Penn State receiver Dante Cephas runs after a catch against Maryland. Photo by Paul Burdick | For StateCollege.com
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Penn State couldn’t have had a confidence-building game from receiver Dante Cephas come at a better time as the Nittany Lions prepare for a season-defining clash with Michigan next weekend.
Cephas, a Kent State transfer, hauled in six passes for 53-yards and two touchdowns as the Nittany Lions rolled past Maryland 51-15 during their final dress rehearsal ahead of a clash with the Wolverines at Beaver Stadium. The performance marked one of the few times this season that Penn State has managed quality production from multiple wide receivers in the same game, something that has only been exacerbated by injuries which have sidelined Harrison Wallace, the Nittany Lions de facto No. 2 receiver heading into the year.
“When there’s one guy that people are concerned about, a lot of defenses can figure out a way to make that challenging,” Penn State coach James Franklin said after the game. “But now there’s multiple guys — the tight ends, multiple receivers that are making plays. It’s a real positive.”
Cephas was impressive on Saturday, grabbing two well thrown and skillfully caught boundary end zone receptions. The first put Penn State up 7-0 and the second was an emphatic fourth quarter grab to make it 31-7. For a player who entered the transfer portal as one of the more sought after receiving prospects, it was more than a long time coming for Cephas to finally get on the board.
“I actually knew I didn’t have a lot of real estate in the end zone left,” Cephas said of his first touchdown, “so I was trying to hold my line and then just work the catch, and the ball was a great ball by Drew. … There was definitely some relief. You always got in the back of your mind like, ‘When’s it gonna happen? When’s it gonna come?’ ”
And it did on Saturday.
Heading into the Michigan game, it seems likely that…
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