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With arguably the nation's finest trio of wideouts graduating after last season, developing depth and gaining experience for underclassmen was critical throughout 2008. Seeing action in every game for the second consecutive year, Brett Brackett emerged as a consistent contributor for the offense, and has an opportunity to play a significant role in the passing game this year. After transitioning from quarterback to wide receiver in 2007, Brackett has found a home as a wide receiver. The intelligent and talented athlete has made significant strides during his first two years on the reception end of the pass, working hard to consistently earn time in the wideout rotation and on special teams. He caught 13 passes for 160 yards last fall. Brackett has very good size, skills and instincts and is preparing to be a significant contributor this year. The talented and reliable target presents match-up problems for opposing secondaries. In addition to his football skills, Brackett is one of the squad's most active members in leadership and community service. The former Lawrence HS all-state quarterback is the president of Penn State Uplifting Athletes, whose signature event is the Penn State Lift for Life in July, raising funds and awareness for the Kidney Cancer Association. One of the primary organizers of the Lift for Life and other events, more than $75,000 was raised during the 2007-08 academic year to push the total to more than $300,000 since the inception of Lift for Life in 2003. Brackett earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the second time in 2008. At the 2009 Blue-White game, he was named winner of the team's Frank Patrick Total Commitment Award. The award goes to junior class squad members who consistently follow through with their responsibilities in all facets of the football program and do so in exemplary manner. Brackett is one of nine returning Nittany Lions from New Jersey. He is on schedule to graduate in December.
2008 Junior Season
Playing in every game, Brackett emerged as a reliable target. He was sixth on the squad with 13 receptions for 160 yards and one touchdown, finishing the season by making three catches against Southern California in the 2009 Rose Bowl. With the Nittany Lions frequently employing four and five wideout sets, Brackett made starts against Coastal Carolina, Syracuse, Purdue and Wisconsin. He gained 25 yards on two catches in the opener against Coastal Carolina, including a 16-yard grab. Brackett caught his first career touchdown on a 20-yard pass from Daryll Clark, opening the scoring for Penn State in its 45-3 win over Temple. He made two catches for 32 yards against the Owls. In the win at Purdue, Brackett caught two passes for 31 yards and he made one catch for 20 yards at Wisconsin, suffering a mild concussion on the play. He also made one catch for 18 yards at Ohio State. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the second time. At the 2009 Blue-White game, Brackett was named winner of the team's Frank Patrick Total Commitment Award. The award goes to junior class squad members who consistently follow through with their responsibilities in all facets of the football program and do so in exemplary manner. This includes academic pursuits, off-season preparation, in-season commitment, demeanor and community service.
2007 Sophomore Season
Brackett made his first collegiate reception, good for 16 yards, in the 27-7 win over Iowa. He also had three tackles on special teams, with solo stops against Florida International and Michigan. Playing in every game, he saw action on 139 snaps, led by 21 against Buffalo and 17 against Iowa. Brackett earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
2006 Freshman Season
Redshirt season.
High School
At Lawrence HS, Brackett played football, basketball and baseball, earning nine letters. He started all four years in football and basketball and was the starting quarterback his last three years. As a senior under Coach Rob Radice, Brackett was team captain and earned third-team all-state honors, was named Mercer County Player-of-the-Year and Colonial Valley Conference MVP. As a senior, Brackett threw for 1,669 yards and 19 touchdowns, completing 65 percent of his passes, and ran for eight scores. He threw for 3,847 yards and 46 touchdowns in his career and rushed for 23 TDs for a total of 69 career touchdowns. Brackett was instrumental in leading Lawrence to conference titles in 2004 and '05. In 2006, he played in the Governor's Bowl, along with future Penn State classmates Lou Eliades and Cedric Jeffries, helping New Jersey to a 30-6 victory over New York.
Personal
Full name is Brett Michael Brackett. He is the son of Bob and Diana Brackett. He has two younger brothers, Nick and Bobby, and one younger sister, Danielle. Brackett enjoys music and spending time with his family. A marketing major in the Smeal College of Business, Brackett earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the second time in 2008. Born December 13, 1987 in New Brunswick, N.J.
Brackett's 2008 Game-by-Game
Receiving (Catches-Yards-TD)
Coastal Carolina 2-25-0; Oregon State 0-0; Syracuse 1-6-0; Temple 2-32-1; Illinois 0-0; Purdue 2-31-0; Wisconsin 1-20-0; Michigan 0-0-0; Ohio State 1-18-0; Iowa 1-7-0; Indiana 0-0-0 ; Michigan State 0-0-0; USC 3-21-0.
