Penn State Football: Week 9 Studs and Duds against Iowa
By Corey Hunter
WR – KJ Hamler
Slot receiver KJ Hamler has made our Studs list quite a few times this season, but he really is the catalyst that sparks the Nittany Lion offense. Against Iowa, Hamler was Penn State’s most explosive offensive weapon. He led the Nittany Lions with 96 yards receiving and he was tied for the team lead with five receptions. Hamler also paced the Lions with 82 return yards on two kick returns. Yet, when you look inside the numbers, you see how his explosive plays set the tone for Penn State offensively.
The Nittany Lions had just given up a pick-six to let Iowa back into the game 27-24. All the momentum was slanting toward the Hawkeyes. Penn State needed someone to make a play. On the ensuing kickoff, Hamler took the kick and raced 67 yards downs to the Iowa 31 yard line. Penn State would go on to tack on a field goal, forcing Iowa to score a touchdown which they were unable to do. Just before halftime Hamler made a 18-yard reception which set up Jake Pinegar’s game-tying 45-yard field goal.
In a year filled with a significant number of drops by Penn State’s wide receivers, Hamler has generally been the exception. He has undoubtedly become quarterback Trace McSorley’s favorite receiver. Nothing epitomized that more than McSorley throwing a pass deep for Hamler who went up between two defenders to haul in a 39-yard reception late in the third quarter.
The Nittany Lions would ultimately fumble the ball deep in Iowa territory, but it shows the trust McSorley has in his redshirt freshman receiver to make a play, something McSorley would regularly do over the past two seasons with receivers like Chris Godwin and DaeSean Hamilton.
It goes without saying that Hamler will be heavily counted on by Penn State next week at Michigan. He is a dynamic gamechanger not only as a receiver, but also as a kick and punt returner.