What are the latest Penn State football injury and roster updates before preseason camp?
INDIANAPOLIS — Penn State coach James Franklin offered the latest Nittany Lion roster and injury updates at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday. The 11th-year leader of the program spoke with reporters for 45 minutes in a roundtable setting following his 15-minute podium speech on the Big Ten Network. You can watch video of that in the embedded media player above. Below, find the latest on one new member of the roster, in addition to how some returning ones are healing.
Penn State adds an offensive lineman
Franklin was asked earlier in his second question-and-answer session of the day if there had been any roster changes since the transfer portal closed. There was just one: The addition of former Air Force offensive lineman Mason Carlan. A North Little Rock, Ark., native, the senior stands 6-foot-2, 295 pounds. After not playing in 2020 or 2021, he saw time in five games for the Falcons in 2022. Then, in 2023, he played in all 13 games. Pro Football Focus credited 390 snaps, all at tackle.
Latest Lions injury updates
Franklin was asked about numerous Penn State players who are at some stage of their injury recovery. Blue-White Illustrated has reported on each throughout the offseason. Here is what Franklin said about all of them here at Lucas Oil Stadium:
OT Drew Shelton: “Drew is full go,” Franklin said. “He got cleared maybe about halfway through the summer for everything. Certain lifts he was being modified on, he’s able to do that, do all the contact; he’s full go, and has been full go long enough that we feel good about it.”
QB Jaxon Smolik (BWI reported in March that he’d miss ‘significant time’): “Smolik’s going to be a little bit longer in this process until he’s full go,” Franklin said. “It will make it difficult during training camp (emphasis Franklin’s) to be competing for a job. But, he’s done a very good job mentally. He’s very far along in the process. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but it’s the second time [he’s had a significant injury]. So I think sometimes that’s helpful when these guys have had significant injuries before.
“The guys going through it the first time, they struggle, because they’ve never been through it before. I think it’s really helped him in his approach and his maturity about how to handle it.”
DE Zuriah Fisher (BWI reported in June that he’d be out ‘indefinitely’ following a spring injury): “We expect to have Zuriah, Jackson, back at some point this season,” Franklin said.
More: 3 Penn State player thoughts from Big Ten Media Days
LB Keon Wylie (BWI reported in May that he’d miss ‘significant time’ due to injury): “Expect him to be back,” Franklin said. “Same thing. Long-term injury. But we expect him to be back this season. And, excited about getting him back.”
WR Josiah Brown (came to campus in the Class of 2024 following an injury late in his senior season): “It kind of goes back to my comment before,” Franklin said. “He’s been physically cleared for a while. But, this is his first major injury. So, there’s the mental aspect. I know talking to him in the weight room the other day, he’s finally at a point where he feels like, he said, ‘Coach, I’m 100 percent. I’m like, ‘100 percent?” He goes, ‘Yeah, 100 percent,’ like, he feels good. So that’s great going into camp.
“Real talented guy. It’s a shame that his senior year got cut short. So, it’s exciting having him back and seeing what he’ll do. And it’s great that he feels, mentally and physically, 100 percent going into camp.”
