Every year, Penn State comes into the season as one of the most exciting teams. But, as the season progresses, James Franklin himself is left wanting for answers as to why he can’t win in big games. This was the 16th consecutive time when the team lost to a top AP 5 team. A loss against Notre Dame, which, to be honest, was on the cards all along. That said, the upcoming season’s buildup has all the positive signs.

There were several players last year who missed games or even a whole season due to injuries. Some of them have made comebacks in the ongoing spring practice. Keon Wylie (LB) was a player who missed the whole season last year due to an injury he suffered in last year’s spring practice. Now it looks like the player will be finally back. Tyler Donohue and Daniel Gallen, talking on ‘Lions 247,’ a Penn State insider podcast, provided details of Wylie’s return.

Donohue asked Gallen, “What are you most curious about with Keon Wylie now in year four on campus? He was one of two linebackers who signed with Penn State’s 2022 class; the other was Abdul Carter.” Gallen provided the update and the optimism Wylie is bringing with him. “I think he (Keon Wylie) was under 210 pounds; he was mostly an edge rusher, a really productive one in the high school, ranks at a really good program. So, we knew that he was not necessarily a project but a longer-term timeline in terms of his contributions, and you know, now it’s year four, and he’s going to have a really, really good opportunity ahead of him.”

Surely Wylie will be crucial in many ways, as he was a 3-star, 50th-ranked LB prospect of the 2022 class. The same class also had Abdul Carter, a four-star prospect ranked 22nd nationally in his position. So, certainly, Wylie has been on the sidelines for quite some time now. And maybe this can ultimately be his season as he fills in Abdul Carter’s shoes. Then there is another player, Andrew Rappleyea (TE), who is coming back and is making all the buzz for the right reasons.

Rappleyea was a player who was sidelined after a long-term injury he suffered earlier in the season. He played in the opener against West Virginia but was ruled out after that. Regardless, now his return seems to be a positive sign for James Franklin, as Donohue pointed out. “You throw in some of the names. There are some wild card situations there you have to factor in. Andrew Rappleyea’s injury recovery from last year; he’s a guy that we’re all high on.” 

Andrew is a prospect of the 2023 class, ranked an impressive third in his position nationally. A player who reminds us of Mark Andrews. Apart from him, Koby Howard is another player who has recovered from his injury. He broke his leg in June 2022 at Miami Legends Camp. As a wide receiver prospect of the 2025 class, this will be another exciting news for James Franklin as he tries to improve on his substandard 2024 receiver performance. However, the most exciting prospect is none of the above-mentioned players but someone else altogether.

Does Tyler Warren’s successor have too much to prove?

Yes, we are talking about Penn State’s tight end Luke Reynolds. As a true freshman, HE provided some glimpses of brilliance last year. The player didn’t feature much due to Tyler Warren’s heroics. Still, he managed to accumulate 111 receiving and 32 rushing yards in the limited snaps he featured now. However, he has come across as a solid replacement for Tyler Warren, who has moved on to pro football.

Daniel Gallen provided the reasoning behind Reynolds taking Warren’s place for Penn State. “You’re looking for these special traits. But you still have to project when you’re coming in as a 214-pound tight end who was playing quarterback a couple of years ago to see him put this weight on, to look natural with it. Chuck Losey had really, really high praise for what Reynolds has been able to do, putting on 40 pounds since he got here in the past year. I think that you’re seeing that specialness continue to come through, and you know where that really high ceiling is.”

Reynolds joined James Franklin’s Lions as a 4th-ranked national tight end in the whole class. A 6-foot-4 and 214 lbs prospect who had athleticism and world-class rushing prowess. Now when you hear that he has put on 40 lbs more on top of that, he certainly looks to be a perfect successor to Tyler Warren. Still, matching Warren’s last season, where he won the John Mackey Award, broke Pat Freiermuth’s record, and had 1,233 yards, would still be easier said than done.