In tough times, Penn State's P.J. Mustipher eager for a return to comforts of State College

P.J. Mustipher wants to return to Penn State’s campus for an obvious reason: He loves playing football for the Nittany Lions and is beyond ready to begin preparing for the 2020 season. It’s nice back home in Owings Mills, Md., but it’s time to get to work.

“I’m so eager,” he said Tuesday on a conference call with reporters. “The day (Penn State officials) do announce whenever we can go back, I might run back. I might not even drive back.

“That’s how happy I am to be back with my guys.”

But football is just part of the attraction for Mustipher.

With turmoil running through the U.S., especially after the recent killings of three blacks, most recently George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis, Mustipher believes it would be comforting to bond again with friends, teammates and classmates.

“It would be nice to be with them during this hard time,” Penn State’s junior defensive tackle said. “It’s truly not a good time right now for us, but things are going to change. “You want to feel that positive energy. You want to feel that love and connection you have as brothers.

“Individually, some guys might feel that they’re not safe. They’re not in a good place. If they were with us, we would be able to comfort them.”

Floyd’s death May 25 triggered passionate responses from two people close to Mustipher: teammate C.J. Thorpe and Penn State coach James Franklin.

#WeAre pic.twitter.com/u5EFJuOifc

— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) May 30, 2020

Thorpe, a Central Catholic graduate and Glenshaw resident, spoke at a peaceful rally Sunday in State College.

“C.J.’s speech was beautiful,” Mustipher said. “I really wanted to hear what he had to say. I’m not in town right now, but when I saw the video was put out, I clicked on the link as soon as I could get my hands on it.

“C.J. is one of the veterans in the locker room who has been vocal. It goes to show you that if guys in locker rooms across this country can start this conversation and lead this conversation, I think change can happen everywhere.”

A day before Thorpe’s speech, Franklin posted a message on Twitter that concluded with the words, “In honor of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.” Arbery and Taylor, who are black, were shot to death recently in Brunswick, Ga., and Louisville.

Franklin wrote, “my heart is broken, my beliefs have bene challenged and my emotions are raw.”

“The direction of our country genuinely concerns me for the health and well-being of the young men I have devoted my life and career to leading,” he continued. “The idea they can have their lives stolen from them before they get a chance to leave their mark on the world is unconscionable.

“I am gutted by this nation’s most recent tragedies and frustrated by our country’s inaction.”

Mustipher said Franklin is in a difficult position as an African-American coach.

“They’re put in different situations than other coaches because of the color of their skin,” Mustipher said. “So for him to come out and make an impactful statement on a sensitive subject speaks volumes to people like myself, African-Americans. If he can do it, we can also do it.”

Mustipher said he recognizes the social responsibility Penn State players carry.

“You represent so much,” he said. “You represent your family’s name. You represent the university.

“You represent the guys in the locker room, but you also represent young African-American kids who aspire to be in our positions down the road.”

Mustipher said players and staff members met virtually last weekend, with everyone given a chance to speak.

“We all sat down this past weekend and opened the floor up to everybody who wants to say something about this and get everything off their chest,” he said. “It was really beneficial for us because we were having to take a step back and listen to everyone. If we can’t do it in our locker room, it won’t happen anywhere else.”

Mustipher said the meeting included Caucasian women, African-American men and white men.

“We can make a difference. When people say they can’t, I think it’s not true. Tough times bring change. Easy times don’t really bring change.”

The deaths of Abery, Taylor and Floyd especially touched Penn State’s locker room because of a recent incident involving Nittany Lions defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins, who had racial slurs directed toward him while pumping gas on his way home from State College to Cincinnati.

“Just having the incident really opened up a lot of people’s minds,” Mustipher said, “that it can happen to everyone, no matter that you’re a Penn State football player.

“I’m not going to shy away from what’s going on because we have to taste it if we want to change it.”