Penn State’s receiving picture changed fast after the offseason churn, and Amarion Jackson has already pushed his way into the conversation.
ESPN’s look at the Nittany Lions pointed out just how much production walked out the door. Through the NFL draft and the portal, Penn State lost its top five leading receivers from last season.
The leading returner in receiving yards is tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who totaled 180 yards on the season. Penn State added help through the portal and from the high school ranks, but Jackson may have carved out the most intriguing path of all.
He arrived as an early enrollee and was not expected to work at receiver, since he came in as a safety. Injuries changed that plan, and he shifted to receiver instead. That move quickly earned notice from Campbell, who said he didn't 'know if there was a true freshman that's had a better spring than he has.'
Jackson also followed Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State after flipping his pledge, and the fit looks promising no matter where he lines up this fall. ESPN described him as a smooth vertical route runner who covers ground quickly as a long strider, while also noting that he brings natural hands and a dependable target for the quarterback.
For USC, that makes Jackson one of the names to watch in a Penn State offense the Trojans should be able to contain. USC’s defense still has plenty to prove this season, with Indiana and Oregon mentioned as the kind of tests that could expose it. But if the Trojans want to keep Penn State from seizing control of that matchup, keeping Amarion Jackson in check - figuratively, not literally -- that would be pass interference - is part of the formula.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Made One USC Staff Decision Fans Should Love
USCs defensive overhaul under Lincoln Riley came with the kind of staff reshuffling that usually sends fans scanning for both stability and upside, and this one delivered a little of each. The Trojans brought in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator and added assistants Paul Gonzales and Sam Carter, while also hiring Mike Ekeler to coach linebackers and oversee special teams. In the middle of that turnover, Riley also elevated Chad Savage from inside receivers and tight ends coach to pass game coordinator, a move that reflects how much USC values the work he has done on the trail and in developing players.
Savages rise fits the larger theme of the offseason: USC is trying to strengthen the defense without losing the staff members who have helped build relationships and keep the roster moving forward. Trovon Reed, the cornerbacks coach, was also retained, a sign the Trojans did not want to lose the recruiting momentum and player trust he has built. With Patterson setting the tone on one side of the ball and familiar lieutenants staying in place around him, Riley is trying to strike the balance between a fresh start and continuity, and that is exactly the kind of staff construction fans usually want to see. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces Another Massive Receiver Battle Fans Know Too Well
USC is back in familiar territory with four-star wide receiver Dennis Tuaone, another highly regarded pass catcher weighing the Trojans against Miami in a recruitment that has plenty of moving parts. The hometown Hurricanes have been a major presence from the start, but USC has stayed in the mix after offering him in March and bringing him in for his first unofficial visit in June, giving the Trojans a real chance to sell their own pitch.
For Tuaone, this decision is shaping up around the kind of things elite receivers tend to remember: coaching relationships, the feel of a program, and how each staff fits him long term. Miami has been making a strong case with its ties close to home, while USC is trying to stand its ground in a battle that has already seen the Hurricanes track another former Trojans target. [Read more 🡒]