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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Penn State brought eight healthy linebackers on the trip to the Big House. Before halftime hit, the Nittany Lions were wondering if was enough.
At one point in the second quarter against Michigan, Penn State had a true sophomore and a redshirt sophomore who had practiced at safety all season at outside linebacker. They flanked a walk-on redshirt freshman who had seen more action on the wrestling team than the football team.
Penn State fans can be forgiven for not being able to match up those descriptions to Jake Cooper, Koa Farmer and Jan Johnson, respectively.
Johnson only lasted a handful of plays before getting injured himself.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been through something like this or seen anything like this,” Lions coach James Franklin said.
“No,” senior safety Malik Golden said. “Nothing like this. Not ever.”
How did Linebacker U end up in this spot? Other than something supernatural, that is.
• Starter Jason Cabinda hurt his hand before the Lions’ Week 2 game at Pitt.
• Starter Brandon Bell was shaken up with a lower-body injury in that Pitt matchup. He returned to finish that game but was on crutches the next week. He did not travel with the team this weekend.
• Starter Nyeem Wartman-White suffered his second serious knee injury in the first half in Week 3 against Temple and was lost for the season.
All of that meant the Lions’ starters on Saturday were Cooper, Manny Bowen and walk-on Brandon Smith — a drop-off from 63 combined starts to three.
• Bowen, now likely a full-time starter following the loss of Wartman-White, was getting breathers at times, giving reps to Farmer and true freshman Cam Brown, who was taking his first defensive snaps of the season.
• Smith, a pleasant surprise filling in for Wartman-White against the Owls, received an ejection for a targeting penalty in the second quarter on Saturday.
Every targeting call is automatically reviewed by instant replay to determine whether an ejection is warranted. Smith, who was looking to make a play on the ball, was tossed nonetheless, drawing ire from across the spectrum from Penn State players who were back in Happy Valley to Michigan Heisman winner Desmond Howard.
“That’s the rule,” Franklin said. “I don’t know what to tell the kid. He’s going for the ball, going for the interception with his hands out and they hit helmet-to-helmet. I don’t know what to tell the kid.”
• Smith was replaced by Johnson. Briefly. On his second drive in the middle, Johnson was shaken up and did not return. Franklin said after the game that he will miss the rest of the season.
Out of necessity, Cooper shifted to the middle, becoming the Lions’ fifth primary middle linebacker in four games.
Who was left? Special teams captain Von Walker and converted running back Johnathan Thomas. And Cabinda, still sporting a cast on his hand, was on the sideline but not in uniform.
“It’s just unfortunate right now,” Bowen said. “Everyone’s hoping those guys that are out get back as soon as possible. It’s not what you want to happen. We’ve got everyone who can trying to step up and learn these positions.”
Infirmary report
Beyond the linebacker curse, Penn State was still down a few more starters.
Cornerback Grant Haley, who was hurt in the first quarter against Pitt, did not dress. Amani Oruwariye started in his spot opposite John Reid for the second straight week.
On offense, wide receiver Saeed Blacknall missed his third straight game with an injury to his right ring finger, which remains in a splint. DeAndre Thompkins again started in his place.
The lone injured player who was in uniform was defensive end Evan Schwan, but it was Torrence Brown who got the start again in his place. Schwan hurt his foot/ankle in the opener against Kent State and played briefly the next week at Pitt.
Though Bell was not with the team, Blacknall, Cabinda and Haley were there, giving the Lions 67 players available on the Big Ten-mandated 70-man travel roster.
That meant fewer spots for true freshmen who may be headed for redshirts. Penn State brought just five — LB Cam Brown, P Blake Gillikin, OL Connor McGovern, RB Miles Sanders and QB Jake Zembiec.
Michigan, meanwhile, got healthier before the game as All-America CB Jourdan Lewis and DE Taco Charlton both returned from injuries to face the Lions.
Both veterans made significant impacts in holding the Lions to 10 points and just under 200 yards of total offense.
