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Is this key member of Penn State football’s offense returning to the lineup?

By Alec Whitaker

Sep 1, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) catches the ball while Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Jamari Brown (7) defends in the second quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 1, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) catches the ball while Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Jamari Brown (7) defends in the second quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Penn State football is preparing for the biggest game of the season against Michigan this upcoming Saturday. 

Reinforcements may be on the way for Penn State football as there’s optimism that wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith could be back this Saturday.

Lambert-Smith left the Northwestern game with what seems to be a lower leg injury, as he was seen in a walking boot after the 17-7 win. The concern grew even more when Lambert-Smith was absent from the media availability portion of Penn State’s practice last week.

Lambert-Smith is currently fourth on the team in receptions and receiving yards and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup since the end of the 2020 season.

Head coach James Franklin infused some optimism to the grim situation during his press conference on Tuesday.

Obviously, the key word in this statement is ‘hopeful’. Franklin could have been doing some gamesmanship here, meaning Lambert-Smith could be nowhere near ready to go or is at full strength. The more likely scenario is that Franklin truly doesn’t know yet.

The bye week certainly helped Lambert-Smith and the Nittany Lions, as he had more time to heal up. We should know more about the Lambert-Smith situation Wednesday night after the media availability portion of practice.

Penn State football could definitely use Lambert-Smith in this matchup of top ten teams. He is the big-play threat in the offense, while Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley do most of their work underneath.

In addition to that, Lambert-Smith is also usually the wide receiver Penn State designs bubble screens and quick swing passes for. That is an important detail because of the way Michigan’s defensive line has played lately.

The Wolverines had seven sacks against Indiana and were dominant up front. If Penn State wants to neutralize this pass rush, they may try to get the ball out quick and get it to the playmakers as quick as possible.

Having Lambert-Smith on Saturday would be a huge win for the Nittany Lions, but the fact Franklin is at least making the Wolverines prepare to face Lambert-Smith is a win in itself.

If Lambert-Smith can’t go on Saturday, multiple players would have to step up without him.

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