In joining Charlie’s Top PSU moments, we’ve added another daily countdown feature here at quebecpenspinning. 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 #30 is one of the group who will try and replace the Three Amigos at wide receiver: Brett Brackett.

Number: 83
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Redshirt Junior
Height: 6′6
Weight: 232
Hometown: Lawrenceville, N.J.
How’d He Get Here: Brackett was a phenomenal high school quarterback back in New Jersey, starting for his final three seasons at QB.  In his senior season, Brackett completed 65% of his passes while throwing for 19 scores and rushing for 8, and he drew interest from a handful of local colleges.  Rated as a three-star prospect on both of the recruiting sites, Brackett held offers from Rutgers, Louisville, N.C. State, Boston College, and Ole Miss, but the Nittany Lions beat out all other suitors for Brackett’s services, and he committed so early in the process–in early May, that it’s not difficult to imagine him receiving even more scholarship offers.
2008 Results: Brackett escaped what was supposed to be a logjam at quarterback by switching to wide receiver during his initial redshirt season, but he didn’t make an impact until last season.  Though he was buried on the depth chart behind Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and Jordan Norwood, Brackett managed to rack up 13 receptions for 160 yards in 2008, fourth amongst Penn State wideouts, bringing in one touchdown in the process.  His best game was a 3-catch effort in the Rose Bowl against USC, even though he had been practicing at quarterback in the weeks leading up to the game.
What to Expect in 2009: The 2009 wide receiving corps is just about the complete antithesis of the 2008 unit.  Whereas last year’s receivers were all highly experienced, quick, and small, Brackett is just one of the multiple big wide receivers who will serve as Daryll Clark’s targets this upcoming season.  His size will be a major asset, especially in the red zone, where Brackett should especially come in handy.  Though Brackett probably won’t be starting for the Lions in 2009, he’ll be asked to play a much larger role in the offense than he did last year as the #4 wideout.  There had been talk about using Brackett as a H-back to best utilize his skills, so don’t expect to see Brackett moved around a lot at the snap this season.
Random Facts: Off the field, Brett Brackett does as much as any Nittany Lion.  First off, he’s an Academic All Big Ten honoree, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg.  More importantly, he’s the president of Penn State’s chapter of Uplifting Athleetes, which raises money for kidney cancer research, through events like Lift for Life.  For it all, he was named the Frank Patrick Award recipient for total commitment during the Blue/White Game this year.
The Final Word: Brackett is another example of success with honor at Penn State, as he’s proven to be not just a valuable member of the Penn State football team, but as an even more valuable member of the State College community.  But what we’re all concerned with is how he performs on Saturdays, and on the field, he has a chance to make a major impact in 2009.  Now, Brackett isn’t the fastest or most dynamic of the group that seeks to replace last year’s phenomenal wide receiving corps, but he is the most experienced, and he is the biggest, two traits that simply can’t be overlooked.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brackett on the field more than any other wideout, or as Daryll Clark’s favorite target.  That kind of size can make a lot of bad throws look good.