STATE COLLEGE– Penn State’s Senior Day was going to be different from most years regardless. Thanks to COVID-19 and pandemic-era athletes having the option of staying another year in college if they want to, it’s not certain that everybody who was honored at Beaver Stadium Saturday afternoon has played their last home game.
Jordan Stout is one of those seniors on the fence. Stout said he isn’t certain whether or not he’ll come back to State College for what would be a sixth-year of eligibility in 2022. If it turns out that Stout has indeed played his last home game and is down to his last month as a Penn State player, he still will have made his mark.
Stout was arguably Penn State’s Most Valuable Player in the first half of Saturday’s 28-0 win over Rutgers. He punted six times for 213 total yards, and each of his first three punts pinned Rutgers within its 10-yard line.
The Virginia Tech transfer had established himself as one of college football’s best punters, and unsurprisingly is a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation’s best at the position.
“Of course its in the back of my head, it’s hard not to be. But I’m just trying to go out each day and do the best I can.”
Senior day was also unique for Penn State for a rather unfortunate reason; 35 players were sick.
21 couldn’t play due to a flu-bug going around campus, and 14 were able to play while ill.
Penn State’s two most prominent offensive players– Quarterback Sean Clifford and receiver Jahan Dotson– were among those affected by sickness. Clifford’s status was up in the air until close to game time, and although he ended up starting at quarterback, he wasn’t himself and went 2-8 passing for 23 yards.
Dotson wasn’t sure if he would play until Friday night, but once the decision came, it quickly went final.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“It wasn’t a tough decision,” Dotson said. “Last time in Beaver Stadium was big for me and big for this team. To be out here with these guys, this decision wasn’t tough for me at all.”
Dotson finished the day with three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. All three catches were from the arm of backup QB Christin Veilleux.
Also hear from senior’s Derrick Tangelo and Jonathan Sutherland below.
