In joining Charlie’s Top PSU moments, we’ve added another daily countdown feature here at NittanyWhiteOut. We’ll be measuring up the 50 most important players to Penn State’s success in the 2009 season. You may have noticed that we’ve slacked off a little lately, but expect a few daily doses of Counting Down the Lions until we’re all caught up.

Checking in at #27 is the player with perhaps the most unenviable job on the entire team: Collin Wagner

Number: 36
Position: Kicker
Class: Redshirt Junior
Height: 5’9
Weight: 173
Hometown: State College, PA
How’d He Get Here: When you look at Wagner’s high school credentials, you can’t help but be impressed.  He was named to the Associated Press All-Pennsylvania team, played for Pennsylvania in the Big 33 game, and was both the kicker and punter on the All Mid-Penn Conference Team, kicking for a Little Lions team that reached the state quarterfinals.  However, he received little scholarship interest, and committed to his hometown school as a preffered walk-on.2008 Results: Sitting second-string behind the phenomenal Kevin Kelly, Wagner only attempted 4 kicks all season, connecting on all three extra points, and the 41-yard field goal, all in Penn State’s first 3 games.
What to Expect in 2009: The reason I feel bad for Wagner is because of who he’s replacing.  Sure, Kevin Kelly was shaky at the beginning of his career (2005 Orange Bowl refresh anyone’s memories?), but by last year was one of the best kickers in the country.  He didn’t miss a kick from under 40 yards all year, and made over 83% of his field goal attempts.  Whenever you throw a raw player in there, you know you’ll miss a beat.  Whether its nerves or simply the lack of Kevin Kelly’s incredibly accuracy, Wagner won’t be as good as Kelly was last year.  But unless he’s an epic failure, he won’t be the sole reason for Penn State’s struggles in 2009.
The Final Word: Collin Wagner will start the season as Penn State’s kicker.  However, he’s got to be considered one of a number of question marks for Penn State this season.  Throw in the fact that he’s basically going in there blind, and you have a recipe for disaster.  Still, Penn State’s offense should be good enough to overcome the occasional miss, and who knows, maybe the baptism by fire will do the kid good.  We’ve been spoiled the last few years to have a kicker as dependable as Kelly, and I won’t lie, I’ll be crossing my fingers before each kick.  It’s a tough job, kicking for an NCAA powerhouse, and it seems like so often it’s filled by someone who hurts his team more than he helps them.  Texas Tech had to pull a kid out of the seats to be their kicker.  My guess is that Wagner’s better than him.

Releated Posts:

1. Counting Down the Lions #40
2. Counting Down the Lions: #27
3. Counting Down the Lions: #38
4. Counting Down the Lions: #35
5. Counting Down the Lions: #39