With the NCAA football transfer portal officially opening tonight at midnight, there’s one thing that’s certain and that is that Penn State will be looking for help at wide receiver.
Last week it was speculated and today, multiple national outlets are reporting that Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.
During his four seasons at Penn State, Lambert-Smith posted 126 career receptions, including a team-high 53 last season. In 2023, he caught 53 passes for 673 yards and four touchdowns.
This is surprising news to some considering recently, coach James Franklin had this to say about Lambert-Smith.
“I think (Lambert-Smith) had a good spring; he’s shown some real flashes this spring, and I’m seeing them on a more consistent basis. We need him to have a big year and expect him to have a big year, and I’m seeing more consistency in the special plays and production.”
Lambert-Smith has turned in some tremendous individual performances over the past couple of seasons:
-2023 vs. West Virginia: 123 yards and 2 touchdowns.
-Rose Bowl vs. Utah: 3 catches for 124 yards.
-2023 game-winning 57-yard TD vs. Indiana with 1:46 left in game.
Following the spring game at his postgame press conference, Franklin stated that he did not have a lot to say regarding a question posed about Lambert-Smith and would rather discuss the guys who played in the game.
This is no doubt a big loss for new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterback Drew Allar, who many are expecting to have a breakout season.
If the season were to start today, Penn State’s top pass catchers would be tight end Tyler Warren, Harrison Wallace III and recent transfer addition Julian Fleming.More must-reads: