Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/129327
DOING THE WAVE Obeng- Agyapong finished ninth on the team in tackles last season, despite playing most of the year with an injured shoulder. John Beale | heir 34-7 victory over Navy last September was a joyous moment for the Nittany Lions. After losses to Ohio and Virginia to open the season, everything finally clicked into place against the Midshipmen, and the result was a memorable win for the embattled program: its first under new head coach Bill O'Brien. It was a memorable day for strong safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, too. But not in a good way. Making his second career start, Obeng-Agyapong suffered a shoulder injury against Navy. While he wasn't hurt badly enough to come out, it was obvious as the game went on that something wasn't quite right. "Initially, I thought it was a stinger," he recalled. "I knew something was wrong with it, but I was able to play with it. It didn't affect me that much. T There were a few times on a few hits where I felt it, but it wasn't excruciating to a point where I couldn't play." It turned out that Obeng-Agypong had suffered a torn labrum. The labrum is a sheath of cartilage that lines the shoulder socket and helps stabilize the joint. If the pain isn't too severe, an athlete can often keep playing with such an injury. But in some cases the only way to permanently fix the problem is to have surgery. Obeng-Agypong ended up doing both. He played in all 12 of the Nittany Lions' games last season and started 11 of them, finishing ninth on the team with 41 tackles while adding 2.5 tackles for loss. Despite the injury, he developed a reputation as one of the secondary's biggest hitters. When he appeared in postgame interview sessions throughout the season, it was usually with a big bag of ice strapped to his right shoulder. But as the season went on, the daily grind of practice and games took a toll. "It hurt throughout the season," he said. "Toward the end of the season, it got a lot worse. There was a little more wear and tear, but it was fine enough for me to play." Immediately after the season, ObengAgyapong had an MRI to determine the full extent of the injury. That's when doctors decided that he needed surgery. The week after Penn State wrapped up its season last November against Wisconsin, he underwent a procedure to repair his shoulder. The operation was a success, but the rehab was not yet complete when Penn State began spring drills, so the senior from the Bronx, N.Y., was forced to sit out contact drills. He took part in individual workouts and seven-on-sevens, but when the