{"id":182465,"date":"2023-01-10T09:41:32","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T09:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/penn-state-officially-adds-two-specialists-through-ncaa-transfer-portal\/"},"modified":"2023-01-10T09:41:32","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T09:41:32","slug":"penn-state-officially-adds-two-specialists-through-ncaa-transfer-portal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/penn-state-officially-adds-two-specialists-through-ncaa-transfer-portal\/","title":{"rendered":"Penn State officially adds two specialists through NCAA Transfer Portal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Penn State Coach James Franklin<\/b> has placed a significant emphasis on the Nittany Lions special teams units during his nine-year tenure, and it’s shown with the program’s work in the NCAA Transfer Portal.<\/p>\n

Penn State officially announced Monday the additions of kicker Alex Felkins<\/b> (Columbia) and punters Riley Thompson<\/b> (Florida Atlantic) to the roster. Felkins, a preferred walk-on, brings two years of eligibility to State College, while Thompson has one remaining.<\/span><\/p>\n

Penn State also announced the addition of defensive back Storm Duck<\/b>a North Carolina transfer, Monday evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

Felkins is the latest former Ivy League standout to transfer to Penn State, following in the footsteps of offensive linemen Eric Wilson<\/b> (Harvard) and Hunter Nourzad<\/b> (Cornell). Felkins previously earned All-Ivy League second-team honors in 2021 and All-Ivy League honorable mention in 2021. The Ivy League’s 2020 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Felkins made 36 of 54 field goal attempts (67%), and he recorded 91 touchbacks on 145 kickoffs in 30 career games. He connected on 11 of 16 field goal tries this fall and made 4 of 6 from 40-plus yards with a high of 53 yards.<\/span><\/p>\n

Felkins leaves Columbia as the program’s all-time leader in career points (183) for a placekicker. He is the only player in program history with multiple field goal conversions from 50-plus yards (three).<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to attending Columbia, Felkins played high school ball at Tulsa (Okla.) Holland Hall, where he was a MaxPreps Small School First Team All-American and made the 2019 All-American Bowl.<\/span><\/p>\n

The specifics of Penn State’s kicker situation in 2023 remains to be seen. kicker Jake Pinegar<\/b> completed his redshirt senior season, but he could return for a sixth season because of COVID-19. He hit 12 of his 16 field goal attempts (75%) this fall and made 52 of 54 field while taking over kickoff specialist goals duties during the season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sander Sahaydak<\/b> saw limited time in his redshirt freshman season and attempted just two field goals \u2014 making from 20 yards, missing from 56 yards \u2014 and saw time as a kickoff specialist early in the season. walk-on Mitchell Groh<\/b> finished his second season on the roster.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thompson, meanwhile, adds depth to the punting room, which will need to replace the departed Barney Amor<\/b>, who exhausted his eligibility. Thompson joined the FAU roster before preseason camp and shined as a top newcomer in his first year playing American football.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thompson ranked No. 15 nationally by averaging 45.4 yards per punt, and his 41.4 net yards per punt led all true freshmen. Thompson hit only three of his 61 attempts for touchbacks, while 14 of his punts were fair caught. He placed 26 inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and hit 15 at least 50 yards. He had a long of 71 yards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Thompson, who turned 23 on Monday, hails from Mentone, Australia. According to a December 2021 Defector story about Prokick Australia, which helps train punters and kickers to play American football, Thompson is a former Australian rules football player who was earning a degree at Deakin University, working at \u201chis parents’ butcher supply factory\u201d and playing in a semi-pro league.<\/span><\/p>\n

For his final year of eligibility, Thompson joins a room that features Alex Bacchetta<\/b>a scholarship addition in the Class of 2022 who retained his freshman eligibility this fall, and Gabe Nwosu<\/b>who completed his redshirt freshman season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Felkins and Thompson will work under the tutelage of special teams coordinator Stacy Collins<\/b>who is entering his second season in the job in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n