UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- With every carry, practice rep and pick-me-up delivered to a teammate, running back Miles Sanders keeps close tabs on how Saquon Barkley operates.
As Sanders stepped into the Beaver Stadium media room on Friday the sophomore was thrust into the other part of the job that comes with the territory: Sitting at the front of the room with all the lights, cameras and microphones in his face. He's watched Barkley go through this routine countless times too, even checking out his teammate's interviews on Twitter.
“He told me to leave him some records," Sanders said with a laugh. "That’s probably the funniest one he told me and he’s been telling me that for a long time because he thinks I can do something real special when I get my chance.”
In all likelihood it will be the former Woodland Hills standout who next season will be tasked with being Barkley's replacement, an order so tall that James Franklin already hinted at potentially mixing up the model they've used the last two seasons and maybe going running back by committee.
But, this is after all what Sanders was brought here to do. The former five-star prospect knew he'd have to wait his turn when he committed to Penn State and after two seasons of special teams work and limited reps he's the next man up on the depth chart, the one who worked as Barkley's primary backup this season.
As the cameras inched closer to Sanders on Friday, he was asked if he's ready to carry the load. Does he have 18-20 carries in him per game next season?
"Yeah," he said and then paused as the cameras flashed and the recording devices inched closer. "I’m sorry. I’m nervous right now with all these cameras. Yeah, I am ready. I think just being patient and watching him and seeing what he does and just the tough situations he gets put in. I think I’m ready for next year and whatever happens next year."
It was a fitting moment for a young player who will be a focal point this offseason, one who gets to run out of the tunnel in front of 107,000 fans next year at Beaver Stadium with many of them likely still wearing the number of the guy he's supposed to replace.
Following the guy is never an easy thing to do. Franklin referenced his lone season as the wide receivers coach with the Green Bay Packers, which happened to be the year the organization drafted Aaron Rodgers with hopes of grooming him to be Brett Favre's eventual replacement. There were big shoes to fill no doubt and the same holds true here as Sanders tries to follow a consensus All-America honoree.
Sanders bought into the promise of early playing time as a freshman -- which he got as a kick returner and with a few spot carries -- and Penn State even had to fend off Alabama and LSU down the stretch just to secure their longtime verbal pledge who knew a commitment here meant at least two years in a backup role.
"Having limited reps kind of humbled me and made me work more harder just to prove like what I can do and what I’m capable of," Sanders said.
It's the same type of humbling that likely will happen to highly-touted verbal pledge Ricky Slade when the running back arrives on campus, the same lesson learned that comes from every failed blitz pickup, missed tackle and blown coverage early in a player's career.
What Sanders showed in spurts this season certainly looked like some Barkley-esque moves. With quick feet and nifty cuts, tremendous balance and a second gear that showed up when he slid into the open field, there's a reason why Franklin has preached patience to Sanders, since the time he committed all the way through this season.
"I don't know if anything assures you," Franklin said of potentially filling Barkley's role, one that won't be official until the junior would opt to declare for the NFL Draft. "We're excited about Miles and his future, and obviously he's done a really good job behind Saquon Barkley and when he got opportunities, really running with it. You really see every aspect of his game over the last two years really developing from ball security, from pass protection, in terms of just getting bigger and stronger. You look at him the other day, his lower body development, it's impressive to look at him. The game comes natural for him."
Teammates raved about Sanders throughout the season and still do. As the Lions ready for their trip to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30, one that will leave them on the other side of the country for a week of preparation leading up to the game, it's likely the last time Barkley will be decked out in blue and white. That of course is assuming he makes good on last month's vow to play in any bowl game his team would be selected to.
The player teammates call Superman has taken Sanders under his wing since he arrived, but emerging from a shadow so big that it's likely not envied by teammates is next on Sanders' to-do list. Much like how he watched Barkley, there will be at least two pairs of wide eyes on him as rising redshirt freshman Journey Brown and Slade, the incoming freshman, will take note as Sanders' experience comes full circle.
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• The kicking competition will be a focal point this offseason, as well. Scholarship kicker Jake Pinegar -- expected to sign -- and a pair of walk-ons in Carson Landis and Nick DeAngelis will all battle for what will amount to two spots. Penn State will likely go back to using one player on kickoffs and another on field goals, much like they did before senior Tyler Davis handled both duties this season.
