Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
3 6 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M B efore Penn State played Maryland on Nov. 30, 23 players said their official goodbyes as part of the team's Senior Day celebration. An official goodbye is not necessarily an actual goodbye, though. Just because a player walks on Senior Day doesn't mean he isn't coming back. Six of the 25 players who were saluted on last year's Senior Day were still on Penn State's roster for most or all of the 2024 season. The NCAA gave players who were around for the 2020 season an extra year due to COVID-19, and players' eligi- bility status has been a bit confusing ever since. Even four years later, it's still complicating the math. "I think for everybody in college foot- ball right now, with the COVID years and things like that, it's made it a little bit wacky," James Franklin said prior to Penn State's regular-season finale against the Terrapins. "Over the past couple of years, you've got sixth-year guys, you've got fifth-year guys, you've got fourth-year guys, some programs have seventh- and eighth-year guys. So, that's been different." Where do Penn State's current schol- arship upperclassmen stand in terms of their remaining eligibility? Here's a refresher on PSU's roster. Finished After 2024 Season LB Tyler Elsdon: Arrived as a part of the 2020 class and did not redshirt. He has appeared in all but one game over the past four seasons. WR Julian Fleming: Attended Ohio State for the first four years of his college career, beginning in 2020. He did not red- shirt and transferred to Penn State for his COVID season. DT Coziah Izzard: Started seven games as a freshman in 2021 and has played every year since. DT Dvon J-Thomas: Redshirted as a part of the 2019 class and has played in every game since the 2021 opener. He's using his COVID season in 2024. S Jaylen Reed: Is Penn State's lone non-COVID senior who has used up all four years of eligibility at Penn State. He arrived as a part of the 2021 class and ap- ASSESSING PENN STATE'S UPPERCLASSMAN ELIGIBILITY S E A N F I T Z | S E A N . F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M Safety Jaylen Reed had plenty of family on hand for his final regular-season game in Beaver Stadium. Reed was one of 23 players who were saluted on Senior Day. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS