UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — DeAndre Thompkins had 22 receptions in Penn State’s first nine games and scored touchdowns on two of them.
One came at Michigan State a week ago, when he and quarterback Trace McSorley connected on a 70-yard scoring pass on the final play of the third quarter.
But it’s a catch he didn’t make later in that game that might stick with Thompkins the longest.
The Nittany Lions and Spartans were tied, 24-24, and Penn State was driving for a potential go-ahead score with a little more than four minutes left in regulation when coach James Franklin went for a first down on fourth-and-3 from the Spartans 31.
Thompkins ran a slant route toward the middle of the field and had inside position on cornerback Josiah Scott as he approached the 25.
He would have picked up the first down easily — if McSorley’s pass, which was a bit high, hadn’t sailed through Thompkins’ hands.
“To be honest with you, yeah, that’s one of those passes that, as a receiver, you have to catch,” Thompkins said. “I own that mistake. It is what it is.
“I’ve watched the film a countless number of times, and that’s just a mistake, as a receiver. You have to catch the ball.”
The incompletion allowed the Spartans to take possession, and they kept the ball until Matt Coghlin kicked a game-winning, 34-yard field goal as time expired.
Losing that game snuffed any reasonable hope Penn State [7-2, 4-2 Big Ten] had of getting a chance to defend its conference title, let alone of being invited to the College Football Playoff.
Thompkins, though, said his teammates were unfailingly supportive afterward.
“We have each other’s back,” he said. “We know that, although it may look like it, one play does not define the whole game.”
That non-catch, critical as it was, was a rare blemish on what has been a pretty solid junior season for Thompkins.
He not only is part of a deep receiving corps but has developed into an effective blocker and is one of Football Bowl Subdivision’s premier punt returners.
Thompkins enters Penn State’s game against Rutgers at noon Saturday at Beaver Stadium with 16 punt returns for 259 yards, an average of 16.2 yards per return that is the sixth-best in FBS.
His return for a touchdown in the opener against Akron was Penn State’s first on a punt since Derrick Williams did it at Wisconsin in 2008.
“He’s a great decision-maker right now, as a punt returner,” coach James Franklin said. “As a freshman, I wouldn’t necessarily say that was the case, but that’s typical of freshmen.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence. We feel like he’s going to have some opportunities on Saturday. Their punter [senior Ryan Anderson] can really bang the ball, so we’re hoping he’s going to have some opportunities there.”
And he might get opportunities in a few other situations, too. Like again being a target for McSorley in a potentially pivotal situation.
“I know Trace has got a lot of confidence in him, and I know [receivers coach Josh] Gattis has got a lot of confidence in him,” Franklin said. “He always could run, and he’s so much stronger now.
“He’s really mentally tough. He’s focused, and he’s making plays.”
Almost all of them, actually. And now Thompkins will get to show how he’ll respond to the one he didn’t.
Dave Molinari: dmolinari@Post-Gazette.com and Twitter @MolinariPG.
Game day
Matchup: Penn State Nittany Lions [7-2, 4-2 in Big Ten] vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights [4-5, 3-3 in Big Ten], Beaver Stadium.
When: Noon Saturday.
TV, radio: Big Ten Network, KQV-AM [1410].
DYK?: Two Rutgers players, DL/TE Myles Nash and CB/WR Dacoven Bailey, were used on offense and defense against Maryland last week.
First Published: November 10, 2017, 5:14 p.m.
Updated: November 11, 2017, 6:10 a.m.