0PEN STATE Kranchick emerges as a key receiver

The 6-foot-8 tight end has become Penn State's newest offensive weapon.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- When Penn State needed a long play against Wisconsin last week, quarterback Michael Robinson didn't look to veteran receiver Tony Johnson or to young burner Maurice Humphrey. Robinson looked over the middle to a tight end who hasn't gotten many looks -- until now.
Matt Kranchick's 73-yard touchdown catch against the Badgers was the longest for Penn State in four years. What's more, the pass itself was long, appearing to be overthrown until the last second, when Kranchick stretched his 6-foot-8 frame, snared the ball with both hands, reeled it in and outran the defense to the end zone.
"We couldn't match up. He's a nice player," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said. "The safety should be able to run as fast as the tight end, normally."
Normally, Alvarez would be right. But Kranchick isn't a normal tight end, a fact that has slowed his development as much as it can sometimes help him on the field now.
Background as receiver
Kranchick is taller and thinner than most tight ends -- not at all built for run blocking. But his background as a wide receiver for Carlisle High School has made him one of the Penn State's best skill players.
It wasn't always that way.
"When I was in high school, my junior year I was 6-2, like 150 [pounds]. In a matter of, like, three or four months I grew 6 inches, and before I know it I'm, like, 6-7, 160. I used to get beat up so bad all over the field," Kranchick said. "Walking down the hallway I'd fall and trip and stuff, and I think that's probably the reason I walked on here. I really didn't figure out my body."
Even when he did regain his balance, his coaches decided Kranchick didn't quite fit the mold as a wide receiver. He wasn't quite quick enough off the ball, didn't quite have that acceleration down the field.
"He wanted to be a wide-out, and he's in between being quick enough and being active enough to get off the football when he was a wide-out," coach Joe Paterno said. "People could get into him and tie him up because he's a great big, lanky kid."
Shifted to tight end
So Kranchick was moved to tight end, a move the required him to gain some 40 pounds and work extensively on his blocking. With his long, lean frame, Kranchick will never be a dominating blocker, Paterno said. But he has improved to the point where he can play in numerous offensive schemes.
"And Matt's not a natural, he's not a guy that does everything natural. He's really got to work at it," Paterno said. "Nothing comes easy to him, except catching the football."
Now that he is a capable blocker, though, Penn State can give Kranchick more chances to catch the ball, something he does very well -- so well, in fact, that he's become the preferred target over the middle. Although he played little early in the season, going into Saturday's game at Purdue Kranchick already has risen to fourth on the team in receptions, and his 203 receiving yards is second on the team only to Johnson.
Became primary target
When the Nittany Lions were driving with a chance to tie late against Minnesota, Robinson threw to Kranchick in the end zone, but the pass was too long. Against Wisconsin, Kranchick was a primary target, with four catches for 136 yards.
Kranchick admits he's excited by his successes. He didn't have a single catch through his first three regular seasons, making his first and second receptions last January in the Capital One Bowl.
That's motivated him for what is shaping up to be a banner season, but Kranchick is trying to keep it in perspective.
"It's just a couple of games -- I'm not getting too excited about it," Kranchick said. "There's a really good safety at Purdue I'm going to have to play against, so I'll see what I'm made of then."