Transfer WRs give Penn State a new look on offense it desperately needed

Saturday afternoon's game against Nevada was the chance for Penn State to show off its latest additions to the wide receiver room: transfers Trebor Pena and Kyron Hudson. The new Nittany Lions did not disappoint in the 46-11 season opening victory.

The duo wasn't represented on the scoreboard in terms of tallying touchdowns, but it was about the key 10-plus yard gains they posted every time the Penn State offense touched the field. The Nittany Lions had five touchdowns and four field goals on Saturday.

Kyron Hudson leads Nittany Lion wide receiver core with catches six passes for 89 yards

Though Pena recorded an extra catch over Hudson, the USC transfer picked up 89 yards over Pena's 74. Hudson had a 31-yard long reception and averaged 14.8 yards gained per catch.

In the third quarter after Pena connected with quarterback Drew Allar twice in a row for an 18-yard and 13-yard completion, the senior under center chose a new wideout to target. At the very edge of the perimeter, so close it required the officials to take another look at the play and rule it a catch, Hudson had a toe-dragging reception for 14 yards.

In the second quarter with seconds ticking down to halftime, quarterback Drew Allar connected with the wide receiver yet again.

This time, Hudson took himself all the way into the end zone, creating space between him and the Nevada defender while Allar prepared to throw a 31-yard pass. He slid onto the field, but secured the ball before hitting the ground. Hudson's receiving touchdown put the Nittany Lions up 27-3 with the extra point before halftime. It was also the sole wide receiver touchdown on Saturday.

"I think we did a great job of getting a lot of guys involved in the game plan, like [Hudson] and [Pena] had a great . . . impact on the game [on Saturday]," Allar said postgame on the field to CBS sideline reporter Jenny Dell.

Devonte Ross, the third offseason transfer to complete the trio, wasn't utilized as much on Saturday. He had one reception for four yards, but he showed up elsewhere other than the state sheet. Allar said to Dell that Ross and Pena were critical blockers for running back Nicholas Singleton to tally his two touchdowns in the game.

On a one-yard rushing touchdown for the veteran backfield star, Pena set the Nittany Lions up to give him a short distance into the end zone. After Dani Dennis-Sutton forced his second fumble of the afternoon capped off with a Zakee Wheatley recovery, Pena made a 15-yard grab followed by Singleton's score.

"They did a really good job today — not only in the pass game." Allar said of his wide receivers. ". . . They did a great job in the run game, like the outside zone. [Singleton's] touchdown, we had [Pena] and [Ross] just blocking, blocking their tail[s] off to allow [Singleton] just to walk in . . . They're all about ball, so I'm really excited about [them]."