Penn State injuries mount: Where the Lions stand after Indiana

Penn State emerged from its bounce-back game with a 45-14 win at Indiana on Saturday afternoon. The program gained valuable experiences for its depth, too.

But, to the Nittany Lions’ detriment, they also emerged nursing a host of injuries and concerns, both existing and new.

Giving sense to the seriousness of the situation, head coach James Franklin avoided offering specific injury details but hammered home the reality of the situation for the program as it enters its final three games of the season. 

“I can’t have it both ways, right? I can’t say I’m not going to talk about injuries and expect you guys to understand how challenging that was,” Franklin said. “[Drew] Shelton as a true freshman, starting at left tackle in the Big Ten, in this type of game on the road, has not played a whole lot. We’re trying to redshirt him if we could. Not only did he play, but he played well. JB Nelson, who we’re trying to redshirt as well, played a ton of reps. You also see Sal [Wormely], he’s banged up and bruised and he battled. Hunter [Nourzad], banged up and bruised, and he battled.

“I’m really, really proud of those guys of what they did, and how did it, and the sacrifices they’re making for the team. I’m proud of those guys, and how they played with toughness and getting ready to be able to play. And the older guys did a good job of helping those guys get ready to play this game.”

Here is a look at the totality of what Penn State is facing from an injury perspective coming out of Saturday’s game against Indiana:

Where Penn State stands coming out of Indiana

– Starters Landon Tengwall and Olu Fashanu were both not only not available for the game on Saturday, but they also did not travel with the team. 

Tengwall has missed all action since suffering what was reported as an injury in a pregame warmup at Michigan on Oct. 15. Fashanu was forced out of the Ohio State game late in the fourth quarter last weekend, and was not seen at practice this week. 

Franklin spent the week saying he had no information regarding season-ending injuries for either player.

– Wormley has been battling injuries for weeks but managed to get through the first half-plus of Saturday’s game. That was until the third quarter, when he exited and would not return, but could be seen on the sidelines walking alongside Caedan Wallace. Wallace, meanwhile, traveled with the team and was dressed and warmed up, but did not take any live pregame warm-up reps and then did not play.

– Nourzad needed to be helped off the field on the very first offensive play of the game for Penn State when quarterback Sean Clifford rolled up on him. He spent time on the sidelines, prompting the insertion of J.B. Nelson in his place. Eventually able to return to action, the two shared the load the rest of the way.

The appearance was Nelson’s fourth game for Penn State this season. He would burn his redshirt with another game played this season.

– The damage wasn’t limited to the offensive line on Saturday as Penn State’s linebackers took on multiple blows to the position group.

The first and maybe most significant comes in the form of Curtis Jacobs, who appeared to be injured in the first quarter and wouldn’t return. He was not seen with his Penn State teammates on the sidelines during the rest of the game following the injury.

– Tyler Elsdon was also injured in the first half, left the game, but was able to return, only to exit again due to injury. 

– Franklin was optimistic this week that Keyvone Lee would return to action this week. He disclosed Tuesday and again during his radio show Thursday that the running back has been injured but, they hoped, would be a game-time decision on Saturday.

Lee didn’t travel with the team, though, nixing that possibility.