What is the Penn State plan for Trey Potts ahead of preseason camp?
Penn State welcomed Pennsylvania native and former Minnesota running back Trey Potts onto its roster this spring. The one-time Williamsport standout is looking to contribute to a Big Ten title caliber team in what could be his final college season. It has to be one of the biggest reasons he decided to transfer to the Nittany Lions.
For head coach James Franklin’s program, then, the reasons for taking Potts are clear. He provides a veteran presence in a very talented but young position room for running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider. And, he has experience in conference play, which is never a bad thing, especially when success has come from it. Potts rushed for 1,195 yards and 11 touchdowns over four seasons with the Golden Gophers.
Speaking earlier this month at a media day inside the Lasch Building, Seider was cautious to not put enormous expectations on Potts. But, the program has a plan for him ahead of preseason camp that it hopes will help him contribute come the fall.
“We changed his body,” Seider said. “He was a little probably too heavy, but that’s how [Minnesota] wanted him in that system. Here, we want him to be a little bit light, because we’re playing more with zone scheme, with multiplicity in the offense, where it was more down hill [at Minnesota]. They’re going to mash you, and play in tight holes and bounce when you need to. I know that offensive look with having Kirk [Ciarrocca] here.”
Penn State is confident Potts has the tools, and can make the necessary physique changes, to play well in Mike Yurcich’s system. But, plenty of work remains.
What can Potts do at Penn State?
That remains to be seen, of course. But, he can run between the tackle, is a fine pass protector, and has kickoff return experience. All are major compliments to his other teammates in the running backs room. But, it’s hard to pinpoint all he can do in blue and white until he’s actually in those colors on the practice, and eventually, the game field with pads underneath his new uniform while a high-level defense tries to outperform him and the Penn State offense.
“I never really want to speak on a kid, what they can do or can’t do, until we really get out there and do some functional practice and see how they move, see how he plays within the system,” Seider said. “Like, I can see him moving now, and he’s done some good things [in summer workouts], but everybody looks good in shorts. I expect him to look like what we think he’s going to look, but until I truly coach him in our system, to see how he functions and how he meshes with our guys, it’s hard for me to get a true evaluation.
“But, you always give him the benefit because he played in the Big Ten. Even though it’s a different system. He was a physical guy.”
Potts and his new teammates will start preseason camp later this summer.
