University Park— One of Penn State football’s best defensive players only played five snaps last week and is questionable this week.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, a guy many project will be a first-round draft pick in 2025, is one of two Penn State defensive linemen listed as questionable on the this week’s Big Ten availability report.
The other is fifth-year defensive tackle Coziah Izzard.
Dennis-Sutton has played in each of Penn State football’s eight games this season, picking up 10 solo tackles, two sacks and forced fumble. He was missed against Ohio State, with the Buckeyes rushing for 106 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry and doing a lot of it by running on the edges in their 20-13 win.
WHAT JAMES FRANKLIN SAID
Dani Dennis-Sutton gets to Cade McNamara to force an Iowa incompletion.
Dennis-Sutton, who suffered an apparent groin injury in Penn State’s 28-13 win at Wisconsin Oct. 26, didn’t practice the Wednesday of the Ohio State game and only played five snaps Saturday.
But he practiced this Wednesday,which was encouraging, and the update coach James Franklin gave following practice was also encouraging.
Franklin said that Dennis-Sutton’s health this Sunday was improved relative to the previous week and that “having him back would be big.”
Dennis-Sutton will want to be a full-go for this one for a lot of obvious reasons. One of them is the fact that he probably doesn’t have much time left as a Penn State football. Although nothing is confirmed yet, Dennis-Sutton, based on his draft projections, seems likely to declare for the draft. Penn State has two home games left, and Saturday against Washington could well be Dennis-Sutton’s last chance to play in a White Out.
IF DDS CAN’T GO
Photo by Mark Selders, Penn State Athletics: Amin Vanover
Penn State has two capable veteran DE’s in Amin Vanover (fourth-year) and Smith Vilbert (fifth-year). Expect to see a lot of them if Sutton can’t play or is limited.
PSU and Washington are scheduled to kick off at 8 on Peacock.
Here’s the full report.
Availability report for Penn State tonight. Dani Dennis-Sutton is questionable. pic.twitter.com/zqxVMPYA50
— Lexie Linderman (@lexieleigh28) November 9, 2024
