Penn State Football: Breaking Down the Depth Chart for the Pitt Game
By Joe Ciminera
Not many significant changes on the depth chart as Penn State heads into week 2.
I wrote something last week about how a depth chart may appear to just be names and numbers, but it really symbolizes much more.
I’m not sure why I was so pretentious a week ago, but one of the things I did make a special note of was KJ Hamler listed as the kick returner.
If Hamler was tackled on the 10 yard line, as he should’ve been when he decided, after much deliberation, to take the ball out of the end zone late in the fourth quarter after Appalachian State had scored the go-ahead touchdown, I would probably be opening this week’s depth chart review with something different.
Last week I wrote it is not the name on the depth chart, but the “vision of a gamebreakinig return”, regarding Hamler, and that vision came to life. Not only did Hamler have that great return, he played an exceptional game all around.
This post is a breakdown of the Week 2 depth chart against the dreaded Pitt Panthers. It was Hamler last week, but under the bright lights, which name will jump off this weeks depth chart?
On offense, the most notable change is the “or” that now separates Mark Allen and Ricky Slade at RB2. Slade broke a nice touchdown run against Appalachian State, and should factor into the game plan versus Pitt.
At tight end, Pat Freiermuth leapfrogged Nick Bowers into the third string spot. Freiermuth, a freshman, looked serviceable as a blocking tight end in his limited time last Saturday.
On defense, tackle Damion Barber, end Jayson Oweh and, safety John Petrishen have been left off the depth chart for this week. It was a mild surprise Oweh didn’t see the field against App State. If the game had been a blow out in Penn State’s favor, that may have been different.
Lastly, field goal kicker Justin Tobin moved into the backup roll ahead of Vlad Hilling. Hopefully that won’t matter much, as Jake Pinegar looked good in Week 1.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
