Thompkins, Lions finding fun in preseason grind

As Penn State continues to grind through its 2017 preseason practice, at least one Nittany Lion has witnessed a distinct difference between this year and last.

Obviously, the second year of being in the offense has been different. And the entire offense has been able to play a little bit faster as a result, having to spend fewer precious moments thinking and instead reacting instinctively.

But namely for redshirt junior wideout DeAndre Thompkins, an unabashedly lighthearted personality on a team full of them, this preseason has simply been more fun.

“I think this offseason, as a team, we're just trying to have more fun,” said Thompkins. “Less going out there and having to grind through practice and just having to get through all these periods and team, blah blah blah. Just go out there and have fun.”

Acknowledging that preseason camp has a tendency to always feel like a grind physically, mentally and emotionally, Thompkins added that those stressors are alleviated when a fun atmosphere can accompany them.

And for a group that has heightened aspirations in the wake of last season’s remarkable Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl run, that this year’s preseason has been simultaneously intensely focused on daily improvement and practical enjoyment has been important, said Thompkins.

“The competition level gets a little bit higher, but when you're laughing, the pain goes away. So we're out there, just enjoying the time that we have with each other and the opportunities that we're blessed to have here, enjoying the time that we have out there,” said Thompkins. “Have fun, because if you go out and stress about it, it's going to be a long, drawn out process, and it can get long. But personally, I feel like being with the team for so long, I feel like we're just having fun. It's more of going out there, just doing your job, doing what's asked of you every play, but inside of that, just having fun and enjoying it.”

Coming off a second season in which he saw action in 13 games, starting seven, Thompkins is looking to personally improve on his 27 catches for 440 yards and one touchdown.

Given the absence of last year’s leading receiver, Chris Godwin and his 59 catches for 982 yards and 11 touchdowns, those improvements are likely to be made collectively by a group that returns veterans in DaeSean Hamilton and Saeed Blacknall, tight end Mike Gesicki, plus Thompkins, Juwan Johnson, Irvin Charles, Brandon Polk, and a handful of talented freshmen.

According to Thompkins, as a result, the Nittany Lions have embraced the reality of varying opportunities at varying times for this year’s group.

“We're stepping up as a group to fill in where it needs to be filled in,” said Thompkins. “We're never going to put pressure on one guy to do everything, and we never did that for Chris. We always had guys to step in when it was asked and their number was called.

“Our competition level is always high as a group. We never settle for losing, period. So our competition is always high and that's one thing in our receiver group that we value very highly. Whenever we're in a competition, one-on-one, Lions Den, Lions Pride, anything that has to do with you having to beat another man, we take that very seriously but we also have fun with it as well.”

Riding that confidence through the preseason and into the year, the campaign beginning Sept. 2 when the Nittany Lions host Akron, Thompkins is bullish on his predictions for his position group.

A major contributor to the Nittany Lions rising to No. 36 in the country for passing offense last season at 260.7 yards per game, up from 74th and 214.5 ypg the year prior, plenty of room continues to exist for the group to grow further.

“I feel like everybody is ready to breakout,” said Thompkins. “Our whole receiving corps is just electric. We have guys that can step in, do their job.”

And that, he continued, might be the most fun aspect of all.

“It's fun. It's fun in the sense that I can watch these guys do their job. It's not just sitting back and hoping something happens,” said Thompkins. “Once DaeSean lines up, he's going to make this play. Everybody watch. Or, Juwan is going to make this play. Everybody watch. So it's just excitement every moment because you know the guys that are in there worked hard to get in that position and they can make the play, time-in and time-out.”