As Jared already pointed out, there’s a lot to like about Penn State’s special teams unit heading into 2025. Still, I’ll try my best to be Debbie Downer here and find some reasons for concern about Justin Lustig’s group.
Long Field Goals
While Ryan Barker was perfect (!) inside of 40 yards last season, the longest kick he made was from 49 yards out. The longest attempt he had in 2024 was a 53-yard try against Maryland, which was blocked. It’s certainly not the expectation that college kickers consistently make 50-yard-plus field goals, but Barker’s inexperience from that far out is a slight cause for concern. You never know when an important game will come down to a long kick, and this…
