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Sunday, August 20, 2000 By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
In high school, Eddie Drummond used to compete in the sprinting events at junior national meets. A member of the New Image Track Club of Pittsburgh and a student of Albert Kennedy, Drummond was an elite runner who possessed 10.52 speed in the 100 meters.
But track never stoked his fire like football. Drummond grew up in East Liberty and running on a field with chalk lines and pylons brought out something in him.
That doesn't mean Drummond can't revert back to his track days for an extra edge on the football field. When Drummond wasn't going through the paces of Penn State's off-season conditioning program, he would spend time at the track or on the phone with Kennedy, the man who originally taught Drummond the form that now produces 4.35 40-yard dash speed.
"People wouldn't expect me to work on my speed at all, but I did a lot of speed work at the track," said Drummond, a 5-foot-9, 182-pound junior who is entering his second season as Penn State's starting wide receiver.
Drummond was a running back in high school and didn't play receiver until his freshman year at Penn State. But he quickly has developed the other areas of his game. He has learned how to read coverages and how to get off bump-and-run coverage, while still using his speed to his advantage.
Drummond had 35 receptions for 652 yards and scored six touchdowns in his first season as a starter. Moreover, he made big plays in big games to establish himself as a go-to player.
Drummond scored on a 71-yard touchdown pass against Akron and a 68-yard reverse against Iowa, two of the four longest Penn State plays from scrimmage all season.
Against Pitt, Drummond had four catches for 115 yards. He reeled in a 51-yard pass that set up Travis Forney's winning field goal with 1:20 remaining. But his biggest play came on the ensuing kickoff. Pitt's Hank Poteat broke through the wedge and looked to have a clear path to the end zone and the go-ahead touchdown, but Drummond came from behind to run Poteat down at the 50.
In the final three games of the season, Drummond was one of the few bright spots when Penn State was falling from national championship contention. Drummond scored the final four receiving touchdowns of the season. He ended the regular season with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games against Michigan and Michigan State, scoring two touchdowns against the Spartans.
In the Alamo Bowl, Drummond caught a 45-yard touchdown from Rashard Casey in a 24-0 victory over Texas A&M.
When the Lions travel to the Meadowlands Sunday for the Kickoff Classic against the University of Southern California, Drummond will be the No.1 option after the graduation of Chafie Fields, who led the team in receptions and yardage last season.
Senior Sam Crenshaw, who had 10 receptions for 124 yards last season, takes over at flanker for Fields.
"Drummond should be good," Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said. "We have Crenshaw. Rod Perry. We have some people who are pretty good, and we'll go from there. Obviously, we lack the experience. Drummond was a high school running back, not a receiver. He had a good spring. He really worked hard on catching balls, reading coverages."
Paterno is hoping Drummond can develop into a No. 1 receiver. His play late in the season showed he was capable of being that kind of player. Now consistency is the thing.
"I definitely think I'm ready for it," said Drummond, who attended the Linsly School in Wheeling, W.Va. "I've talked to my family, I've talked to my coaches. I had some time to think about it myself. I'm focused this year on trying to become the best receiver I can be."
The Trojans are coming off a 6-6 season, but they are ranked 15th in the Associated Press preseason poll. The Lions are 22nd. One of USC's strengths this season is its speed, which should make for some interesting matchups between Drummond and the secondary of the Trojans.
"I've been watching film on them, and their defense looks tremendous," Drummond said. "They have a lot of speed. We just have to counter that with our speed, and it will be a pretty good game."
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