Sept. 7, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Head coach James Franklin announced that junior middle linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White would miss the remainder of the 2015 season following Saturday's game at Temple.
One of the defense's unquestioned leaders, Wartman-White's absence will be felt on the field and in the defensive huddle. He finished second on the team in tackles last season with 75 hits. After moving to the middle linebacker spot during the offseason, Wartman-White played a paramount role in making calls to the defense.
Now, without him on the field, it will be a team of leaders picking up where Wartman-White left off. Junior Brandon Bell and sophomore Jason Cabinda are the two most veteran players who will step into greater leadership positions. Cabinda spoke after the game at Temple about the steps towards filling an increased role.
"It's not just going to be one guy. It's going to be a lot of guys," said Cabinda. "Everyone now has to elevate their games. We lost a critical piece to our unit. Now everybody has to step up. Everybody has to play better. We can't make mistakes. We have to play like veterans."
In addition to Wartman-White, Bell and Cabinda, several Nittany Lions saw game action at linebacker on Saturday. Seniors Gary Wooten and Von Walker, along with redshirt freshman Troy Reeder and true freshmen Manny Bowen and Jake Cooper all saw action.
It will be leadership by committee for the Nittany Lion linebackers beginning this week on the practice field.
Defense Tallies Highest TFL Number in Eight Seasons
The Nittany Lion defense combined for 15.0 tackles for loss during the season-opener at Temple. The last time a Penn State defense tallied a figure that high was at Michigan on Sept. 22, 2007.
Eleven different players played a role in Penn State's 15.0 tackles for loss, including Carl Nassib (2.5), Brandon Bell (2.5), Anthony Zettel (2.5), Trevor Williams (2.0), Austin Johnson (1.0), Troy Reeder (1.0), Garrett Sickels (1.0), Gary Wooten Jr. (1.0), Tarow Barney (0.5), Curtis Cothran (0.5) and Jordan Lucas (0.5).
Nassib and Bell each had sacks in the game.
Penn State tied for second in the NCAA with 15.0 tackles for loss during the first week of games. Colorado State led the nation with 16.0.
Five Straight at Home
Saturday's home opener against Buffalo will begin a string of five-straight Saturdays with football inside Beaver Stadium for the first time in the stadium's history. Penn State has played five-straight home games just twice in its 129-year history on the gridiron. The Nittany Lions opened both the 1920 and 1922 seasons with five consecutive home games at Beaver Field. Penn State has played four-straight home games in Beaver Stadium on four occasions (1977, 1982, 1986 and 2002).
Early Look at Buffalo
Under the direction first-year head coach Lance Leipold, Buffalo defeated Albany, 51-14, during week one. Leipold was hired as the program's 25th head coach in December 2014 following a tremendous run at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater. Leipold compiled a 109-6 record and won six national championships during his last eight seasons in Wisconsin. Senior quarterback Joe Licata went 20-of-26 for 246 yards and had two touchdowns in Buffalo's season-opening win. Penn State and Buffalo have met twice before ââ'¬" 1900 and 2007. The series is tied at 1-1 with Penn State tallying a 45-24 victory in 2007.