Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1488968
3 0 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Mustipher meant to the locker room, and his teammates echoed those sentiments. He has meant a lot on the field, too, where his statistics have never fully captured the impact he's had on oppo- nents game-in and game-out. Mustipher finished the regular season with 34 tackles. He was ranked seventh on the team in that category heading into the Rose Bowl, but that's OK with him, because his job is to command enough attention that his teammates are able to excel. "It's fun, that's what I do," he said following Penn State's 17-7 win over Northwestern in October. "The guys next to me, they like to pass rush. The guys behind me, they like to drop in coverage. I like to take on double teams and get in those piles. That's what I do. I love doing it." Setting An Example Brown, Clifford and Mustipher aren't the only departing senior players who have helped lay a foundation for more success moving forward. Punter Barney Amor showed prospec- tive Lions that you can transfer in as a walk-on and earn both a scholarship and a starting job. Safety-turned-linebacker Jonathan Sutherland made clear that a position switch ahead of one's final season can benefit both an individual and the rest of the team. He also showed that being willing to play special teams can lead to a bigger role elsewhere. Offensive lineman Bryce Effner proved that learning multiple positions can get you onto the field more quickly, and more often, than expected. Kicker Jake Pinegar is the case study for not entering the transfer portal and instead staying and fighting to win your job back. Defensive end Nick Tarburton dem- onstrated that a player can endure inju- ries early in his career and still become an impactful starter through hard work, determination and a willingness to stick to the plan. Linebacker Charlie Katshir illustrated that, even if injuries hamper your career, they don't have to stop you from being a teammate and leader when you're on the sideline. Long snapper Chris Stoll made it clear that a player can quietly do his job at the highest level in relative anonymity until he becomes too successful not to mention. All-America cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who is a redshirt junior but will exit PJ Mustipher was a second-team All-Big Ten selection after returning from a season-ending knee injury in 2021 to make 34 tackles for the Lions this past fall. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE