Penn State wide receivers coach Kenny Carter has left the team to accept a position as the running backs coach at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt football coach Bobby Johnson confirmed Carter had joined his staff in a press release on Jan. 8. Penn State Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson had no comment on Carter's departure and said the university would have no type of comment in the future.

Carter did not return calls from The Daily Collegian yesterday seeking comment.

Before coming to Penn State prior to the 2001 season when he replaced Kenny Jackson, Carter served as an assistant at The Citadel, Louisiana State and the University of Pittsburgh.

In his three seasons with the Nittany Lions, Carter helped develop wideout Bryant Johnson into a first-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2003.

This season, however, the receivers battled inconsistency and dropped passes. Tony Johnson finished with a team-high 32 catches and 445 yards, but both totals were down from his 34-catch, 549-yard season in 2002.

Maurice Humphrey emerged late in the season as a receiving threat, finishing with the second-most catches, 30, and yards, 410, on the team. However, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said the sophomore's status on the team for next year is in doubt after Humphrey was charged with aggravated assault and other offenses. "It is going to be a long shot for us to be able to get Maurice in a position where everybody is comfortable that he should be playing," Paterno said at his end of the season press conference on Dec. 19. "I would doubt very much if he could be able to play for us next year, but you never know.

Paterno said receiver Ernie Terrell may leave the team to concentrate on track and field.