One of Penn State football’s true freshman receivers will miss a decent chunk of time, per head coach James Franklin.
Franklin told reporters after Tuesday’s practice that former Pittsburgh Central Catholic star Peter Gonzalez is dealing with a “long-term” injury, which seems to mean that he’ll miss some games with Penn State being less than three weeks away from the season opener against West Virginia in Morgantown.
As usual, Franklin didn’t get too specific with injury details, only saying that it’s “not short term” and the 6-foot-2, 203-pounder will be “out for a little while.”
Gonzalez is the son of “Pistol” Pete Gonzalez, who started at QB for Pitt in the late 90s. After committing to Penn State in June 2023, Gonzalez went onto have a monster senior season. He ended the year with 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns on 47 receptions and left PCC as the school’s all-time receiving leader.
“Peter has got a long-term injury,” Franklin said. ‘Not short term, I guess I would describe it. So, he’ll be out for a little bit, just so you guys know and you’re not asking me every week, when you don’t see him out there. He’ll be out for a little bit.”
In an interview with Ryan Snyder of Blue-White Illustrated, Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier spoke highly of Gonzalez’s athleticism and knowledge of the receiver position.
“The number one thing you’re getting with Peter is he’s an explosive athlete with all the measurables and ability to play the position,” Lehmeier said. “He has tremendous ball skills and uses his body well. He has tremendous upside and is a tireless, self-driven worker and set the tone with his effort in practice and mastering his craft.”
