Former Penn State football RB announces transfer to SEC power

Former Penn State football running back DK Kency is returning home and transferring to LSU. Announced on Friday, the ex-Nittany Lions walk-on entered the transfer portal this spring after his true freshman season.

“From Happy Valley to Death Valley,” Kency wrote Friday afternoon on X. “Back in the Boot!”

DK Kency did not see the field for Penn State in 2023. In April’s Blue-White Game, he carried the ball one time for 8 yards.

Kency was one of five former Nittany Lions to enter the transfer portal on May 2, part of the eight total players who entered during the spring window.

With Kency’s commitment to LSU, all of Penn State’s transfer portal departures have committed elsewhere. The exception is Golden Israel-Achumba, who announced his retirement from football in June.

A three-star in On3’s class of 2023 rankings, DK Kency rushed for 1,147 yards and 14 touchdowns during his senior season at Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero, Louisana.

Penn State football to host local media day Saturday

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

As for the current Nittany Lions program, Penn State football will host its annual local media day on Saturday afternoon. We’ll hear from James Franklin, Andy Kotelnicki, Tom Allen, and the Nittany Lions assistant coaches and players for the first time since fall camp started on Wednesday.

The most significant headline from the start of camp has been the interim suspension of sophomore defensive end Jameial Lyons and redshirt freshman linebacker Kaveion Keys. We’re unlikely to learn any additional information on Saturday beyond what has already been reported.

However, we will be able to get the staff’s initial impressions on the newest members of the Penn State football program now that they have multiple practices under their belts.

At Big Ten Media Days last week, Franklin discussed the early buzz in the locker room surrounding freshman wide receivers Peter Gonzalez and Tyseer Denmark.

“Yeah, as you guys know, I think we’ll have another local opportunity once we get into camp; it’s probably better for me to speak at that point,” Franklin said. “All the information I have now is just based on what the quarterbacks have said and what the strength staff has said and the little that I’ve been able to see. But it’s hard at this point.

“I do know Peter came in and tested really well. He’s one of our bigger wide receivers. He jumped really well. He ran really well. He’s like 205 pounds right now. He’s he’s a big physical athlete.

“And then I would say with Tyseer, there’s just been a real buzz about his demeanor and his approach and how competitive and how confident he is. There’s a buzz in the program about him when you talk to guys. But you’ll get to see a little bit of that when you guys come out to practice, and I’ll be able to talk more informed once I’ve seen it. I just haven’t seen enough of it to speak intelligently about it with you guys.”

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