How Penn State Found Transfer Jewels in John Lovett and Arnold Ebiketie

Lovett and Ebiketie made Penn State older and better at their positions. And they found comfort in a new home.

John Lovett ran with a Penn State crowd at Baylor.

Head coach Matt Rhule told him stories and showed him photos of his days as a Penn State linebacker. Running backs coach Jeff Nixon played and coached for the Lions. And strength coach Jeremy Scott trained both Rhule (at Penn State) and Lovett (at Baylor) during his career.

So when they all left Baylor, Lovett decided to as well — with a destination in mind.

"To me, it's like a running back university," Lovett said. "Bigtime coaches, bigtime facilities, stadium, fans. Everything is here. Penn State is Penn State."

Two of the Lions' most intriguing players in 2021 began their careers elsewhere. Lovett and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie carry the most potential of the six players who transferred to Penn State this offseason.

Lovett played four seasons at Baylor, where he ranks 16th in career rushing yards (1,803). He's a speed back who finds the end zone, returns kicks, and brings a veteran presence to a deep position group.

And Ebiketie could be the Lions' most valuable recruit of 2021. He spent four seasons at Temple, earning second-team all-AAC honors last year after leading the team in tackles for loss (8.5), sacks (4) and forced fumbles (3). For a position group that desperately needed an infusion, Ebiketie arrived at the right time.

But how did they get here? Through Penn State's smart use of the NCAA Transfer Portal, some helpful references, and by meeting some very specific needs. Let's start with Lovett.

Penn State was among Lovett's top choices as an all-state player at Cherokee (N.J.) High, but he wound up playing for Rhule at Baylor. Lovett had a solid career, which was slowed in 2020 by an injury that forced him to miss three games.

Rhule's 2020 departure, and what he called a "rough COVID year" at Baylor, led Lovett to the transfer portal, where Penn State running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider immediately took notice. Seider had just completed a season in which he lost two starting running backs before the first offensive series had ended and was forced to play two true freshmen.

In Lovett, Seider saw an experienced running back with "home-run speed," a trait he sought in Journey Brown's absence.

"It was important for us to get an older guy, because of the dynamics in our room," Seider said. "As happy as I am to have Noah [Cain] back, there was no guarantee he's going to be 100 percent.

"[Lovett] has been through the fire. He led his team in rushing. He's a regional guy. We knew a lot about him. He checked a lot of boxes. And, with losing Journey Brown, he gave us that type of back. ... He came in here with a lot of respect for Penn State and a lot of respect for who is in the running backs room. He didn't come here as a fifth-year guy and say, 'I've been a starter and I'll walk in this room and be the guy right away.' He came to fit in. He's still battling, and I respect him for that."

Lovett became the fifth scholarship running back in Penn State's room, four of whom have started games. Seider said he wants to rotate at least three backs through the lineup and smiled at the suggestion of occasional two-back sets. ("Everything's on the table," he said.)

Lovett knew all this when he arrived. He knew that Cain, the breakout freshman of 2019, would return. He knew that Devyn Ford was entering his third season. He knew that freshmen Keyvone Lee and Caziah Holmes had surpassed expectations in their upgraded roles last season.

Still, Lovett said he was ready to start over in a new room. He considers himself as having a leader's voice, one that will resonate at the position. He's also eager to learn from everyone around him.

"I feel like I bring a lot of speed, a lot of elusiveness, toughness and leadership," Lovett said. "Being in my fifth season, I can teach the guys a lot, and they can teach me a lot."

Ebiketie certainly had the resume to contend immediately for a starting job on the defensive line, but positional attrition quickly made him one of its most important players.

The Lions' top four tacklers at defensive end are gone: Odafe Oweh and Shaka Toney to the NFL, Shane Simmons to Marshall and Adisa Isaac to injury. Ebiketie stepped right in to help fill that void.

"You know, it's been kind of a rave review since [Ebiketie] showed up on campus," Penn State coach James Franklin said. "He tested well and has gotten bigger and stronger. Obviously, he's been a very productive football player over his career. We plan on continuing that and really taking it to the next level."

Ebiketie, listed at 240 pounds on Temple's 2020 roster, checks in at 258 now at Penn State after participating in winter conditioning. He saw an opportunity with the Lions, even though the place was brand new to him.

Ebiketie made his first trip to campus in January, when he arrived to start the semester. After spending four years at Temple, he found State College to be quite an adjustment. But the place won him over, and he won over the position room.

"I'm just a high-energy guy," said Ebiketie, who goes by the nickname 'AK.' "It took some time to get adjusted, but the transition was pretty smooth because I had a lot of guys I could lean on to help me through the process."

Unlike the freshman recruiting class that enrolled this year, Lovett and Ebiketie benefitted from having already gone through the college arrival process. Still, they spent part of last year as recruits again as well.

And in starting over, Lovett and Ebiketie found themselves searching for the same thing they did in high school.

"When I entered the transfer portal, I was looking for a place that felt like home," Ebiketie said. "Penn State was the best fit for me."

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