Penn State has made six additions to its roster for the spring semester, including three players who were five-star recruits coming out of high school. Let’s break down how the six new Nittany Lions can impact the program.
WR JULIAN FLEMING Fleming might only have one year of eligibility remaining, but he may have the biggest impact of any portal addition in 2024. The former Ohio State wide receiver was a five-star recruit when he was at high school in Pennsylvania and, while he didn’t live up to that billing as a Buckeye, still has a chance to be a true No. 1 option.
He is a very good, but not great, route runner who can create separation on his own, something Penn State struggled mightily with in 2023. He’s a strong, physical receiver who will compete in contested catch situations downfield, making him more of a downfield threat despite his lack of elite speed. His strong hands should make him a reliable option and all of that combined makes him the clear top receiver on the Penn State roster.
That doesn’t even account for some of the things he brings that the Nittany Lions desperately need — leadership and run blocking ability. The latter may not seem like a big deal, but the position lacked it last year and having it from the leader of the group sets the example for the rest of the receivers to follow. Fleming has a legitimate chance to finish with over 1,000 receiving yards in 2024 and set the tone for a position that lacked a positive identity.
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James Franklin, the head coach of Penn State football, made a snap decision to bring on Justin Lustig, the assistant head coach at Vanderbilt, as his new special teams coordinator. Stacy Collins, who spent two seasons with the Nittany Lions before returning to Boise State, is replaced by the veteran special teams coach.
Two days after Boise State revealed Collins’ departure, Penn State made the hiring announcement on Wednesday. Like Collins did at Penn State, Lustig will also teach nickelbacks and outside linebackers.
Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Lustig has been a college special teams coach since 2006. He served as associate head coach at Vanderbilt for two of the previous three seasons. In 2018, he was nominated with Syracuse for the Broyles Award, which is presented to the best assistant coach in the country. As a special teams coordinator, Lustig has worked at Eastern Illinois, Louisiana Lafeyette, and Ball State, among other places. Lustig has previously held head coaching positions; in 2016, he led Division II Edinboro to a 9-2 record.
