There's Pennsylvania heat, and then there's Alabama heat. KeAndre Lambert-Smith discovered this two years ago when he came to Jordan-Hare Stadium with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

"When I got down here, through warm-ups, it felt like I played a whole game already," the wide receiver said. "Like, I'm drowsy, I'm sweating crazy. I'm sitting down tired. I'm like, 'There's no way I could ever play in some heat like this.' And then I end up here."

Yes, Lambert-Smith is now playing and getting used to that heat after transferring from State College to Auburn for his fifth and final collegiate season. And while he had that one-time experience in September 2022, the humid air was still getting to the Norfolk, Va., native at the start of fall camp.

"The first day of camp, my steps were getting light," he said. "I started seeing stuff. I've gotten adjusted, though."

That's good news for an Auburn offense that will rely on the talented veteran to improve a passing game that finished 124th in college football last season, averaging just 162.2 yards per game. Lambert-Smith led the Nittany Lions in catches (53) and yards (673) last season and now joins a talented but inexperienced corps for the Tigers.

He instantly took his role as one of the leaders, especially among the four freshmen receivers who expect to make an impact for Hugh Freeze's offense this season. Lambert-Smith remembers being a freshman on the practice field for the first time, bringing up a time when he thought he didn't even belong, a lesson to all newcomers, including Perry Thompson, who has been sharing reps at the Z spot with Lambert-Smith.

"If he has a dropped pass or if he has a not-so-good day at practice and he's feeling a little down, I just try to keep him staying positive," Lambert-Smith said. "I told him, my first few years of college, I was going up against Joey Porter. I had days where I felt like I wasn't even meant to be in college."

That notion was proven wrong as Lambert-Smith quickly rose the depth chart for Penn State. And although he has had a solid college career, he still has things to prove to himself and others.

"I would say the biggest one is proving myself right," he said. "Like, knowing who I am and just proving it to everybody: the fans, Auburn fans, maybe some Penn State fans who were thinking I wasn't this or whatever. Just proving everybody wrong, but most importantly, proving myself right and just regaining that swagger."

As for if anyone who was on the 2022 Auburn team asks him about that game, Lambert-Smith isn't afraid to tell his new teammates who got the upper hand.

"Yeah, I'm 2-0 versus y'all," he tells his teammates. "But we on the same chain now. I'm with the good guys now."