With more than 100 players on the roster, it’s natural that Penn State would experience some injuries between the end of 2023 and the start of the 2024 season.
LT Drew Shelton had surgery not long after the end of 2023. QB Jaxon Smolik, DE Zuriah Fisher and LB Keon Wylie were all hurt during spring ball.
During his 45-minute scrum at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis Wednesday afternoon, Penn State HC James Franklin addressed these four injuries.
DREW SHELTON
Drew is full-go. He got cleared maybe about halfway through the summer for everything. Certain lifts, he was being modified on. He’s able to do all the contact and everything else. So he’s full-go and has been full-go long enough that we feel good about it.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.JAXON SMOLIK
Smolik’s going to be a little bit longer in this process until he’s full-go. So (that will) make it difficult for him during training camp to be competing for a job. But he’s done a really good job. Mentally, he’s very far along in the process. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this or not, this is the second time he’s (had the same injury). So, I think, sometimes, that’s helpful is when these guys have had significant injuries– and that’s kind of what I mean in terms of injuries. He’s had significantinjuries before. The guys that are going through it the first time, they struggle because they’ve never been through it before. He’s been through a significant injury before and I think it’s really helped him in his approach and his maturity about how to handle it.
ZURIAH FISHER
We expect to have Zuriah, Jaxson, these guys that you guys have asked about, back at some point this season.
KEON WYLIE
We expect him to be back. Samething. Long-terminjury, but we expect him to be back this season and (are) excited about getting him back.
