Penn State injury updates: The latest on Kaden Saunders, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Keon Wylie
Penn State coach James Franklin offered three injury updates during his final news conference of Washington week on Wednesday night. At least one of them could have a major impact on Saturday’s White Out game contest at Beaver Stadium (8 p.m. ET, Peacock). The other two are not as clear.
The three players referenced were starting defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who was hurt against Wisconsin and played just five snaps against Ohio State, per PFF, linebacker Keon Wylie, who has been out since May with a long-term injury but was back at practice on Wednesday, and receiver/punt returner Kaden Saunders, who has been out for weeks and was seen with a boot on his foot in October but is now back at practice. It goes without saying that getting Dennis-Sutton back would be key for the Lions, who missed him last week against the Buckeyes when he was limited.
Penn State injury updates
Here is what Franklin had to say:
On Dennis-Sutton: “He felt a lot better this Sunday than he did the previous Sunday,” Franklin said. “So he was able to play a little bit last week. So having him back would be big.”
On Wylie: “Timeline, really, just whenever he feels like he’s ready to go and the trainers and doctors feel like he’s ready to go,” Franklin said. “But he is getting closer. “Guy that we were really excited about coming into the season before the injury. So having him back would be helpful on defense and on special teams.”
On Saunders: “Just an experienced guy as a receiver and as a punt returner,” Franklin said. “Has done some pretty good things. Would give us another guy to kind of rotate in and consider. His injuries kind of dragged on for a while. [His timeline to return] will be really up to him and the trainers and doctors.”
In Saunders’ absence, defensive back Zion Tracy has stepped into the punt returning role and had his best game of the season against the Buckeyes. Wylie would add helpful depth, as Franklin notes. And, Dennis-Sutton’s return would help the pass rush and run defense immensely. How much any or all of them play on Saturday will be decided first by the Penn State football medical team in consultation with how each player feels.
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“I think it’s really important,” Franklin said when asked about players battling through bump and bruises. That’s, I think, part of just kind of growth as an individual football player. Not a whole lot that we can do about it as coaches. It’s something they just got to figure out with the trainers and doctors.
“Everybody’s temperament about it is different. But yeah, I think that’s just part of growth and maturity as a football player, and knowing the difference and trusting the opinion of the doctors and the trainers of what’s something you can’t go on and what’s something you can. Obviously, there are a ton of examples of that in the NFL and college, but for some guys, it’s their first time having an injury, and they have to figure that out as well. They got to figure out what it’s like to kind of work through that process.”
