For Penn State Receiver Harrison Wallace III, 'It's Time'

Wallace says he's ready to "be the player everybody expects me to be" after an injury-filled 2023.

Penn State wide receiver Harrison Wallace III scores a touchdown against Ole Miss in the 2023 Peach Bowl. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

At this time last year, Harrison Wallace III was Penn State's No. 1 receiver. Former tight end Theo Johnson said Wallace was "cooking" the defense's top cornerbacks in training camp and believed his performance would lead to a prolific season. And then Wallace got injured.

"What type of player would we have seen if he wasn’t struggling with the stuff he was dealing with?" Johnson asked before Penn State played Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.

Today, Wallace once again is Penn State's No. 1 receiver as the Nittany Lions prepare for the 2024 opener at West Virginia. More important, Wallace said he's healthy, running faster than ever and ready to have the kind of impact he anticipated last year. Wallace also doesn't anticipate needing to ease into the season.

"I feel like I’m there," he said. "I’m ready. From the work I’ve put in, the things I’ve had to go through, it’s time."

Wallace, a redshirt junior, is among the most pivotal returning players to Penn State's offense in 2024. Having missed five games last season, including four late in the year, Wallace returned to tempt fans with a 14-yard touchdown catch against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. Since then, Wallace has made becoming Penn State's No. 1 receiver his No. 1 motivation.

A promising 2021 recruit from Alabama, Wallace (6-1, 199 pounds) has taken a winding road in Penn State's offense. This is his fourth year with the program, and he has made six career starts. Wallace demonstrated promise in 2022, when he caught 19 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown. But the injuries limited Wallace's production in 2023, when he also caught 19 passes, including that lone bowl-game touchdown. Wallace also made a season-long reception of 29 yards in the fourth quarter against Ole Miss.

Injuries have set Wallace back, notably last year, when he got hurt in late October against Indiana and missed the last four regular-season games. Penn State coach James Franklin often attributed the team's uneven passing game to Wallace's absence.

"Yeah, for sure," Wallace said recently, when asked whether he's playing with a chip on his shoulder this season. "The injuries that I've had, and the feeling of not being out there with my guys, it kind of took a toll on me. But coming into this season, I'm healthy and ready to go."

Penn State wide receiver Harrison Wallace III smiles as he talks with reporters during football media day at Holuba Hall. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Franklin recently pointed to Wallace and fellow receiver Liam Clifford as the headliners of training camp. "They've been probably the biggest difference," Franklin said of the two receivers in their position room. So once again, Wallace is demonstrating his top-line talent during camp.

"They've 100 percent stepped up," Pribula said of Wallace and Clifford. "I couldn't be more proud of them. We needed guys to step up. Trey and Liam are fighting for the ball, they're getting separation. Everything that we need from them, they're doing. On top of that, they're outstanding leaders.

"... With Trey and Liam leading the bunch, we can feel really confident in that. You feel comfortable giving them a chance on a 50-50 ball that they're going to make a play and come down with it."

That's who Wallace wants to be for Penn State this season: the receiver who everyone knows is getting the ball on third-and-one and still makes the catch. Or the receiver who makes plays that others can't.

"I’d say it's being the player everybody expects me to be," Wallace said of his expectations for the season. "... It's making those spectacular plays. When that ball is in the air, everybody knows I’m coming down with it."

Penn State opens the 2024 season at West Virginia on Aug. 31. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on FOX.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.