Perhaps surprisingly, Penn State hasn’t had all that many “opt-outs” in the lead-up to Saturday’s Pinstripe Bowl tilt with Clemson.
Defensive tackle Zane Durant, safety Zakee Wheatley, offensive lineman Vega Ioane and running back Nick Singleton are the lone veterans who have declared for the NFL Draft and decided not to play in the bowl.
However, considering the way this season unfolded, the heavy load of seniors with NFL futures on the roster and the relative meaninglessness of the game, that number seems low.
Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and running back Kaytron Allen, for example, are players who have yet to opt out who would be at least somewhat surprising to see take the field. Why risk an injury ahead of your chance to prove your worth to NFL teams?
Just because Penn State hasn’t officially seen more opt-outs, though, doesn’t mean the Nittany Lions will have close to their full complement on the field at Yankee Stadium.
In the 2023 Peach Bowl, a few notable Penn State names traveled to Atlanta and seemed on track to play against Ole Miss. But, for example, cornerback Kalen King never entered the game, and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace played just one half.
It sounds like a similar situation could play out this weekend in New York.
“Each kid is a case-by-case basis,” interim coach Terry Smith said. “The challenge is, you want to play your veteran guys. You want to give them the snaps they need. But you do not want to put them in jeopardy.
“You want to see your young guys participate, and ultimately, we want to win the football game. So we’re going to call the game to win the game, and we’re going to play the guys that are necessary in the roles that are necessary to win the game. But it’s a hard balance of doing right by those guys and doing right by the team. I have to manage that.”
Of course, there are other departures and noteworthy absences.
Starting defensive end Zuriah Fisher became the latest Tuesday, reportedly leaving the team and exploring a transfer. Veteran corner A.J. Harris is entering the portal. Standout freshmen Chaz Coleman (transfer) and linebacker Alex Tatsch (injury) won’t be involved.
Penn State won’t be at full strength regardless of how Saturday’s game plays out.
But it’s worth a reminder that just because a player hasn’t officially opted out doesn’t mean they’ll be a full go.
“We just cross bridges as they come. We’ll just manage it as it is and keep progressing. We’re going to put together the best team going forward for the bowl game, and we’re going to play hard. We’re going out there to play as good of football as we can possibly play. Our fans will be proud of the effort we put it out there.”
