Another member of Penn State’s defense will not be back in Happy Valley next season.
Linebacker Jarvis Miller announced on Saturday afternoon that he’s leaving the Nittany Lions to finish his college football career at UMass-Amherst as a graduate transfer.
“The past 4 years have been the most amazing experience that a young man could possibly ask for,” Miller wrote on Twitter. “First and foremost I want to thank Coach Franklin for giving a 16 year old kid from Suffield, Connecticut an opportunity to play major college football at the highest level.”
— Jarvis Miller (@Jarvis_9) January 19, 2019
Miller played in 11 games in the 2018 season, making eight tackles, including one for loss. He finishes his Penn State career with 23 total tackles and a sack while seeing the field on special teams and in a reserve role on defense.
The backup linebacker joins a long list of Nittany Lions who are leaving the program this offseason. That list includes wide receivers Juwan Johnson and Brandon Polk, safety Lamont Wade, cornerback Zech McPhearson, and safety Ayron Monroe. At least 12 Nittany Lions have entered the NCAA’s new transfer portal, which allows players to have contact with other programs though does not commit them to leaving.
Barring any more transfer portal madness, Penn State’s starters at the linebacker position will likely be Cam Brown, Jan Johnson, and Micah Parsons next season, leaving little opportunity for a player like Miller to see the field consistently.
