzziest preseason storylines
Penn State football will begin its 2023 campaign, the culmination of a month covered deeply by Blue White Illustrated. But, before the Nittany Lions square off with West Virginia, that mountain of insight and information demands a reset.
Which of Penn State’s August buzzy storylines stand out the most as the season begins?
Here, we’re ranking the most noteworthy points of interest to emerge from our reporting over the past month.
10. Jaxon Smolik provides an extra insurance policy at QB
One of the first preseason buzz items proved to be one of the most consistent through August. While Drew Allar and Beau Pribula were the rightful center of attention at the quarterback position, the emergence of Jaxon Smolik, the true freshman, proved to be something of a delightful surprise to Penn State.
The kid competes and makes plays. His work to be accomplished in the meeting room is still sizable. But, the effort in August was enough to reassure the Nittany Lion coaching staff that a bright future and worst-case insurance policy are very much in the cards for Smolik moving forward.
9. Zuriah Fisher and Amin Vanover give Penn State assured depth at DE
The question for Penn State coming out of the spring was whether reliable pieces could be sorted out behind the talented trio of Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac, and Dani Dennis-Sutton at defensive end.
This preseason, they were.
Amin Vanover and Zuriah Fisher have both taken strides. Fisher is a particular bonus given what he’s been through over the past 17 months. Manny Diaz wants waves of fresh defenders. So, while the top trio is certain to be a fixture in critical moments, the confidence generated by Fisher and Vanover is a significant development.
Notably, but somehow not talked about quite enough: Robinson, Isaac, and Dennis-Sutton are outstanding.
8. Khalil Dinkins boosts TEs to be, potentially, better than last year
Considering how well-regarded Penn State’s tight end unit was last season, one sentiment expressed this preseason demanded a head-turn. Specifically, the trio of Brenton Strange, a second-round NFL Draft selection, plus Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren in 2022, could be surpassed in comprehensive quality by the trio of Johnson, Warren, and Khalil Dinkins this season.
After something of a halting start to his Penn State career, needing to make the transition from high school receiver into a college tight end, Dinkins has steadily progressed into a piece that the Nittany Lions can very much use this season. That emergence doesn’t overshadow the reality that Johnson and Warren are poised to make a huge splash themselves. But, it does fall in line with the expanding set of possibilities offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has to play with this year.
7. King Mack the buzziest true freshman
Getting onto the field this season could be a crowded endeavor for King Mack, the true freshman safety. But, following a spring in which Tony Rojas dominated the conversation as the most impressive of the newcomers, King takes that distinction for the late-arriving new entries to the program.
Even as the fifth safety behind Keaton Ellis, Kevin Winston, Jaylen Reed, and Zakee Wheatley, at minimum, King will be a frequent contributor on special teams from the jump.
Though to a lesser extent, honorable mention here goes to Jameial Lyons at defensive end. Not necessarily a piece Penn State would have considered as a viable contributor as a true freshman, Lyons demonstrated early and often that he’s a player this preseason.
6. Caedan Wallace locks down RT
So much of preseason can be about backup roles that attention to starters gets overlooked. In Caedan Wallace’s case, that seems to be the reality.
Spurred on by a threat to his job from Drew Shelton in the spring, Wallace produced his best offseason. And, after appearing to stave off Shelton in the spring, the persistence of the true sophomore tackle helped propel Wallace into another outstanding session this preseason.
Does it put him on the level of Olu Fashanu, a first-round projection who has continued to climb to the top of boards as teams have figured out who and what he is at the next level? No. But, Wallace’s performance, once a hold-your-breath proposition, has been consistent enough to boost the perception of the room.
5. Drew Allar can sling it
The eye-popping stat Franklin volunteered for Drew Allar’s preseason was that of having thrown no interceptions through the first 13 or 14 of Penn State’s practices. That’s undeniably great for Allar. It is a big part of the trust that Penn State can have in the true sophomore.
But, the is a middle ground to understand this preseason that remains relevant. Specifically, when Allar is slinging it, he’s slinging it, and that version is extremely good. And, conversely, when pressure is effective at disrupting his flow, there are errant throws that can’t be overlooked.
Allar is a budding talent surrounded by established complementing pieces at many spots all over the field. He’s being asked to keep the game in front of him, let that talent shine, and avoid critical mistakes. A reasonable ask, the approach can help Allar get off to a confident start to his Penn State career.
4. Hakeem Beamon, Jordan van den Berg, and Coziah Izzard solidify DT
Hakeem Beamon and Jordan van den Berg were two very early buzz-pieces thanks to their offseason work. Coziah Izzard, then, brought up the rear. He pushed through bumps and bruises to make a run at a starting job he’d appeared to have lost thanks to an offseason spent on the sidelines.
In combination, though, what had been a position of major concern last January is now something else entirely. If Beamon can reach his potential, which is considered loftier internally than anything being attributed to him externally, and van den Berg can translate his freakish athleticism into on-field production, and Izzard is the version he flashed through the past two weeks, along with Zane Durant and D’Von Ellies, Penn State is in business in the middle of that already strong defensive line.
3. Johnny Dixon is very good
There is probably some argument to be made that Johnny Dixon only showed flashes last season. And, he lacked consistency as the third in Penn State’s cornerback rotation behind Joey Porter Jr. and Kalen King.
This preseason, that rectified itself. Dixon is an aggressive, physical cornerback. Paired with King, he gives the Nittany Lions a tandem that creates options for Diaz and the defensive side of the ball.
This isn’t a guarantee that he’ll never get beat or draw a pass interference. Porter did too. But, when it’s time to sort out the pecking order of Penn State’s next draft class, Dixon’s name is likely to appear higher than many might have expected heading into the preseason.
2. Pump the brakes, slightly, on Dante Cephas
This isn’t Dante Cephas’ fault. Rather, the conversation surrounding him as one of the top transfer portal receivers in the nation got ahead of itself. The result is a need to walk back what some of the spring expectations were ahead of Cephas’ arrival that he would immediately, at minimum, own the third spot and likely challenge for more.
That has decidedly not been the buzz this preseason. In setting expectations moving forward, the reality that KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace entered camp ahead, and remain well ahead as the first game arrives, is what’s important. The rest will be sorted out. Competition remains high for reps among the likes of Liam Clifford, Kaden Saunders, Omari Evans, and Cephas, leaving open possibilities for contributions from all.
1. Kobe King makes the move
This isn’t just about a competition between Tyler Elsdon and Kobe King. Rather, the physicality and consistency of King this preseason have demonstrated a command of the defense and productivity that, being honest, reverses the overshadowing that the expectations of Abdul Carter and Curtis Jacobs have created at the position.
The transformation of the position group has been completed. What’s left is a series of difficult decisions for Diaz to sort out this season on an opponent-by-opponent basis. Depending on he perspective, they’re also enticing opportunities.
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