Player Spotlight: Kevin Newsome
Temple backup quarterback Kevin Newsome will be making his first return back to Happy Valley in over a year this weekend. Newsome spent two years at Penn State before transferring to Temple in the summer of 2011.
In his time with the Nittany Lions, Newsome mainly warmed the bench. This led him to transfer out of Penn State in search of a starting job and, ultimately, he landed with the Owls.
In his first season at Penn State, Newsome played in ten games; he was one of only eight true freshmen to see playing time. Newsome was the top reserve to first team All-Big Ten quarterback Darryl Clark. He completed eight of 11 passes for a total of 66 yards.
Newsome also showed promise as a rusher. He was fifth on the team in rushing yards, finishing with 95 yards rushing. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and scored two rushing touchdowns.
The playing time in his freshman season seemed as if it would be a positive for Newsome and that it would gain him a larger role within Penn State’s offense. However, in his sophomore season, he saw considerably less playing time than he did in his debut season, playing in only six games. He finished the season six of 13 with 78 yards passing.
Again, however, Newsome did show his skills as a rusher. His best rushing game came in the hope opener against Youngstown State; he had three carries for 21 yards.
Although Newsome was able to show his talents while he was at Penn State, he did not feel that he would further progress as a football player, or earn a starting position, if he stayed on with the Nittany Lions. He quickly fell behind Matt McGloin and former Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden on the depth chart.
Newsome easily could have been switched to running back. With his speed and athleticism, he would have been an offensive threat, but Newsome was set on playing quarterback and had no interest in switching positions. Newsome kept fairly quiet about what decision he would make, but it was clear that he needed a change.
Going into the 2011 season, Newsome decided he would transfer to Temple to try and earn a shot at a starting job. He redshirted his first season with the Owls. Newsome, a junior, was eligible to play right at the beginning of the 2012 season and will have one more year of eligibility after this year.
Now a few weeks into the 2012 season, it is still unlikely that Newsome will earn a starting position, at least for now. Temple’s starting quarterback, Chris Coyer, is beginning to emerge as an offensive leader, keeping Newsome on the bench.
It is unlikely that Newsome will play a great deal against Penn State this weekend. When, and if, he does enter the game, the Nittany Lions’ defense will need to keep in mind that Newsome is not afraid to take off running with the ball.
Newsome, surrounded by his new teammates, will play in Beaver Stadium for the first time since transferring this weekend, when Temple travels to Penn State to take on the Nittany Lions.
Breanna Jacobs is a junior majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact her, e-mail: byj5032@psu.edu.
