Two veteran Penn State players are expected to make their season debuts Saturday after missing the opener last week
Defensive end Zuriah Fisher and defensive back Zion Tracy, both expected to be starters, will play for the second-ranked Nittany Lions (1-0) against Florida International (1-0) at noon (TV-BTN) at Beaver Stadium.
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“There’ll be two significant guys that we’re getting back,” Penn State coach James Franklin said after practice Wednesday night. “Even if Zuriah wants to play more, we’ll probably only play him a limited amount of reps and ease him into it. Right now he’s a go.”
Fisher is a sixth-year senior from Aliquippa who missed last season with a leg injury. He is the most experienced end behind Dani Dennis-Sutton.
A junior from Hempstead, N.Y., Tracy played in every game last season, including four starts at nickel back. He made 35 tackles and intercepted two passes, including one he returned 31 yards for a touchdown against Ohio State.
“He’s ready to go,” Franklin said. “He’s practiced all week long, including Sunday. We’re anticipating him being ready to go.”
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Kenny Woseley Jr., a redshirt freshman from Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia, started at nickel against Nevada and had two tackles.
“I thought he did a nice job,” Franklin said. “He has a high football IQ. He did some nice things. We’ll continue to find ways to rotate him in and get him some work.”
First start for safety
Redshirt freshman Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, who surprised many by earning his first career start last week, received passing grades from Franklin.
“Overall he was good,” Franklin said. “There’s a lot more on the safeties’ plate from a communication standpoint. We’re very pleased with him. He’s doing some really good things. We expect him to take a big step this week.”
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New side
The Penn State coaches and the ones from the visiting teams have been moved to the east side of Beaver Stadium after the old press box on the west side was torn down in January.
The coaches are now behind the Penn State sideline instead of looking directly at it.
“There are some advantages to doing it that way,” Franklin said. “We felt like it (opponents stealing signals) has been a problem in the past, so when we had the opportunity to move we wanted to move.
“It makes things a little more difficult on people.”
