Penn State got some bad injury news coming out of its last game, a closer-than-expected 34-27 win over Bowling Green at Beaver Stadium more than a week ago.
Tight end Andrew Rappleyea was a late scratch, then was seen on crutches during the game.
Coach James Franklin confirmed days later that Rappleyea would be out with “a long-term injury,” meaning that Penn State will be without one of its rising stars for a while.
Also against Bowling Green, Penn State was without one of its best players for most of the game. KJ Winston only played 14 snaps and was seen on the sidelines without a helmet early in the second quarter.
Franklin isn’t specific about injuries unless they’re long-term, which fans could interpret as the less he says about a player’s status, the better it is.
Franklin didn’t say much about Winston after the Bowling Green game and didn’t say much during his first weekly presser since, either.
“I don’t really have any new information to share with you guys at this stage,” Franklin said. “I probably will, I would think, probably post-practice when I see you guys later in the week (Wednesday).
By the admission of safeties coach Anthony Poindexter, Penn State doesn’t have a ton of established depth at safety.
It’s not something that Penn State fans have thought about because Tom Allen’s defense has not two, but three safeties capable of starting Winston, Jaylen Reed and Zakee Wheatley.
But if one of the best safeties in the country is to miss time, that lack of established depth becomes more apparent and also creates an opportunity for one of Penn State’s youngest players. DeJuan “DaeDae” Lane is a 6-foot-2, 211-pounder who was one of two freshmen who Franklin and his staff gave the “green light” before the season to play without redshirting, the other being OL Cooper Cousins. Franklin was hoping to use Lane against Bowling Green, but because the game ended up being close, didn’t get that chance.
Considering Kent State lost its last game 71-0, Saturday will likely be a big opportunity for Lane, regardless of Winston’s status.
“We’re going to have to develop a few more guys,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll see timing-wise how this whole thing will play out, but definitely, for the short-term, we’re going to have to develop some more guys. DaeDae is going to be really important this week, and obviously, moving forward as well. He’s a guy that we’ve been trying to get more involved. We had planned on playing him more last week. It didn’t play out that way, but he’s probably the guy that I would say our focus is on the most right now.”
