KeAndre Lambert-Smith has no regrets after transferring from Penn State

It’s been 11 months since KeAndre Lambert-Smith left the Penn State football program. Both parties experienced success on the field in 2024 after going their separate ways, with Lambert-Smith having a breakout season at Auburn and the Nittany Lions coming one win short of a national title appearance.

Now as he prepares to take the next step to the NFL, the former Nittany Lions wide receiver says he has no regrets about leaving Happy Valley.

“Not everything is meant to last forever; sometimes, good things come to an end,” Lambert-Smith told reporters at the NFL Combine on Friday. “I spent four years there and graduated, which is the main goal. [I] just decided to look for a new option for my fifth year. I just wanted to reach that level of who I knew I was.

Lambert-Smith hit his stride after arriving on the Plains, ending his final college season with 50 receptions for 981 yards and eight touchdowns last fall. But as the 5-7 Tigers sat at home this winter, Lambert-Smith watched his former teammates make a run to the College Football Playoff Semifinal.

© Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

Despite some critical words in the months following his decision to enter the transfer portal, Lambert-Smith was happy to see Penn State football competing for a national championship.

“Going into it, you can’t live with regret. That’s one thing me and my coach talked about,” he said. “If you made the decision to stay or leave, you got to live with however it plays out.

“So if they [Penn State] won the natty, like I said, I’m cheering for the guys. I was texting them; I was rooting for them to win the natty. Like, I still had best friends on that team. So, there’s no regrets, nothing like that. I made my decision, and I’m living with it.”

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.