Six Outback Bowl breakout candidates
A number of new names could come to the forefront for Penn State against Arkansas.
Penn State's showdown with Arkansas in the Outback Bowl is less than a week away, and with a number opt-outs and a few injuries, the Nittany Lions will look much different than they did in the regular season.
With that said, here are six Penn State players who could well be set for breakout performances against the Razorbacks.
WIDE RECEIVER MALICK MEIGA
If you follow the Penn State Football program closely, you know that the coaching staff is incredibly high on Montreal, Canada native Malick Meiga. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound freshman wide receiver got his first taste of action this season, and while he recorded just three receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown, his size and speed show just why he's earned so much praise among coaches and teammates.
With star wideout Jahan Dotson expected to officially opt out of the bowl, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see Meiga start in his place. If that's the case, expect him to be make an impact against an Arkansas defense that up and down at times through the year.
Listed at 6-foot-6, 313 pounds by Penn Stater, Olu Fashanu is an absolute mountain of a man. But it's his quick feet, flexible hips and good hand fighting that has earned him praise from the Nittany Lions' coaching staff.
Fashanu has yet to feature this year for Penn State, but with starting left tackle Rasheed Walker sidelined with injury, it sounds as if he'll be the one getting the start at left tackle against the Hogs. Fashanu's upside is sky high given his physical traits, but he's being thrown into a pretty warm fire in this one. If he can handle Arkansas and keep Sean Clifford clean, expect the hype train to take off over the offseason.
TIGHT END THEO JOHNSON
Penn State's tight end room left a bit to be desired this season, at least compared to recent seasons that saw the likes of Mike Gesicki and Pat Freiermuth light up the stat sheet.. In the regular season, both Johnson and Brenton Strange caught 19 passes, but neither broke out the way fans and coaches had hoped.
That could change in the Outback Bowl, with Johnson the most likely candidate. The former four-star Rivals 250 prospect came to Happy Valley expected to be the next in line of strong tight end play. Through his first two seasons on campus, however, he's notched just 23 receptions for 269 yards and one touchdown. Like Meiga, he may well stand to be one of the beneficiaries of Dotson's absence as Penn State looks to fill in that lost production in the passing game.
DEFENSIVE END ZURIAH FISHER
Fisher, an Aliquippa product, arrived on campus as a linebacker in 2020 and immediately flashed that summer, showing impressive speed to the ball and impressive ball skills for his size. Since then, he's added 25 pounds and made the move to put his hand in the dirt as a defensive end.
In 2021, he's appeared in a limited role, backing up Arnold Ebiketie, Nick Tarburton and Jesse Luketa. With Ebiketie rumored to skip the bowl game and Luketa being called upon to fill more snaps at linebacker with Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks opting out, the door is wide open for Fisher to get plenty of snaps against Arkansas. During a recent press conference, starting right tackle Caedan Wallace suggested Fisher was his player to watch this offseason. Fans may just get an early taste of that in the Outback Bowl.
CORNERBACK DAEQUAN HARDY
This answer may being cheating a bit, as Hardy had a very strong season 2021 season. But the redshirt sophomore could very well rise to the forefront in the bowl game. This season, Hardy graded out as the Nittany Lions' third-best defensive back in coverage according to Pro Football Focus, with a coverage rating of 74.4 over a total of 225 snaps in coverage. That rating trailed only star safety Jaquan Brisker (89.5) and linebacker Brandon Smith (80.0).
The Pittsburgh native was targeted 35 times and allowed just 18 completions for 174 yards. He also notched two interceptions and six pass breakups while allowing zero touchdowns. There's no doubt that Hardy was quietly one of the Nittany Lions' top cornerbacks this season, even while flying under the radar.
SAFETY JAYLEN REED
Reed has been among the top true freshman for the Nittany Lions in 2021, breaking through to find playing time in an already crowded safety room. Now, with Brisker officially opting out, Reed is the favorite to start across from Ji'Ayir Brown in the defensive backfield after already appearing in seven regular season contests.
Early in the season, Reed's playing time was limited almost exclusively to special teams. But as the year progressed, he worked his way further and further into the safety rotation and really flashed in late-season action. The Michigan native has solid cover skills, but it is most impressive when stepping into the box and playing the run. A good showing against the Hogs could go a long way toward winning the starting spot opposite Brown in 2022.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Talk about it inside The Wrestling Room Board