Penn State defensive tackle PJ Mustipher (97) had his senior season derailed by a serious injury, but he announced Tuesday he will use his extra year of eligibility to return for 2022 to lead the Nittany Lions defense.
Barry Reeger | AP file photo
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Penn State defensive tackle PJ Mustipher was injured in October at the start of a game at Iowa. The Lions were 5-0 with Mustipher in the lineup and then finished the season 2-6 without him.
Barry Reeger | AP file photo
Staying and going: Penn State long snapper Chris Stoll, left, announced Tuesday he will return for another season, shortly after record-setting punter Jordan Stout, right, said he was heading to the NFL.
Barry Reeger | AP file photo
The respect for PJ Mustipher inside Penn State’s program is obvious, both as a player and a person. But perhaps the most telling opinion of the standout defensive tackle came from Big Ten coaches.
Despite Mustipher essentially only playing five games this season, the coaches that had to scheme against him voted him a second-team All-Big Ten selection last month.
With that in mind, it’s not an understatement to say that Mustipher may have delivered the best news for 2022 for the Nittany Lions on Tuesday. Instead of heading to the NFL as expected, Mustipher will use the extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA because of the pandemic and return to Happy Valley for next season.
“I am extremely grateful to have been a student-athlete at this university for the past four years,” Mustipher wrote on social media. “My time at Penn State has been better than I could’ve imagined. Each and every day, I’m surrounded by a group of men who are leaders, hard workers and passionate about what they do on and off the field.
“This past year didn’t end the way I had expected, and I look forward to pursuing the goals we have set out as a team, as well as the goals I have for myself. I am going to use my extra year of eligibility and return to Penn State for my fifth year. I am excited to get back to school and continue my rehab and working with the guys for the upcoming season!”
Mustipher anchored a Penn State defense early in the season that was missing two potential starters in Adisa Isaac and Hakeem Beamon, helping the Lions start the season 5-0.
But in a top-five showdown at Iowa in early October, Mustipher went down on the Hawkeyes’ opening drive of the game with a serious lower body injury. He was ruled out for the season a few days later, and used a scooter and crutches to get around Beaver Stadium for home games.
Mustipher was able to gingerly walk out of the tunnel on senior day in late November, participating in the ceremony in case he chose to not return.
Now the Maryland native will be aiming to recover in time to be full-go in training camp next August to prep for a grueling start to the 2022 season that includes road trips to Purdue, Auburn and Michigan along with a home game against Ohio State.
A healthy Mustipher would provide a huge boost against the run and pass for the Lions after he recorded 21 tackles (three for loss) to go with a sack in his five-plus games in 2021.
Coziah Izzard stepped into Mustipher’s starting role, playing next to Derrick Tangelo, who is headed to the NFL. Izzard, Dvon Ellies and potentially Beamon could all be in the mix for the two-deep at tackle next season.
Mustipher is one of five Penn State players who have announced they will be using their extra season to return to the Lions for 2022. Quarterback Sean Clifford, safety Ji’Ayir Brown and linebacker/safety Jonathan Sutherland had previously made the call, and they were joined Tuesday by Mustipher and long snapper Chris Stoll.
Though Stoll obviously won’t draw the attention of those other players, he has still been a valuable member of the Lions’ special teams operation, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship before the 2020 season began.
“After many thoughtful and meaningful conversations with my family, coaches and teammates, I am excited to announce I will be coming back for my final year of eligibility for the 2022 football season!” Stoll wrote on social media, thanking his faith, family and teammates, as well Lions coach James Franklin “for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime when he offered me a walk-on spot at Penn State five years ago.
“These last few years have truly been the best years of my life, and I am forever grateful for them as well as this next season.”
Stoll’s return should also be a net positive for a Wyoming Valley Conference standout. Wyoming Area’s Blaise Sokach-Minnick is set to walk on to Penn State for next season as a highly rated long-snapper, and having a year to learn from a veteran like Stoll figures to be a benefit.
Though Stoll will be back, he won’t be snapping to the same man in 2022. Punter/kicker Jordan Stout elected to not use his extra season and head to the NFL, where he could find work as a rookie after a record-setting year as a punter and a very reliable kickoff man.
Stout transferred from Virginia Tech and immediately took over punting duties before adding field goals to his slate in 2021.
“I really can’t find the right words to express how incredible my time in State College has been and how honored I am to have played at such an incredible place,” Stout wrote on social media.
Stout is one of three Lions to declare for the NFL since the end of Saturday’s bowl game, joining defensive end/linebacker Jesse Luketa and tackle Rasheed Walker.