Penn State football has played almost its entire season without one of its best players, and coach James Franklin was asked about the chances of that player returning to the field this year.
After a dazzling season-opening performance at West Virginia which earned him accolades from both the Big Ten and nationally, KJ Winston left the next week’s game against Bowling Green early.
10 days later, Franklin announced that Winston was dealing with a “long-term injury,”and he has not played in any of Penn State’s four games since Bowling Green.
At Franklin’s weekly Monday presser days before the Wisconsin game, he was asked what the chances were of Winston returning at some point during the second half of the season.
Penn State fans who know about Franklin wouldn’t have expected him to give an elaborate answer, and he didn’t.
“I think I have somewhat answered that question in terms of ‘long-term injury,” he said. “That’s about as far as I’m going to go with the details of that, which has been pretty typical. ‘Long-term injury.'”
Franklin was also asked about how active Winston— a team captain— has been in the leadership department even with the injury.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Franklin said Winston’s focus has been on improving his health.
“We are hoping for him to have a more significant impact in terms of leadership, in terms of all those other things,” Franklin said. “But right now, KJ’s focus is on getting healthy.”
Franklin said that he and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter visited with Winston in his family this past Wednesday night during the team’s bye week and that the visit went great.
James Franklin also reinforced what Winston means to Penn State.
“He’s a huge part of our program,” Franklin said. “Will continue to be a huge part of our program.
But obviously, based on some of the things that he was working through from a health perspective, his focus was on that, which rightfully so.”
