Penn State's Jake Pinegar knows what it takes: 'Sanitize, spray, wipe, clean'

Back home in Ankeny, Iowa, Jake Pinegar could do almost anything.

He was a champion hurdler and record-setting long jumper (21 feet, 7 inches) and high jumper (6-2). All-conference three times in soccer, he also found time to play defensive back on the football team and set the school record for career interceptions (eight).

And, of course, the skill that got his ticket punched to Penn State: He was Ankeny’s kicker, nailing two from 60 yards.

At Penn State, he’s also a clear thinker (a must for any kicker). While reporting back to campus last week in the midst of a pandemic, he knows what it will take for the Nittany Lions to not only have a successful season — but to have a season of any kind.

“Sanitize, spray, wipe, clean,” he said.

Isn’t that the way of the world these days?

Pinegar, a junior, said he doesn’t have all the medical information on his teammates and is no definitive source on their covid-19 test results. But he said he has a good feeling about how coaches and players are trying to avoid the coronavirus.

“Players just buying in and being smart about it,” he said. “Everything that is set up (in Holuba Hall, Penn State’s indoor workout facility), there is almost zero risk of getting that. That has helped no players test positive and everybody be safe and sound, so far.

“Anytime we are out, it’s the masks, it’s disinfecting our room, changing our sheets, washing our clothes, all those sort of things, regularly and routinely.

“And not going out in big groups. That’s a pretty obvious thing not to do, especially without wearing a mask.

“Everybody has emphasized the importance of washing your hands all the time, staying clean, disinfecting everything, staying apart. They are preaching to us, ‘Do the obvious and don’t put yourself in those situations where you’re putting yourself or your teammates at risk of the virus.’”

After Penn State lost spring drills, the next 10 weeks will be crucial to getting ready for the opener Sept. 5 against Kent State.

Pinegar made good use of his time in quarantine at Ankeny, lifting weights in his basement and kicking every day at the local high school with his brother Hunter, the punter at Sam Houston State.

During the past two seasons, Pinegar has been Penn State’s regular kicker, missing only once in 12 tries last season after hitting 16 of 24 as a freshman in 2018.

“It’s hard going out there Year 1 and nailing everything and being totally comfortable in that environment,” he said.

Special teams coach Joe Lorig, who was hired after the ’18 season, helped.

“Getting a new coach puts a new perspective on special teams and me as a player,” he said. “He held me to a very high standard, which made me a better player overall. I had to step my game up and take my game to a different level.”

Moving into his junior season this year, Pinegar has an improved comfort level that comes with experience and now can focus on the subtle movements that can affect a kick.

“Correcting the small things with my approach, my stance, my steps, trying to get more to that muscle memory stage,” he said.

Punter/holder Blake Gilliken is gone, likely leaving those duties to junior Jordan Stout, who is also Penn State’s kickoff and long field-goal specialist. Stout was 2 of 3 from 50 yards or longer last season while Pinegar never has tried one from beyond 49 at Penn State. His longest make is 47.

“Jordan has a wide range of things he can do. I think he can fill that role very nicely,” Pinegar said of replacing Gilliken.

But Gilliken will be missed from performance and leadership standpoints.

“As a holder, he had it down to a science,” Pinegar said. “He was so efficient with it, never really had a bad hold, ever, that I can remember. A leader like that is hard to replace.”