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Penn State

Penn State running back Caziah Holmes leaves Lions’ roster

Mug-Shot 4x4by: Ryan Snyder08/13/22RyanSnyderOn3
caziah-holmes-penn-state-football
The Nittany Lions lost another player to the transfer portal in running back Caziah Holmes. (Photo Credit: BWI/Steve Manuel)

Caziah Holmes is no longer on the Penn State football roster.

Listed at 5-foot-11, 211 pounds, Holmes appeared in nine games for the Nittany Lions as a true freshman. Following multiple injuries to both Noah Cain and Devyn Ford, he was forced into action last season, totaling 254 yards rushing on 56 carries. His best performance at Penn State came in the 2020 season-finale against Illinois, when Holmes rushed for 77 yards on just 12 carries, while adding 19 yards receiving. He also had two rushing touchdowns in that game.

However, with both Cain and Ford available for most of the 2021 season, as well as the continued progression from Keyvone Lee, Holmes redshirted this past season. He played late in the games against Ball State, Villanova and Rutgers. He totaled just five carries this past season for 27 yards.

A four-star prospect according to the On3 Consensus, Holmes was a member of the Class of 2020. He grew up in Titusville, Fla. and played at Cocoa High School.

It‘s not clear if Holmes is now in the transfer portal. Penn State lost safeties Tyler Rudolph and Enzo Jennings, as well as offensive lineman Des Holmes, in the portal this past offseason.

Penn State Portal Pain Rating: 2

I marked this a little higher than Jennings and Rudolph, just because we did see Holmes contribute. He certainly had his moments in 2020, too. Holmes looked pretty good against the Illini in the season-finale last season. Yes, it was against an Illinois team that had no interest, but he still managed a 75.1 grade on PFF. For the record, out of all of Penn State’s running backs this season, that mark was only surpassed three times.

Holmes brings speed and good vision and should be able to land on his feet at solid program moving forward. I’m not sure if it’ll be at a school with Penn State’s stature, but there’s no reason to think he can’t have a good college career at the Group of Five level.

It should also be noted that it was inevitable that one of these running backs ends up leaving. When you add in the nation’s No. 1 running back, Nick Singleton, plus another On300 Consensus back in Kaytron Allen, both of whom have shined during preseason camp, we expected to see some attrition at this position, although not at this point in time.

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