Had things played out just a little differently, Zion Tracy would be responsible for one of the more iconic plays in Penn State history.
With Penn State leading hated Ohio State 3-0 in a top-five matchup at Beaver Stadium, Tracy stepped in front of Jeremiah Smith to pick-off Will Howardโs pass and return it 33 yards to the house.
This put PSU ahead by two scores and turned the stadium into a madhouse.
But it didnโt last.
As Penn State fans have grown as used to as they are the sun rising in the east, Ohio State came back and pulled out a close win, 20-13.
So rightly or wrongly, Tracyโs great play is merely a footnote to those who remember it at all, through no fault of his own.
But Tracyโs physical and mental skills were on display, and that matter, especially since heโs back for another shot at the Buckeyes.
Height: 5-foot-11ย
Weight: 178 pounds
Hometown: Hempstead, New Yorkย
Before Penn State: Tracy came to Penn State after three seasons at Long Island Lutheran High School and a final one at St. Thomas More in Connecticut. In high school, Tracy was a standout on both sides of the ball. He caught 12 touchdown passes his senior season and picked up 500 receiving yards. But Tracy came to Penn State as a defensive back, committing in September and signing in December. Tracy was a three-star according to 247Sportsโ composite rankings.
2023:ย Tracy burned his redshirt, appearing in all 13 games, primarily on special teams. He ended the season with 13 tackles (11 solo), and was named the special teams player of the week after stopping a fake punt against Northwestern Sept. 30, which was the signature play of his freshman season.
Last year:ย Tracy appeared in all 16 of Penn Stateโs games, starting four and establishing himself as Penn Stateโs top slot corner. He ended the year with 35 tackles (30 solo), a sack, two tackles for loss and two picks, the other one talking place in the teamโs Fiesta Bowl/College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Boise State.
Where he stands:ย As far as Tracyโs position is concerned, nothing much has changed. Penn State returns its top corner in A.J. Harris, and one of winter workout hero Elliot Washington or veteran Audavion Collins is likely to start on the opposite side. Thereโs no reason to think a healthy Tracy would lose his spot in the slot. Thereโs question is: how much better will he be?
A quote by Tracy:ย โWisconsin, the game before (Ohio State) it was kind of like the same play, but I didnโt get my eyes back. So he still caught the ball. But this time I was like, Iโm gonna get my eyes back, and I grabbed the ball.โ
โIt didnโt feel like I was really there. โI was just running.โ โ Tracy on his pick six against Ohio State.
A quote about Tracy:ย โI think the biggest thing over the last couple weeks is confidence. Youโve seen it on defense. I think itโs also translated to him as a punt returner. I saw him more confident on Saturday. Practicing really well right now. Always been a super athletic guy, a guy that we considered when we recruited him playing wideout. So, heโs got those types of ball skills. But I think youโll continue to see him trending in the right direction, just practicing and playing at a really high level right now with a ton of confidence.โ โ James Franklinย
