Four schools later, wide receiver Chase Sowell is finding his place at Penn State
The fifth-year receiver, who followed Matt Campbell to Iowa State, has been a bright spot during Penn State’s four-game losing streak. Once Koby Howard returns, the two could boost the offense.
Chase Sowell, a fifth-year wide receiver, struggled to find the right fit.
Out of high school in 2022, he played at Colorado, but wasn’t “the guy” and left for East Carolina. Sowell tallied more than 600 yards in each of his two seasons there. So he wanted a shot to play Power Four football again.
Matt Campbell gave Sowell that chance at Iowa State. It was an opportunity, the receiver said, that changed his life, which is why he went back in the transfer portal to follow his coach to Penn State.
“Even coming over here, it was literally last second to where I was, just focused on, ‘Man, what do I need to be doing now?’” Sowell said Tuesday. “I was working out, I was trying to get my body right, those type of things, and then boom, it happened. But it was not like I was planning on doing it or I was thinking about it two months ahead. So, just being present, and that’s all you can really do.”
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The decision to follow Campbell has paid dividends. Sowell emerged as the top receiving target for Penn State following the Sept. 19 injury that has kept fellow wideout Koby Howard sidelined. Sowell has 510 receiving yards — more than he had last year with the Cyclones (500 yards) — and three touchdowns.
Sowell is also coming off a career game against Michigan, where he had 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown. He said it was exciting to see the final numbers, but disappointing that Penn State did not get a win.
“It wasn’t the best feeling,” Sowell said. “I feel like I could have done more. There were some plays that I wish I could have back.”
Although he wants to win, Sowell has undoubtedly been a bright spot during the Nittany Lions’ four-game losing streak.
Sowell was limited in the spring with an undisclosed injury, but he said he put in a lot of work this offseason on improving the mental side of his game.
“The main goal was to focus on what needs to be put into the work and not focus on the result,” Sowell said. “I feel like as a young kid, as a young college kid, you want all the great accolades, want all the great stats and stuff like that. But a lot of people skipped the steps to get there, and that was something that I was trying to focus on.”
Sowell said he had a conversation with Campbell at Iowa State and again at Penn State, where his coach asked, “what are you going to do with the next 12 months of your life, and how is that going to change the next 20 years of your life?”
The wide receiver carries that with him every day, and he’s also drawn inspiration from wide receivers coach Kashif Moore, who Sowell said is like a father figure.
“Something that he told me was just being that leader without having to speak, and just showing them how it goes, showing them how it’s done,” Sowell said. “That’s something that I’ve really taken with me.”
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But Sowell’s time as the lone offensive star could soon come to an end. Campbell said Howard is “questionable” for Saturday’s matchup against Purdue, and he was on the practice field Tuesday and Wednesday.
Campbell has expressed disappointment that Howard and Sowell haven’t had the chance to play many games together. Soon enough, Penn State should be able to utilize both players at their best.
“The unfortunate piece is you haven’t had those guys on the field at the same time probably playing in that same rhythm,” Campbell said. “You feel like you are a way more complete football team than maybe you were probably those first two games back without Koby.”
