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Strange enjoying strong start to season for Penn State

Brenton Strange doesn’t hide that he plays with a chip on his shoulder.

A former Parkersburg standout in his fourth season at Penn State, the redshirt junior tight end has 14 receptions for 211 yards and three touchdowns through four games of the 2022 campaign.

He continues to apply a blue collar approach to football, something Strange suggests comes from being a West Virginia native.

“I am blessed to play at a program like Penn State,” Strange said. “Being from West Virginia, I feel like you grew up with that chip. Everyone plays hard. Everyone is a hard worker in everything they do. There are a lot of blue-collar people in the state. I feel like I am one of those workers in football.”

Strange has applied that same thought process to his daily work and is on track for easily have his most productive season yet at PSU.

“I have done it by doing what needs to be done,” Strange stated. “It has helped me a lot, whether in school, football, or the relationships I have built over the time I have been here. Being raised in West Virginia helps me out a lot.”

Strange was a two-time Class AAA first-team all-state selection while playing for coach Mike Byus at PHS, and after sorting through 20-plus Division I offers, he committed to Penn State in October 2018.

Still, Strange didn’t feel he gained the attention or notoriety that he would have playing high school football in many other states.

“Being from West Virginia, you kind of get overlooked. In the recruiting process, I felt that I was overlooked. In high school, there were guys I thought were not better and they were ranked higher than me. Even when I was younger, I played with a chip on my shoulder. That is how I carried myself and that is how I operate.”

Although the list of offers was lengthy, Strange settled on Penn State after attending a ‘White Out’ game at Beaver Stadium in 2018 against Ohio State.

“They invited me to their camp. Following the camp, they offered me,” Strange noted. “After that, we were building our relationship. My first true experience at Penn State was the whiteout game in 2018. I walked into that stadium and immediately knew that was where I wanted to play. I wanted to play on big stages like that.”

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound tight end has appeared in 28 career games as a Nittany Lion, including all 13 last season. 

Despite the 2019 season being a redshirt campaign for Strange, his only catch went for a 4-yard touchdown. The next year, Strange had 164 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 17 catches.

His progress continued in 2021 with 20 receptions for 225 yards and three scores, and Strange has taken the next step in 2022. He brought in a 67-yard touchdown pass in a season-opening win at Purdue, caught six passes for 80 yards in a win at Auburn and hauled in two touchdowns for the first time in his career during last week’s win over Central Michigan, helping 11th-ranked PSU improve to 4-0 in the process.

“I have seen myself grow so much,” Strange said. “I would look back at my old highlights before games and it reminds me of who I am. I have seen myself grow more off the field. [PSU head coach James Franklin and tight ends coach Ty Mowle] have molded and prepared me for everything that could happen — not just in football here, but in real life. They help us a lot and prepare us for what we need to be prepared for life after football.”

It’s safe to say the decision by Strange to play at Penn State has yielded positive results thus far, and there could be plenty more in store.

“Penn State has a great blend of everything, including the academics, sports, and off-the-field activities,” Strange said. “That is why I fell in love with Penn State. I knew it could give me everything I needed to succeed in football and life after.”





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