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Penn State coach James Franklin offers more insight on receiver Harrison Wallace's absence at Illinois

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•09/20/23•

GregPickel

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Wide receiver Tre Wallace (Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State football fans know that all injuries are not created equal. And, on top of that, not every explanation regarding why a player misses a game is the same, either. Head coach James Franklin made that clear on Wednesday when asked about the status of receiver Harrison “Trey” Wallace III. The No. 7 Nittany Lions’ No. 2 receiver was listed as questionable on the team’s Big Ten mandated availability report ahead of last weekend’s 30-13 win over Illinois. He did not play. Asked about it after the game at Memorial Stadium, Franklin called it a medical decision.

“Trey, our medical people make those decisions. They were not comfortable. They didn’t feel like he was ready to go. So we held him [out]. That’s how all those decisions are made.”

Franklin was asked on Wednesday night about Wallace III’s status for this week’s top-25, White Out game matchup with No. 24 Iowa (7:30 p.m. ET, CBS). He did not confirm that the third-year receiver would suit up against the Hawkeyes. But, he did offer more insight into last week’s decision-making process and what it could mean moving forward.

More: Penn State practice notes: Offense | Defense

“I don’t think it was that he wasn’t cleared to play,” Franklin said. “He wasn’t cleared in a way that we felt like he was going to be productive. Honestly, Omari [Evans]’ had some bumps and bruises. That’s kind of why he’s been limited. [Wallace] could have played [at Illinois]. But, was not practicing and playing the way we think he’s capable of.

“I think there’s a difference, right? There’s a difference between being cleared, and you can go out and do it, but you’re not at your best right now. So, if we have the ability to wait a week, to hopefully get them there, that’s what we’d like to do. And, that’s really kind of what happened last week, to describe it in a little bit more detail.”

On the Evans point, the second-year Penn State receiver was questionable against both West Virginia and Delaware to start the season. He sat out game one. In game two, he played 25 snaps and caught a four-yard touchdown. Against Illinois, he was not out or questionable on the availability report. Evans finished that game with no receptions on just four snaps.

What all of it means for Wallace III’s availability for Saturday night is not yet clear. But, Penn State could surely use him back in action when it hosts the Hawkeyes in front of a sold-out Beaver Stadium.

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