James Franklin talks next steps after long-term injury to Penn State football star

Penn State football has suffered a crushing setback before even reaching the end of September, with James Franklin revealing on Wednesday that Nittany Lions junior safety KJ Winston is sidelined for the “long-term” with an injury.

The standout defender left the Nittany Lions’ Week 2 contest against Bowling Green during the second quarter. Voted a team captain in 2024, Winston had 90 career tackles over 27 games prior to his exit.

While James Franklin expressed that he doesn’t expect to see a loss in leadership with Winston’s presence remaining in the locker room, he did acknowledge that Penn State football will have to move forward on the field without the star defensive back.

The clear next man up with KJ Winston out is Dejuan Lane, the true freshman safety who has been fast-tracked to burn his redshirt since fall camp. Highlighting the former four-star on Monday, Franklin reiterated Lane’s importance for the rest of the Nittany Lions’ season.

“I think we’ve talked a decent amount about Dae-Dae Lane, so that’ll have a huge impact on him and the reps that he’s getting and where he’s at,” Franklin said following Wednesday’s practice.

But while Lane’s elevation is obvious, the next steps from there are much less self-evident.

“And we’re trying to kind of figure out that next guy right now,” said Franklin. “So there’s a ton of guys that are going to get some opportunities, but we have not figured that out. “[Antoine] Belgrave-Shorter is a guy that we’re going to take a look at at safety, too.”

Another true freshman, Antoine Belgrave-Shorter was recruited as a cornerback in the 2024 cycle. The Florida three-star has yet to see the field in his Penn State football career.

How will the injury to KJ Winston impact another standout Penn State defender?

Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

As with any prominent loss, Winston’s injury will likely have a cascading effect throughout the Penn State defense. But beyond the absence of Winston himself, perhaps the most consequential impact we’ll see on the field is a shift in role for fellow safety Jaylen Reed.

Reed, who leads the team in tackles primarily from the hybrid “Lion” position, was forced out of that role for significant stretches after Winston’s injury two weeks ago. That may continue to be the case moving until other younger Nittany Lions can get up to speed.

“I mean, as you guys saw what he did against West Virginia playing the spot, it’s a great position for him,” James Franklin said of the senior safety. “But we may not have the flexibility to be able to do it.

“I think early on, you’re probably going to see him high. But hopefully, as Dae-Dae and others start to come on, and hopefully as the year goes on, we can move it back into that spot. But we’ll see.”

Our first look at the Nittany Lions defense for a full 60 minutes without KJ Winston will be on Saturday when Penn State football faces Kent State at 3:30 p.m. inside Beaver Stadium. The contest will air on the Big Ten Network.

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