Penn State held various kicking competitions before practices this season for the two walk-ons and punter Blake Gillikin was hitting some short field goals during the early portion of Friday's practice. With Alex Barbir transferring out of the program, perhaps Gillikin would be an emergency option in the bowl game.
What's impressed Davis about Landis?
"He's got a really big leg," Davis said. "He definitely has potential and I think he's come a long way since the first day he got here. I think he's going to be pretty good."
• Tight end Nick Bowers' time at Penn State so far has been highlighted by a redshirt season, a season-ending injury and then a year cut short this season because of injuries. Well, Bowers was on crutches again Friday so we'll have to see what the future holds for someone who has impressed the staff for years, but thus far hasn't been able to stay on the field. They'll need him next season with Mike Gesicki out of eligibility.
• It shouldn't come as a surprise since he played in the Maryland game, but defensive end Ryan Buchholz was practicing on Friday. When healthy that's a key part of the Lions' pass rush that was noticeably missing in both of the team's losses.
• Ryan Bates was injured against Ohio State and then came back to play in the regular season finale against Maryland. The Lions' starting left tackle said he's been working at right tackle the last four weeks, which allows redshirt freshman Will Fries to stay at left tackle, a spot Fries has become comfortable with during Bates' absence.
"It didn't feel great against Maryland, but it was just getting back into the swing of things," Bates said Friday, adding that he's now 100 percent.
Putting Bates at right tackle for the Fiesta Bowl puts less pressure on his ailing knee and ankle but, long term, look for him to go back to left tackle, the spot he said he's most comfortable.
"Will Fries has been doing really well at left right now and he's been there for the past four, five weeks. Ever since I got hurt," Bates said. "He's comfortable over there right now so it wouldn't make any sense if he got comfortable to move him back to right and readjust his game, so I'll probably be playing over there, over at right."
• What did defensive coordinator Brent Pry learn about cornerback John Reid this season while Reid was relegated to the sideline due to a season-ending knee injury sustained in spring ball?
"That he's a better dummy signaler than he is live signaler," Pry quipped. "Sometimes we give him a shot at the end of the game. John is the ultimate professional. He handled it, was in meetings, watched film, coached the guys up daily. Was very involved. I wasn't surprised by the way he handled this. It's a situation where he got better. Despite not practicing and playing, he got better this year. We can't wait to get him back out there."
• Not getting invited to New York City for the Heisman ceremony didn't seem to take a toll on Saquon Barkley. At least that was the assessment coming from Barkley's roommate, cornerback Amani Oruwariye.
"He said it best. He was saying like, 'I don't need that to define me,' " Oruwariye said. "He's got the respect from us as his teammates and his coaches, so he's a humble guy. He's not too worried about it. ... He's not the type of guy who lingers over that kind of stuff. He's fine."
And yes, Oruwariye said Barkley is a clean roommate. High praise, indeed.
• Gesicki said he plans to play in the Senior Bowl, but after the bowl game will first have to figure out where he will go to train in anticipation of the NFL Combine.
He'll use Steelers tight end Jesse James, his former teammate, as a resource during that process. Gesicki said the two spoke the other night following James' career game for the Steelers, complete with 10 receptions.
"I was watching the entire game and I was really happy for him just because I think he gets some criticism that I think he doesn’t deserve," said Gesicki, who often gets similar criticism about his blocking. "He’s a great player and he’s done great things for the Steelers and I was talking to him about that, but he’s definitely going to be a mentor for me and somebody I can lean on.”
• Senior safety Marcus Allen and cornerback Christian Campbell have accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl, as well.
"It means a lot," Campbell said. "It's a blessing to me because I wanted to play in that game since I was watching it on TV and probably in high school. And being in Alabama, my family can come see me play and everything like that. It's a huge blessing."
• Barkley said last month he planned to play in any bowl game. While the junior didn't meet with the media on Friday, Franklin was asked if that's still the plan. Barkley was practicing on Friday, per usual.
"It's not my decision and, as you guys know, we got into it a couple weeks ago; I don't really love the question," Franklin said. "I get that you've got to ask it. I don't love the question. ... I understand there's a business aspect to this, as well, and we have to be aware of those types of things, but we're excited about going to play the University of Washington and the Fiesta Bowl as a team."