REPORT: James Franklin confirms a Penn State football TE is dealing with a ‘long term’ injury

The Penn State football team has played two games out of the 12 regular season matchups on the calendar. Two games in and the Nittany Lions have been fortunate after not dealing with the injury bug. However, a player who showed up on the availability report before kickoff against Bowling Green was tight end Andrew Rappleyea. The redshirt freshman tight end was seen on crutches on the sideline against the Falcons. Following practice on Tuesday night, James Franklin provided an update on the Nittany Lion pass catcher.

Ahead of the West Virginia game, we learned that Khalil Dinkins was dealing with bumps and bruises which slated Andrew Rappleyea and Luke Reynolds for larger roles. Dinkins was able to return to the field last Saturday against Bowling Green, but suddenly Andrew Rappleyea appeared on the availability report.

Following practice on Tuesday night, James Franklin confirmed that the Penn State football team will be without the redshirt freshman pass catcher for a long period.

“That’s a long-term injury,” Franklin said in regards to what Rappleyea is dealing with.

He was the favorite target for Penn State QB Drew Allar during the Blue-White scrimmage this past April. While the Nittany Lions are loaded at tight end, this was a year that many believed Rappleyea could emerge on the field. Now, we will wait for his return to action.

Rappleyea expected a larger work load this fall

Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

Last Wednesday, Andrew Rappleyea spoke to the Penn State media via Zoom. During his media availability, he expressed his expectations for this season.

“Going forward I can hopefully expect a bigger load,” Rappleyea said. “A bigger plate and just handle it the best I can.”

He will now have to wait until he returns from his long-term injury to carry that bigger workload. Rappleyea was a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class and has yet to register a catch. He has appeared in four games for Penn State early in his career.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned, community-operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on social media