UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's kicking situation for the time being doesn't classify as a competition, at least that's how James Franklin put it.
After what Franklin saw Wednesday night it's a little easier to understand why the job will still be up for grabs this summer.
Walk-on Carson Landis continued his spring with a golden opportunity as Penn State's lone kicker on the roster, but Landis missed five of six field goal opportunities during the 15-minute portion of Wednesday night's practice open to the media. It's a small sample size, but certainly not the most reassuring development for a team that needs a field goal kicker.
"We really don't have a competition to be honest with you," Franklin said Wednesday night in Holuba Hall. "At kicker, we got Landis. We got one kicker right now. Obviously I think [Blake] Gillikin can do it and he did it in high school, we prefer not to do it. But there is an aspect where he may do kickoff and he's shown that he's pretty good at that. From all the people we talked to, plus the kicking gurus, that's an easier kind of job to handle with punting and kickoffs where field goals are a lot more technical."
It's not reason for too much concern since it's April, but by the looks of it Wednesday night the kicker isn't on campus for the time being. Trying to keep the mood light and give Landis a breather as the eyes of teammates stared at him for the final portion of the spring practice, Franklin turned to offensive linemen Chasz Wright and Michael Miranda and even defensive lineman Rob Windsor who all took unsuccessful cracks at kicking field goals.
Penn State giving many of the non kickers a chance to kick tonight, including Mike Miranda, Chasz Wright, Rob Windsor and Charlie Shuman. pic.twitter.com/0hzOWhn9iE
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) April 4, 2018
Scholarship kicker Jake Pinegar arrives this summer as do other walk-ons who will be pushing for the job. Gillikin also kicked a few field goals during Wednesday night's practice, something he did in the lead up to the Fiesta Bowl as well. Worst-case scenario they could use him, but the likely pairing seems to be Gillikin of course punting and then handling kickoffs while the field goal job comes down to Pinegar, Landis and the other walk-ons.
Other observations from the eighth practice of the spring:
• Running back Mark Allen was praised last week for his pass protection skills and the senior caught a pair of passes down around the goal line during Wednesday's workout.
• Quarterback Tommy Stevens was off the cart and crutches this week as he continues recovering from an undisclosed injury.
• Cornerback John Reid would take the field if Penn State was playing a game this week, Franklin said. Reid and wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins were the last two players off the field as the two stayed after practice going back and forth for an extra workout. That's become the norm for those two friends who were able to start resuming those extra workouts as soon as the season ended, Reid said.
• Wide receiver KJ Hamler was last week's darling of spring ball and it's safe to add safety Garrett Taylor to that conversation now as well. Franklin said if the season started today the starting safeties would be Nick Scott and Taylor. Penn State moved Lamont Wade to safety this offseason from corner so while that transition is ongoing, for the time being Taylor has left a favorable impression. Ayron Monroe, Jonathan Sutherland and John Petrishen are vying for time as well.
"We feel very good about Nick," Franklin said. "I think Garrett has kind of separated himself from the pack in terms of if we were playing Saturday, they're probably our two starters. Ayron Monroe is missing some reps right now during the spring, so he's not really factoring in right now."
• What does that safety spot mean for Wade? That leads me to believe, just reading between the lines, that the transition has been perhaps a little more difficult than imagined as Wade made the move this winter. Wade was open to the switch and it's still way too far ahead to say one way or another, but for now Taylor's edge in experience, something Scott also has over Wade, seems to be the difference maker. Reid said Wade has done well this spring though so surely the transition will continue, but it does make the spring game a little more interesting when it comes to seeing how Wade looks back there.
• Reserve quarterback Billy Fessler handled signaling duties last year, a responsibility that could fall to another reserve quarterback or even a reserve wide receiver. Franklin mentioned Bob Shoop's son, Tyler, a walk-on wide receiver, who could be an option.
• Micah Parsons has moved from the Mike to the Will already this spring. Penn State's box linebackers are viewed as interchangeable parts so this move would take a little less off Parsons' plate, at least for the time being. Penn State wants all their linebackers to know all three spots, but perhaps this means Ellis Brooks or Cam Brown could be the more realistic options in the spring? Jake Cooper and Jan Johnson are also vying for time.
"He can run. He's got really good instincts," Franklin said. "He really hasn't found a stance that he's comfortable in yet, which I know sounds crazy, but it's more challenging than it is."