When Jonathan Holland looks above his name on the depth chart, he finds a preseason All-American, and a choice to be made.

Playing behind someone as talented and productive as Mike Gesicki, who is coming off of what is arguably the best season by a tight end in Penn State history, would be enough for most to grow complacent and resigned.

As has become the norm for many Nittany Lions who find themselves blocked out of starting roles at their position, though, Holland is spending his time learning everything he can from Gesicki.

“Just being behind Mike, he has definitely earned all the accolades that he’s getting and he’s definitely earned all the respect that he’s gotten from the media outlets and everybody in college football,” Holland said. “But I think that just being behind him, I was able to pick up a lot of new things and learn a lot of stuff from him, which has helped my game a lot.”

This, according to head coach James Franklin, is a positive development.

Asked Wednesday evening following the Nittany Lions' practice session at the Lasch complex how Holland has changed, Franklin detailed a maturation that has allowed the young tight end to change his perspective on the position.

"He's just matured so much off the field," said Franklin. "He’s like a lot of these young guys, especially at the tight end position. They want to come in and they want to catch footballs and not necessarily do the dirty work and all the things off the field that allows you to be successful.

"The light really has kind of gone on through the last year in spring ball and now this fall. He kind of gets it. He’s being great with his nutrition. He’s being great in the weight room. He had a great off-season. He’s big and strong and durable enough now to get in there and mix it up in the run game. Then I think we’ve all seen he’s an athletic guy in terms of the passing game, being able to make plays down the field and things like that. I’ve been really pleased with him. He’s an example of a number of guys that I think are starting to figure out what they’ll have to do to be successful. He’s always been talented enough, but now he’s figuring all the things he really needs to do off the field and away from Saturdays that is going to allow him to truly be successful the way he wants to be."

Specifically, Holland has paid close attention Gesicki’s remarkable ability to make plays downfield. Gesicki averaged over 14 yards per reception a year ago, and Holland hopes to replicate his explosiveness in the passing game. Given the opportunity, Holland said he feels like he could replicate some of the same attributes.

“I feel like Mike and I are similar in some ways,” Holland said. “I think a lot of the things that I’ve picked up from my game are really from watching Mike and the way he’s able to run downfield and kind of make good moves on the safeties to get open and the way he tracks the ball in the air.”

Holland didn’t record a catch in his redshirt freshman season, contributing primarily on Penn State’s special teams units.

He did, however, show a flash of his offensive capability during the Blue-White Game, catching eight passes for 62 yards.

For Holland, just playing on the offensive side of the ball still requires some adjustment. The Brandywine, Md., product shifted from defensive end to tight end during his senior year of high school.

“It was a really bad year because I really just got my feet wet in the position, so coming in here I had to learn a lot of things, really just get familiarized with the tight end position overall and at the collegian level,” Holland said.

During his first two years on campus, Holland concentrated primarily on familiarizing himself with Penn State’s offensive scheme, as well as the technical intricacies associated with playing the position.

Now armed with a greater understanding of Joe Moorhead’s offense as well as the various tactics defenses will use to stop it, Holland feels poised to succeed.

“Once I was more familiarized with our offense and how we try to exploit the defense, then everything just kind of started clicking more,” he said. “Then just really working hard and trying to go out there every day and compete with the rest of the talented tight ends we do have, it brought the best out of me.”

Of course, with Gesicki still around, Holland may not get an opportunity to display his progression on Saturdays.

But, should Holland get the chance, he’s sure to be prepared.

“I’m just happy that [Gesicki] can come back for another year and continue and pick up where he left off last year, and I’m just going to be ready when my name is called to go out there and show what I can do also.”