Penn State fans were surprised– and not in a good way– when defensive back Joey Porter Jr. didn’t play against Maryland.
Porter wasn’t thought to be on Penn State’s injury report coming into last Saturday, but it became apparent during warmups that Porter wouldn’t play.
After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin told reporters that Porter was out because of a “non-football injury situation.”
In his weekly Tuesday presser leading into Saturday’s game at Rutgers, Franklin further specified why Porter didn’t play.
He usually doesn’t reveal injury specifics unless it’s a season-ending one, but he made an exception here.
“There’s been some misreporting out there,” Franklin said. “And I don’t understand how that happens, but it did. So I will get into the specifics of this one, so it clears it up. Joey had appendicitis. That’s what happened.
“Obviously, I wouldn’t release any medical information without clearing it with the family first, but I don’t like the fact that there’s been some misreporting out there. I don’t really understand how that happens. But it did, so I wanted to clear it up.”
It’s unclear what “misreporting” specifically Franklin was referring to, but some Penn State fans speculated that Porter might be opting out for the rest of 2022 to prepare for the NFL draft.
Without Porter, Penn State beat Maryland 30-0. But the team is most definitely better with Porter in the fold. He’s established himself as one of college football’s best shutdown corners and is expected by many to go in the first round.
Joey Porter Jr. through 9 games:
• 269 coverage snaps
• 28 targets
• 13 receptions allowed (123 yards)
• 8 PD
• 0 TD allowedThe Penn State CB has been on LOCKDOWN 🔒 pic.twitter.com/RgU1q7lygX
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) November 9, 2022
Since Porter came to Penn State before the 2019 season until now, he’s grown, and that growth is something his position coach, Terry Smith, noted last month.
“Just in the maturity factor,” Smith told reporters via Zoom the Thursday before the team’s game against Ohio State. “When you’re young, we think we all have the answers, and as we get older, we start to listen a little more and have a little more faith in trust in the things around us, and that’s what he’s done. He’s trusted (the coaching staff) and given us full faith.
“He’s reaping the rewards of arguably one of the better corners to ever play here at Penn State.”
After Rutgers, Penn State ends its regular season against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium Nov. 26. Franklin said he expects to have Porter back before the end of the season.
