Penn State Football: Week 3 Studs and Duds against Kent State
By Corey Hunter
Wide Receiver – KJ Hamler
Let’s be honest for a moment, we could have put Hamler on the Studs list every game this year. Of course, we like to spread the wealth where we can, but it goes to show how much the redshirt freshman has meant to the Nittany Lions this season. A fair argument can be made that without Hamler and his electric kickoff return and his sure-handed touchdown grab against Appalachian State in the closing minutes that Penn State would already have a blemish on their resume.
Hamler did cede the receiving limelight on Saturday to others, but he certainly was still electric on the field. With 35 seconds remaining in the first half, Kent State had just kicked a field goal to trim the Nittany Lions’ lead to 21-10; the Golden Flashes had some momentum on their side. That is, until Kent State kicker Colten McFadden inexplicably kicked the ball out of bounds.
Most teams would have gladly taken the ball at the 35 yard line to begin their drive. Not Penn State! Not when you have a returner as dynamic as KJ Hamler back to receive!
The Nittany Lions accepted the five yard penalty and forced McFadden to re-kick. Hamler took the ensuing kickoff 52 yards to the Kent State 43 yard line. Two plays later, McSorley hit Hamler for 22 yards (his only catch of the day) down to the Kent State 13. Two plays after that, McSorley ran it in for the Nittany Lions score, a score which effectively took the wind out of the Golden Flashes sails.
Hamler also showed that he could do more than catch and return kicks, when, in the third quarter, he took a Matthew Trickett punt 33 yards setting up the Lions in plus territory. While the drive would end up in a turnover on downs, Penn State has found one more aspect of KJ Hamler’s game that will cause opposing coaches to have heartburn trying to defend.
Winning 63-10 lends itself to quite a few members of the Studs category, and few on the Duds list. However, we were able to find a couple players or areas that need to be addressed before next week.