By: Pasquale Tartaro, GoPSUSports.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa - Though wide receiver Parker Washington recorded six touchdown receptions last season, his two scores in Penn State's 38-17 win over Villanova marked his first trips to the end zone in front of a packed out Beaver Stadium.
"It was like a dream come true, and I was excited to make a play for the team," Washington said. "We're just ready to keep executing and improve."
Early in the second quarter, Washington caught a short pass from quarterback Sean Clifford, pivoted and bolted for a 53-yard score that extended Penn State's lead to 14-3.
Though he was initially surrounded by Villanova defenders at the reception point, Washington managed to hit another gear and streak past the Wildcats secondary for his first touchdown of the season.
"It was just instinct," Washington said. "I didn't really see much, I just saw green grass and I decided to take it."
In an obvious passing situation just a few minutes later, Clifford floated a pass to Washington, who turned upfield and was off to the races again. The sophomore playmaker tip-toed down the left sideline and was ruled out of bounds at Villanova's 9-yard line, but not before racking up 67 yards on the catch and run.
Washington finished the contest with five catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
In his relatively short time in Happy Valley, Washington has proven to be an explosive weapon for Clifford and the Penn State offense.
As a true freshman in a shortened season, Washington hauled in 36 receptions for 489 yards and six scores. Through four games, the sophomore has already eclipsed 300 yards on 23 receptions.
Additionally, with receiver Jahan Dotson recording seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown of his own, he and Washington became the first Penn State pass catchers to reach over 100 yards since KJ Hamler and Pat Freiermuth in 2018.
Sophomore Keandre Lambert Smith also cut across the field for a 83-yard touchdown.
"I think it becomes even more difficult to stop for people when they're focused on Jahan Dotson... then all of a sudden Parker has a huge game," head coach James Franklin said. "Then if we can get KeAndre going, now it's like what do you do if you put an emphasis on stopping Jahan Dotson, and then the other two guys go for over 100 yards on you."
Washington attributed Penn State's offensive success to the variety of weapons it possesses.
"I love our offense, it gives multiple guys opportunities to make plays," Washington said. "We work through this every week, so when those opportunities come in the stadium, we're just excited to take them."
Clifford spoke about the different dimensions that each of his top targets bring to the offense: "All three of them are big-time playmakers. Guys that you get it to them in space and they'll make plays. So it gives me more and more confidence to push the ball down the field and let them just eat and that's just how they are."
It is the standard of diligence that the Nittany Lions playmakers hold one another to throughout the week, moreover, that has guided a lethal wide receiver corps to excel on Saturdays,
"We're very competitive. We compete at practice, we'd be having conversations like, 'who's going to have the most YAC yards at practice'," Lambert Smith said. "We push each other every day, and we're all dynamic, we all can make plays, and you all saw that today."
"Coach Franklin talks about it all the time, it's the most competitive environment in college football and we embrace that every day," Washington said. "The sky's the limit, and we have much we can improve on. Each day is an opportunity for us to get better."
