KeAndre Lambert-Smith has almost certainly played his last game at Penn State, as he’s entered the transfer portal.
But he might end up playing against Penn State Week 1.
Per a report by On3Sports, Lambert-Smith, who announced his intention to enter the portal early Monday afternoon, has heard from schools such as Auburn, Colorado, Georgia, Texas A&M and West Virginia.
NEWS: Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Colorado and West Virginia have been in contact with Penn State transfer WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, @PeteNakos_ reports👀
Lambert-Smith is the top available receiver in the portal. https://t.co/tA2FTzX0RB pic.twitter.com/vIGn3u6gs9
— On3 (@On3sports) April 16, 2024
The last of those five schools should be particularly intriguing to Penn State fans. West Virginia is Penn State’s first opponent of the 2024 season, as it was in 2023. That night, Lambert-Smith played what’s arguably been the best game of his college career thus far. He only caught four passes but picked up 124 yards. The first pass he caught— a 72-yard touchdown from QB Drew Allar on the fourth play of the game— is one of Lambert-Smith’s signature moments.
Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for KLS in 2023.
Despite some flashes— such as his game-winning 57-yard touchdown against Indiana— Lambert-Smith never again eclipsed 100 yards in a game. In fact, he didn’t total 100 yards through the last four games of the season, collectively catching two passes for 28 yards.
Days after Penn State’s season ended with a Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss, it got a commitment from Julian Fleming— who spent four seasons at Ohio State— out of the transfer portal.
Immediately, Penn State fans and media figured Fleming would be the team’s new No. 1 receiver.
That proved to be accurate during Penn State’s spring season.
Whether Lambert-Smith will be on the other side of Penn State’s season opener remains to be seen but what we already know is that Penn State needs to win that game to set a positive tone for 2024.
