Whenever college football is played, there will be a noticeable difference in the Penn State wide receiver group.
Standout KJ Hamler is on his way to the NFL. Mac Hippenhammer and Justin Shorter both transferred to other schools.
Jahan Dotson brings the most experience of any of the wideouts on the roster, more experience -— at least in State College -— than even his position coach Taylor Stubblefield, who was hired toward the end of 2019.
Stubblefield came to the program after Gerad Parker left to take the West Virginia offensive coordinator job. No spring football makes it harder for Stubblefield to make evaluations, but he’s making the best of the new normal.
“I haven’t had a ton of time to work with Dotson, but seeing what he’s been doing now, what we did in winter workouts, I believe he is progressing to have a big season,” Stubblefield told reporters Wednesday. “I’m excited for him. I’m excited about the whole group because there is some uncertainty. We are up for the challenge to bring it and to be consistent and to be explosive and to be tough.”
Stubblefield knows about being explosive and consistent on the field. A receiver at Purdue from 2001-04, he still holds the Big Ten record for career receptions (325) and finished his career with 3,629 yards and 27 touchdowns. So far, he has set a potentially higher standard for Dotson.
“Jahan is much more athletic than I ever was,” Stubblefield said. “He can do some things naturally that I couldn’t. I was more of a technical-skilled guy. He’s a guy that has more athletic ability than I have had ... and then to put the skill on top of it makes it a great combination.”
Dotson (5 feet 11, 184 pounds) caught five touchdowns to go with 488 receiving yards on 27 catches in 2019. The Nazareth, Pa., native will line up in the slot, according to the most recent depth chart Penn State released Saturday. Sophomore Daniel George and redshirt freshman TJ Jones joined the junior receiver as starters. Several receivers are looking to make names for themselves, and Stubblefield appreciates hunger.
“I don’t even think it was a pencil that it was written in,” Stubblefield said. “It might have been in watercolor ink, something that can disappear.”
Stubblefield knows a lot can change before the games are played again.
“I told my guys when that depth chart comes out, it is ever-changing,” Stubblefield said. “I told the guys at the top not to sit there and beat your chest and think you made it. If you’re a third- or fourth-string guy right now, don’t put your head down and say, dang, I don’t have a chance.
“We have a room full of young guys. Some of it was how we structure who’s at X, who’s at Z, a little bit of that. But it’s going to be ever-changing right now. And I hope every single one of them is motivated to either keep it where it’s at or change it.”
Nubyjas Wilborn: nwilborn@post-gazette.com Twitter: @nwilborn19
First Published: April 22, 2020, 7:09 p.m.
