Penn State has managed to get through the first five weeks of the season without any critically important injuries but will happily take the bye week to nurse some wounds. Saturday only added to that need as starting guard JB Nelson and co-starting running back Kaytron Allen both left the game with injuries.
“Going into the bye week, we got some bumps and bruises in this game and in general,” Penn State coach James Franklin said after the game. “So this bye week will be important for us. It’s not an off week. It’s a bye week. We got to use this week to get better in the short term with our program and then the long term for recruiting.”
Nelson was carted off the field between the first and second quarters, although no obvious injury occurred during the play. As for Allen, Penn State’s sophomore running back picked up some sort of injury during the second quarter of Penn State’s 41-13 win over Northwestern and did not return. In fact Allen left the field and would return to the locker room after a brief visit to the injury tent prior to halftime. Allen returned to Penn State’s sideline in the second half but did not have his helmet.
“Yeah, so JB is back in with us,” Franklin said. “And Kaytron, I’m not sure. I haven’t haven’t gotten the full medical report.”
Beyond those two more obvious issues, Penn State saw both defensive end Chop Robinson and left tackle Olu Fashanu limp off the field over the course of the second half but neither player missed any time following those knocks.
Long-term, Penn State is hopeful for the full-time return of receivers Omari Evans and, more importantly, once-No. 2 option Trey Wallace, who both have missed time this season. Wallace in particular has not played consistent snaps this entire season, but both he and Evans are, according to Franklin, cleared but not yet 100%.
