ALTOONA, Pa. -- Keyvone Lee was Penn State's leading rusher two seasons in a row in 2020 and '21, but that was kind of a dubious distinction because the running game was just so bad.
Still, in all fairness to Lee, he did do some good things and at times looked like he could become a really good college running back.
But that was before Penn State added the best high school running back in the country in Nicholas Singleton, and another guy in Kaytron Allen who was very highly rated and has turned out to be terrific.
The writing has been on the wall for some time, therefore, about Lee possibly transferring. Which made his announcement Friday evening no surprise at all.
Iβm officially In the transfer portal with 2 years of eligibility leftππΎ
β keyvone lee (@KeyvoneL) January 13, 2023
Perhaps the only surprise about Lee's decision is that it has come pretty late in the transfer portal process. The current 45-day transfer window closes in five days on Jan. 18, so this move by Lee doesn't allow for a lot of time for him to find a quick landing spot. Then again, the way the process works behind the scenes, it's possible and quite likely that he already has a good idea where he may end up going.
Lee wound up making one of the biggest plays of the 2022 season for Penn State as he caught the winning 10-yard touchdown pass at Purdue with 57 seconds to go for a 35-31 victory. That important road win helped give the team a lot of confidence and served as a springboard to an 11-2 season.
Here's a look at the entire game-winning drive at Purdue, with Lee's TD grab coming at the 3:20 mark.
Unfortunately, Lee only played in four more games all season because of injury, last appearing at Michigan in week six. In that game against the Wolverines, he had just one carry for 6 yards, a far cry from the great game he had the last time the Lions visited the Big House in 2020. Lee went for 134 yards on 22 carries with one TD in that 2020 victory (27-17), and it was the last time a Penn State running back topped 100 yards until Singleton did so against Ohio in week two this past season.
Lee led Penn State in rushing with 438 yards in 2020, and with 530 yards in 2021.
He finishes his Lion career with 1,062 yards and six TDs on 222 carries, plus 30 catches for 219 yards and one score -- that TD being the winning grab at Purdue.
Lee's departure will leave Penn State with only two scholarship running backs this spring -- Singleton and Allen.
PORTAL UPDATE
Lee is the eighth Penn State player to enter the transfer portal, although one of them has decided to stay with the Lions. Defensive lineman Davon Townley has changed his mind and will remain at Penn State.
DL Davon Townley is returning to Penn State.
β Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) January 13, 2023
Former four-star had entered the portal but is now back with the Nittany Lions. https://t.co/1xBKYd3n2y pic.twitter.com/qEkpvU1z75
Excluding Townley, these are the seven Lions who have entered the portal, with where they ended up going in parenthesis.
β’ QB Christian Veilleux (Pitt)
β’ CB Jeffrey Davis Jr.
β’ DE Rodney McGraw (Louisville)
β’ OT Maleek McNeil
β’ DL Fatorma Mulbah (West Virginia, which he announced Thursday)
β’ LB Jamari Buddin
β’ RB Keyvone Lee