9 Trace McSorley (6-0, 201, Gr./Sr.)
2 Tommy Stevens (6-5, 240, Sr./Jr.)
14 Sean Clifford (6-2, 219, So./Fr.)
Running Back
24 Miles Sanders (5-11, 215, Jr./Jr.)
8 Mark Allen (5-6, 184, Gr./Sr.) OR
4 Ricky Slade (5-9, 198, Fr./Fr.)
Wide Receiver
84 Juwan Johnson (6-4, 225, Sr./Jr.)
81 Cam Sullivan-Brown (6-0, 188, So./Fr.)
86 Daniel George (6-2, 220, Fr./Fr.)
Wide Receiver
3 DeAndre Thompkins (5-11, 188, Gr./Sr.)
10 Brandon Polk (5-9, 179, Sr./Jr.)
85 Isaac Lutz (5-11, 186, Jr./So.)
Wide Receiver
1 KJ Hamler (5-9, 173, So./Fr.)
12 Mac Hippenhammer (5-11, 177, So./Fr.)
5 Jahan Dotson (5-11, 169, Fr./Fr.)
Tight End
18 Jonathan Holland (6-4, 252, Sr./Jr.) OR
80 Danny Dalton (6-4, 247, Jr./So.)
87 Pat Freiermuth (6-5, 258, Fr./Fr.)
83 Nick Bowers (6-4, 260, Sr./Jr.)
Left Tackle
52 Ryan Bates (6-4, 302, Sr./Jr.)
75 Des Holmes (6-5, 322, So./Fr.)
53 Rasheed Walker (6-6, 308, Fr./Fr.)
Left Guard
74 Steven Gonzalez (6-4, 325, Sr./Jr.)
73 Mike Miranda (6-3, 298, So./Fr.)
72 Bryce Effner (6-5, 272, Fr./Fr.)
Center
62 Michal Menet (6-4, 298, Jr./So.)
64 Zach Simpson (6-3, 290, Sr./Jr.)
70 Juice Scruggs (6-3, 278, Fr./Fr.)
Right Guard
66 Connor McGovern (6-5, 323, Jr./Jr.)
69 C.J. Thorpe (6-3, 328, So./Fr.)
79 Charlie Shuman (6-8, 324, Gr./Sr.)
Right Tackle
77 Chasz Wright (6-7, 353, Gr./Sr.) OR
71 Will Fries (6-6, 306, Jr./So.)
51 Alex Gellerstedt (6-6, 311, Jr./So.)
Lion
2 Tommy Stevens (6-5, 240, Sr./Jr.)
DEFENSE
Defensive End
48 Shareef Miller (6-5, 260, Sr./Jr.)
49 Daniel Joseph (6-3, 253, Jr./So.)
46 Nick Tarburton (6-3, 246, Fr./Fr.)
Defensive Tackle
30 Kevin Givens (6-1, 285, Sr./Jr.)
53 Fred Hansard (6-3, 316, So./Fr.)
42 Ellison Jordan (6-0, 291, Jr./So.)
Defensive Tackle
54 Robert Windsor (6-4, 295, Sr./Jr.)
55 Antonio Shelton (6-2, 310, Jr./So.)
93 PJ Mustipher (6-4, 300, Fr./Fr.)
Defensive End
99 Yetur Gross-Matos (6-5, 259, So./So.)
18 Shaka Toney (6-3, 241, Jr./So.)
46 Nick Tarburton (6-3, 246, Fr./Fr.)
Outside Linebacker
7 Koa Farmer (6-1, 230, Gr./Sr.)
11 Micah Parsons (6-3, 240, Fr./Fr.)
33 Jake Cooper (6-1, 234, Sr./Sr.)
Middle Linebacker
36 Jan Johnson (6-2, 234, Gr./Jr.)
13 Ellis Brooks (6-1, 233, So./Fr.)
40 Jesse Luketa (6-3, 236, Fr./Fr.)
Outside Linebacker
6 Cam Brown (6-5, 223, Jr./Jr.)
9 Jarvis Miller (6-2, 223, Sr./Jr.)
41 Dae’Lun Darien (6-4, 223, Jr./So.)
Cornerback
21 Amani Oruwariye (6-1, 203, Gr./Sr.)
2 Donovan Johnson (5-9, 182, So./Fr.)
14 Zech McPhearson (5-11, 188, Jr./So.)
Safety
17 Garrett Taylor (6-0, 203, Sr./Jr.)
38 Lamont Wade (5-9, 194, So./So.)
26 Jonathan Sutherland (5-11, 201, So./Fr.)
Safety
4 Nick Scott (5-11, 200, Gr./Sr.)
23 Ayron Monroe (5-11, 206, Sr./Jr.)
26 Jonathan Sutherland (5-11, 201, So./Fr.)
Cornerback
29 John Reid (5-10, 180, Sr./Jr.)
5 Tariq Castro-Fields (6-0, 186, So./So.)
19 Trent Gordon (5-11, 184, Fr./Fr.)
Star
29 John Reid (5-10, 180, Sr./Jr.)
2 Donovan Johnson (5-9, 182, So./Fr.)
38 Lamont Wade (5-9, 194, So./So.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
93 Blake Gillikin (6-2, 192, Jr./Jr.)
49 Cade Pollard (5-11, 207, Fr./Fr.)
95 Vlad Hilling (5-10, 217, Fr./Fr.)
Kicker (Field Goal)
92 Jake Pinegar (6-2, 197, Fr./Fr.)
99 Justin Tobin (6-2, 191, Jr./So.)
95 Vlad Hilling (5-10, 217, Fr./Fr.)
Kicker (Kickoff)
90 Rafael Checa (6-2, 205, Fr./Fr.)
92 Jake Pinegar (6-2, 197, Fr./Fr.)
95 Vlad Hilling (5-10, 217, Fr./Fr.)
Holder
93 Blake Gillikin (6-2, 192, Jr./Jr.)
15 Michael Shuster (6-2, 209, Jr./So.)
36 Jan Johnson (6-2, 234, Gr./Jr.)
Long Snapper
96 Kyle Vasey (6-2, 231, 5th/Sr.)
91 Chris Stoll (6-2, 257, So./Fr.)
94 Joe Calcagno (6-0, 242, So./Fr.)
Kickoff Returners
1 KJ Hamler (5-9, 173, So./Fr.)
32 Journey Brown (5-11, 205, So./Fr.)
4 Ricky Slade (5-9, 198, Fr./Fr.)
Punt Returners
3 DeAndre Thompkins (5-11, 188, Gr./Sr.)
1 KJ Hamler (5-9, 173, So./Fr.) OR
29 John Reid (5-10, 180, Sr./Jr.)
Coaching Staff
James Franklin – Head Coach
Brent Pry – DC/LB
Ricky Rahne – OC/QB
Phil Galiano – STC/Assistant DL
Tim Banks – Co-DC/S
Tyler Bowen – TE
David Corley – WR
Matt Limegrover – OL
Ja’Juan Seider – RB
Terry Smith – Assistant HC/CB
Sean Spencer – Associate HC/DL