Which Penn State football players are participating in Senior Day?

Penn State football will hold its annual Senior Day festivities on Saturady when Michigan State visits Beaver Stadium for both teams’ regular-season finale. Before kickoff, head coach James Franklin will greet members of the team who have decided to participate in the annual event. They’ll then meet their families on the field before taking a group photo.

Senior Day, and what it represents has changed over Franklin’s nine-year tenure. While it used to be extremely rare to see a player be recognized during the event and later return for another season, that is now common. It’s why the list below of participants should not be read into too much. Some will be quick to point out players with eligibility who are on the list and suggest they are moving on. But, as we learned last year, that might not truly be the case.

“We had a number of guys that took part in the senior ceremony last year and then still decided to come back,” Franklin said last November. “So I think our staff, as well as the players, understand some guys may not walk with the intention on coming back. Some guys may walk and still haven’t made that decision yet until we sit down after the season and decide. So it’s very different. It’s very different. And I wish I could have a better answer for you, but it’s hard to say right now just based on everybody in the program having another year.

“Senior day, we’ll make it special for these guys. But, yeah, it’s not as clean as I’d like it to be for you guys to be able to know who’s coming back and who is not. I don’t think senior day necessarily represents that anymore, at least until we get through this COVID period.”

Which Penn State players are participating in Senior Day?

Franklin will likely say something similar this week as Penn State continues to figure out its roster plans for the 2023 season. So, again, take this list for what it is, which is simply a group of players who have decided to take part in Senior Day who may not have made a stay-or-go decision yet.

Here’s the list:

• Barney Amor
• Ji’Ayir Brown
• Sean Clifford*
• Sebastian Costantini
• Bryce Effner
• Dvon Ellies
• Alex Furmanek
• Charlie Katshir
• Grayson Kline
• PJ Mustipher
• Jake Pinegar
• Joey Porter Jr.
• Cody Romano
• Juice Scruggs
• Chris Stoll*
• Jaden Seider
• Jonathan Sutherland*
• Nick Tarburton
• Mitchell Tinsley
• Marquis Wilson
• Michael Wright
• Blake Zalar

Despite differences, the day still has special meeting

Three players who cannot come back — Ji’Ayir Brown, and Mitchell Tinsley — all talked about what Senior Day will mean to them last week.

“Emotional,” Brown said. “I grew up tough. And, I had a career at Penn State. and as much as I tried to slow it down when I first got here, because I knew this time was coming, and unless I tried to slow it down, the days never stopped. They kept going, because time doesn’t wait on anybody. As I get closer to this end game, it’s definitely an emotional moment. It’s emotional for me and my teammates, leaving these guys, their leaders are leaving, and seeing the guys that I watched come in, Kobe King, Kalen King Abdul Carter, the younger guys Drew Allar, all the younger guys.

“I watched these guys grow as players. And, now I’m going to be watching these guys from a whole different point of view. It’s going to be a blessing, but it’s going to be an emotional moment for me as well.”

Added Tinsley:

“It’s going to be special, for sure. I know I’ve been here for a year, but I just feel like I’ve been here longer than that. The community, the coaches, my teammates, have all welcomed me in with open arms and I couldn’t be more appreciative of that.”