WR Malik McClain impressed during his Penn State debut

The transfer portal gave the Penn State football team a boost at wide receiver. On Saturday night, we saw Flordia State transfer Malik McClain be a difference-maker for the Nittany Lions. Many assumed that Dante Cephas would be an instant impact player. He will play a big role, but it might take him a few weeks to adjust. Malik McClain has been fortunate as he was with the team during Spring Ball 2023. Those extra months of practice and chemistry with Drew Allar proved to be rather important against West Virginia.

WR Malik McClain impressed during his Penn State debut

The wide receiver room in general was one of the biggest question marks for the Penn State football team in 2023. During the game Saturday night, Drew Allar spread the ball around connecting with nine different receivers. It’s clear that Allar is most comfortable with KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace III. But beyond those two players, it was Malik McClain and Liam Clifford who looked very comfortable on the field.

McClain did not start at wide receiver, but once he saw his first few snaps he continued to rotate in. He ended the night with 4 catches for 58 yards and 1 touchdown. His most impressive play of the night was his run after the catch on this touchdown.

TOUCHDOWN 🦁

📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/tbe6gjZ20t

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 3, 2023

James Franklin challenged the wide receiver room and said that no one was “separating from the pack.” It’s safe to say that McClain could be an emerging star within this offense.

James Franklin comments on the WR room after the West Virginia game

After the game, James Franklin spoke with the media and praised those players that stood out to him.

Franklin said, “…Like we said, we feel like KeAndre [Lambert-Smith] and Trey [Wallace], you look at it one has 7 catches and one has 4 catches. One for 72 yards and one for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Feel like we got those two guys that have kind of established themselves. And then we got a group. We saw [Malik] McClain do some good things tonight, we saw Liam Clifford do some good things tonight. I think we have other guys that can as well.”

If it’s a wide receiver by committee throughout the year, that appears to work. It’s a testament to how much time Drew Allar spent with this room this summer to develop such chemistry.

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