Penn State defensive lineman Zuriah Fisher suffers injury setback
Penn State redshirt sophomore Zuriah Fisher has suffered a significant leg injury this spring, Blue-White Illustrated has confirmed. He is likely to miss all or most of the 2022 season as a result.
The news stands as a setback both to Fisher, who appeared in eight games last season. It is also a setback to the Nittany Lion program already thin at the position.
Having made progress through his second year, Fisher entered Penn State’s spring practices with a wealth of optimism.
“Zuriah is another guy that’s had a really good offseason. (I’m) really excited about him and the things that he’s been able to show,” James Franklin said last month. “(He’s) another guy that carries the weight (and) has got really good length in terms of not only his height but his arm length and things like that. So, he carries weight between 265 and 270 extremely well, still looks skinny.
“I think the offseason, in terms of another year of playing defensive end since he didn’t do that in high school, he was a tight end and linebacker in high school and basketball player, so there were some things about the defensive end position that he still needed to get comfortable with and learn. But, he’s trending in the right direction.”
Penn State’s next steps
Saying he was “really excited” about Fisher’s progress and potential this spring, that excitement will take a pause.
Franklin wasn’t the only Penn State coach impressed with Fisher’s development and optimistic for the future. Meeting with the media in March, strength coach Chuck Losey singled out Fisher as having progressed through the winter.
“Zuriah Fisher is a guy who jumps out to me who we’re going to be dependent on this upcoming season,” Losey said. “He’s had outstanding growth. That’s physically, that’s mentally, that’s emotionally.”
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Last season, Fisher was credited with two tackles while appearing in eight games.
Working into Penn State’s defensive end rotation, particularly in the injury absence of Adisa Isaac, Fisher finished with 121 snaps according to PFF College. His tackling grade of 77.8 ranked fourth among the Nittany Lions’ defenders.
Thanks to those performances, Franklin offered optimism over the progress Fisher had made through November.
“He’s taking steps,” Franklin said. “He got a bunch of reps, which was great. We think he’s a talented guy. He just got to gain the experience at that position. Obviously, hasn’t played it in high school, so he’s gaining experience all the time and gaining confidence. We need to continue [with] some of those young guys gaining that experience and having some success to build on for the rest of the season and for the future.”
In Fisher’s expected absence this season, Penn State will turn to its other options in the position group. That includes a big addition made this week through the transfer portal.
In landing Maryland transfer Demeioun Robinson through the portal this week, the Nittany Lions built on a group that also includes returning rotational player Nick Tarburton, Isaac, Smith Vilbert, Amin Vanover, and redshirt freshmen Rodney McGraw and Davon Townley. Other additions this summer will also include Class of 2022 members Ken Talley and five-star DE Dani Dennis-Sutton.
