Overachievers on an overachieving team

[83wuzme]

Just wanted to recognize a few players that surprised us this year in excess of any expectations.
Trace McSorely - OK, we could see some real positives in the bowl game and spring game, but did anybody expect this ?
Brandon Smith - part time starter and recipient of BIG weekly honors. Who saw this coming ?
Chasz Wright - from a guy many of us expected would never see a meaningful snap to starter at LT !
Mike Gesicki - from Sir Drops A Lot to best TE receiving weapon in the BIG.
Blake Gilliken - we knew he would be good, but this good as a true freshman ?
Jordan Smith - outsized contirbution, despite very limited snaps, in biggest games of the year.
Saeed Blacknall - appeared to be headed for a redshirt at one point this season due to injury. Stunning statline in CC game came on just 24 of 60 offensive snaps.

It could be a much longer list, but I just wanted to single out the people who surprised me the most with their contributions.

 

[psu skp]

Good list, I would add:

Gaia--a player I once considered to be part of "the problem" for our team heading into this season... he has had a very solid season at a key position (yes I saw that snap vs Wisconsin); he switched to OL for the good of the team, then switched to C for the good of the team; has been a leader up front all year

Tyler Davis--so automatic everybody takes him for granted (including me)

Von Walker

Joey Julius--talk about overachiever.. he's literally the only guy on the team I wouldn't swap bodies with..