STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Brandon Polk was open to the switch, and a couple weeks before Penn State opened spring ball, the former slot receiver learned what life would be like playing the 'Z.'
"For me, it's more of the press man and not having 3-4 yards of cushion," Polk said Tuesday of the differences between the two. He has worked exclusively at the 'Z' this spring. "I feel like I've been able to handle that pretty well, not having been pressed since high school, so it's been a pretty good transition for me, and I actually like it a lot better."
The 'Z' was where DeAndre Thompkins played last season, which means Thompkins could be used in the slot this year while the 5-9, 171-pound Polk, a redshirt junior, gets a chance to see the field at his new spot.
The slot could be a little crowded, especially given the rave reviews that have come out of Holuba Hall about redshirt freshman KJ Hamler. While Juwan Johnson was the spring ball darling last year -- and lived up to the billing during the season -- this spring there's been much chatter about Hamler, the former four-star receiver from IMG Academy who might have supplanted Thompkins as the fastest player on the team.
Hamler spent all spring thus far in the slot and was a player James Franklin highlighted several times, as did Hamler's teammates. Hamler hauled in a Trace McSorley deep ball against cover-2 that wowed teammates, and even his blocking on the perimeter has impressed the coaches. That's also perhaps why moving Polk makes more sense.
They can always move any of these guys back, but if Thompkins gets time in the slot, Hamler gets worked in there and Polk plays the 'Z,' that's an awful lot of speed to work with. Redshirt freshman Mac Hippenhammer, who also was listed at the 'Z' last season, should factor in, and look for signee Justin Shorter to back up Johnson once Shorter gets to campus this summer.
Still, for Polk, who first saw the field as a true freshman when he was used solely for speed sweeps, getting back on the field since then has been a struggle. There was a season lost to injury after his freshman year and then a clogged path to the field behind DaeSean Hamilton last year. Now, with a chance to take on a bigger -- and potentially starting role as he's reunited with his high school quarterback -- Polk is upbeat about the opportunity.
“I think it’s a blessing in disguise, because I think when I first got here with my size I came in here, I don’t think I was necessarily ready," he said. Polk has gone from 162 pounds to the low 170s, but he also trimmed his body fat and added a lot of muscle in the process.
"I know the game a lot more than when I first got here. Like, I couldn’t read coverages when I first got here," he said. "I didn’t know what that was, and now I can read coverages, I can get off the press. My hands have gotten a lot better, so just the time that I’ve been able to sit here and reflect on myself has actually gotten me a lot better as opposed to me just trying to go out there and go as fast as I can and see if I can make plays."
WHO IS STANDING OUT?
I've been asking around both during the Wednesday night practice availabilities and throughout this round of conference calls about who and what has stood out through 10 spring practices.
Penn State hasn't been outdoors thus far, something that likely could change with temperatures expected to hit 70 degrees Saturday afternoon. Of course, we know for sure they'll be outside the Saturday after that, April 21, for the Blue-White game.
Here's some of what I've gathered:
• The unanimous choice for a breakout player for next season is the speedy Hamler. He's been mentioned at least a half-dozen times by teammates and even Franklin. What has impressed them most?
“The deep ball in the middle. I’m pretty sure it was on Instagram,” Polk said of Hamler's highlight grab this spring. “That one was cover-2, and KJ had read it right and ran the sting, and basically Trace threw the ball and KJ went to go and get it. You got to see, kind of, some of the speed that KJ has across the field. That was one of the biggest plays of the spring.”
• The safeties have the most takeaways in the secondary, but cornerback Amani Oruwariye, who is slated to start opposite John Reid, still has the acrobatic skills to turn heads. Even if the pick was called back because of a flag, Oruwariye's example is helping set the tone in the secondary.
“I think everybody knows that Amani has some ball-hawking tendencies and has a knack for the ball, and on this particular play, there was a ball up in the air, and he really just turned into the wide receiver and adjusted his body and went up to go get it,” safety Nick Scott said. “That’s something that a lot of the young guys, myself included, can take from Amani is his mentality when that ball is in the air that it’s his, and he goes and gets it.”
• Hippenhammer, who is also on the Penn State baseball team, made a nice 27-yard reception during the scrimmage this past Saturday, center Connor McGovern said. Penn State always finds ways to work young receivers into the fold, so Hippenhammer will be worth watching during the Blue-White game as well.
• Michal Menet is indeed the likely candidate to take on the starting right guard spot. Keeping him healthy has been the biggest challenge during his collegiate career, but by the sounds of it, he's turned the corner this spring. Menet also is working on backing up McGovern.
"I feel like he's improved drastically since the end of the season even," McGovern said, adding that the offensive line should be a strength this season. "He's given the best he's had since he's been here, and I feel like he's got a great shot for that right guard spot and to be one of the leaders this year."
• The likely starting safeties are Scott and Garrett Taylor, but redshirt freshman Jonathan Sutherland should have a chance to make an impact at some point this season. Ayron Monroe has been limited due to injury this spring.
“I think most of you guys have probably heard coach Franklin call him an assassin, and that’s really pretty accurate about is approach to the game," Scott said of Sutherland. "Everything he does, he does 100 miles per hour. He’s continuing to learn, and he’s continuing to approach the process in the right way, and I know I keep saying that, but that really is a huge part of success to football, and he’s doing that as well. I think he’ll have a legitimate chance to contribute and play meaningful snaps this season."
• No, I haven't seen Juwan Johnson run any routes this spring. The media only sees about 10-15 minutes of practice per week and not always of the offense. But, I have seen Johnson on a scooter within the past week and with his foot in a boot. It's likely not much cause for concern though since it is April, but I'm just passing that along.
JUST FOR KICKS
Ideally, Blake Gillikin will continue to be the team's punter and also add kickoff duties to his plate this season.
That's certainly what it's looking like for the time being, but as the team struggles to land a field-goal kicker -- a problem that looks like it will be solved this summer when scholarship specialist Jake Pinegar arrives, as do walk-on kickers -- Gillikin will still look to hold onto a third role.
With Billy Fessler and Daniel Pasquariello graduated, Gillikin is also the team's top holder. He's also the backup field-goal kicker to Carson Landis for the time being, but look for Gillikin to handle punts, kickoffs and holds next season.
I asked Gillikin if he's spoken with Pinegar at all about the opportunity the freshman has in front of him. Gillikin said he has, but what advice would he give the freshman who arrives in late June?
"The biggest piece of advice I would give is to prepare mentally for it," Gillikin said. "I've seen what he can do, and I think physically he has the tools to play right away, but a big part of that especially at the specialist position is about whether you can handle it mentally. ... Obviously, not much can prepare you for playing in front of 110,000 people and on ESPN."