Newcomer Cephas easing into big role for PSU
Aug. 7—STATE COLLEGE — A dominant receiver in the WPIAL at Penn Hills High School, he played in the Big 33 Game. Earned first-team, all-state honors. Piled up 144 yards and scored two touchdowns in the PIAA Class 5A championship game in 2018.
Two of his teammates — cornerback Daequan Hardy and running back Tank Smith — went on to live his high school dream of getting offers to play in Happy Valley.
The fact that Penn State never called him sat with Dante Cephas for years, drove him to prove his doubters wrong for what turned into four strong seasons at Kent State. Now, he isn't trying to prove the Nittany Lions wrong.
He'd rather prove them right.
The centerpiece of Penn State's strong offseason transfer portal haul, Cephas began preseason camp last week competing for the role many figured head coach James Franklin and his staff lured him to Beaver Stadium to win: The speedy and accomplished starter who can bring some polish to an otherwise talented-but-inexperienced group.
Winning that role, though, might not come as easily as those outside the program might think.
"I love the competition we have in the room and with the whole team in general," Cephas said Sunday during Penn State's annual Media Day at Beaver Stadium. "But it's really just keep your head down and keep working."
The résumé Cephas compiled with the Golden Flashes made him one of the top receivers available in the portal, and Penn State had to wrest him away from the likes of Georgia, Notre Dame, Pitt and Miami. But Cephas learned quickly that playing in the Big Ten is a bit different than the MAC.
The 6-foot, 185-pounder learned he had to get stronger. He found out that competition in practice is better, against a better quality of defender. The reps he won consistently at Kent State, were more difficult to find against Penn State's first teamers.
While he came to Penn State to be the veteran presence, it became obvious to coaches that younger players like Harrison Wallace III, Kaden Saunders and Omari Evans had a different kind of experience that Cephas needs to grasp this month as the Lions approach their Sept. 2 season opener against West Virginia.
"I do think there's an adjustment period that he's going through," head coach James Franklin said. "It's one thing to do it two or three times a season, when you're watching him play an opponent like Georgia. It's another thing to do it week-in and week-out in the Big Ten, and I think it's another thing to do it every day at practice.
"I think he's really embraced that, and I think he recognizes it's going to bring out the best in him."
Often for transfers, talent matters less than the willingness to adjust.
While Cephas struggled initially to get immersed in Penn State's way of doing things, coming out of it proved to his new teammates that he has more to offer the offense than speed and two first-team all-MAC awards.
"He has a great work ethic," quarterback Drew Allar said. "He asks a bunch of great questions. He's like a sponge; He always wants to learn. ... He's going out and playing full speed. He's going to do great things."
Contact the writer:
dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125;
@DonnieCollinsTT;
@PennStateTT
