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Penn State winter workout winners: Who shined during the eight sets of drills?

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel03/05/23GregPickel
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Happy Valley United has partnered with Hidden Still Spirits. (Pickel/BWI)

Penn State football has finished a grueling seven week stretch of winter workouts. Eight days of conditioning inside Holuba Hall was one part of the work. The other was lifting inside of the Lasch Building.

After each conditioning session, which one player described as a “competitive environment,” the 10 on-field assistant coaches on James Franklin’s coaching staff picked their competitors of the day. While not an end-all, be-all in terms of who shined brightest so far this offseason, the choices offer a glimpse into who is taking a step forward this winter.

No Nittany Lion was recognized more than second-year quarterback Beau Pribula. He was picked after six of eight workouts by offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. Tight end Khalil Dinkins, cornerback Cam Miller, and safety KJ Winston are next on the list. Each was picked four times by Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle, cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter, respectively.

Multiple Penn State players were picked three times. That group includes Running back Nicholas Singleton, receiver Harrison “Tre” Wallace, offensive tackle Caedan Wallace, and linebackers Curtis Jacobs and Tony Rojas.

Numerous Nittany Lions, then, were two-time winners. Freshman tight end Joey Schlaffer, defensive end Adisa Isaac, defensive tackle Hakeem Beamon, safety Zakee Wheatley, punter Alex Bacchetta, longsnapper Tyler Duzansky, and kicker Sander Sahaydak can all claim that honor.

“Good seven weeks,” head strength coach Chuck Losey said Thursday. Good day. The guys, they’ve done a great job these seven weeks. They’ve started 2023 off the right way. Different team. You know, finding ourselves finding and establishing a lot of different things from last year’s team. But we’re off to a good start these seven weeks.”

Complete list of Penn State winter workout winners

Quarterback: Beau Pribula (Feb. 7), Beau Pribula (Feb. 9), Drew Allar (Feb. 14), Beau Pribula (Feb. 16), Beau Pribula (Feb. 22), Beau Pribula (Feb. 24), Jaxon Smolik (Feb. 28), Beau Pribula (March 3)

Running back: Nicholas Singleton (Feb. 7, Feb. 9) No pick (Feb. 14), Tyler Holzworth (Feb. 16), Tank Smith (Feb. 22),  Nicholas Singleton (Feb. 24), Nicholas Singleton (Feb. 28), No pick (March 3)

Wide receiver: Malik McClain (Feb. 7), Harrison “Tre” Wallace (Feb. 9), KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Feb. 14), Harrison “Tre” Wallace (Feb. 16), Kaden Saunders (Feb. 24), Tyler Johnson (Feb. 28), Harrison “Tre” Wallace (March 3)

Tight end: Khalil Dinkins (Feb. 7), Khalil Dinkins (Feb. 9), Khalil Dinkins (Feb. 14), Jerry Cross (Feb. 16), Khalil Dinkins (Feb. 22), Joey Schlaffer (Feb. 24), Joey Schlaffer (Feb. 28), No pick (March 3)

Offensive line: Caedan Wallace (Feb. 7), Drew Shelton (Feb. 9), Caedan Wallace (Feb. 14), Olu Fashanu (Feb. 16), Vega Ioane (Feb. 22), Anthony Donkoh (Feb. 24), Caedan Wallace (Feb. 28), Jven Williams (March 3)

Defensive line: Adisa Isaac (Feb. 7), Zuriah Fisher (Feb. 9), Amin Vanover (Feb. 14), Adisa Isaac (Feb. 16), Hakeem Beamon (Feb. 22), Dani Dennis-Sutton (Feb. 24), Hakeem Beamon (Feb. 28), Zuriah Fisher (March 3)

Linebacker: Tony Rojas (Feb. 7), Curtis Jacobs (Feb. 9), Curtis Jacobs (Feb. 14), Curtis Jacobs (Feb. 16), Tony Rojas (Feb. 24), No pick (Feb. 28), Tony Rojas (March 3)

Cornerback: Storm Duck (Feb. 7), Cam Miller (Feb. 9), Cam Miller (Feb. 14), Kolin Dinkins (Feb. 16), Cam Miller (Feb. 22), Kalen King (Feb. 24), Daequan Hardy (Feb. 28), Cam Miller (March 3)

Safety: No pick (Feb. 7), KJ Winston (Feb. 9), KJ Winston (Feb. 14), Zakee Wheatley (Feb. 16), Zakee Wheatley (Feb. 22), KJ Winston (Feb. 24), No pick (Feb. 28), KJ Winston (March 3)

Specialist: Kicker Sander Sahaydak (Feb. 7), Punter Alex Bacchetta (Feb. 9), Kicker Mitchell Groh (Feb. 14), Punter Alex Bacchetta (Feb. 16), Longsnapper Tyler Duzansky (Feb. 22), Kicker Sander Sahaydak (Feb. 24), Longsnapper Tyler Duzansky (Feb. 28), Will Patton (March 3)

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