During a media availability prior to Penn State's Fiesta Bowl showdown with Washington in Phoenix last December, Nittany Lion defensive end Torrence Brown told reporters he intended to return for his fifth season of eligibility in 2018. Brown played in only three games last fall before sustaining a right knee injury and did not return to action in 2017.

At Penn State Media Day at Beaver Stadium Saturday, however, PSU defensive coordinator Brent Pry delivered the news that Brown will not be ready for the start of the 2018 season. As is program policy regarding injuries https://www.psufootballfanshop.com/j...rsey-c-44.html, Pry did not give details.

I do not expect Torrence to be ready for the season,is all the usually loquacious Pry said on the matter.

The fact that the 22 year old missed all of spring practice and then did not participate in the Life for Life Challenge in June indicated that the injury from last season was lingering. Brown was at practice Saturday, but in street clothes. He was very much involved in the communication among the coaches and defensive linemen.

Brown has started three games in his career to date all of them as a redshirt junior in 2017. His right knee buckled early in Penn State s 56 0 win over Georgia State at Beaver Stadium Sept. 16 and his season was over.

He has 52 tackles, 12.5 tackles for losses and a pair of sacks in his career. The best game of his career so far was in a loss at Pitt in 2016, when he registered career highs in tackles six and tackles for loss two while forcing a pair of fumbles.

A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Brown was not heavily recruited by powerhouse college football programs. Some schools viewed him as a better basketball prospect. But Franklin and his staff began recruiting him when they were at Vanderbilt, and when they came to Penn State in January of 2014 they kept on doing so.

By that point, Brown had committed to Southern Miss. But he flipped to the Lions on Feb. 5 of that year. He redshirted during his first season in Happy Valley.

Even with Brown out of the mix in preseason camp and at least until early in the season https://www.psufootballfanshop.com/c...rsey-c-45.html, the Nittany Lions remain loaded at defensive end. Veterans Shareef Miller and Ryan Buchholz are both returning starters. Pass rushing specialist Shaka Toney is one of the quickest defensive ends in the nation.

Redshirt sophomore Shane Simmons and true sophomore Yetur Gross Matos both saw extensive action last season. Redshirt sophomore Daniel Joseph, as well as true freshmen Jayson Oweh and Nick Tarburton, are also at the position.

Brown is one of only 12 scholarship seniors on the Penn State roster. The Nittany Lions remaining scholarship seniors are RB Mark Allen, LB Manny Bowen, LB Jake Cooper, LB Koa Farmer, QB Trace McSorley Manny Bowen Jersey, CB Amani Oruwariye, S Nick Scott, RB Johnathan Thomas, WR DeAndre Thompkins, OT Chasz Wright and LS Kyle Vasey a former walk on .

According to his media guide bio, Brown is majoring in recreation, parks and tourism management.

The Nittany Lions open the 2018 season against Appalachian State of the Sun Belt Conference at Beaver Stadium Sept. 1. The game kicks off at 3 30 p.m. and will be carried by BTN. It will be the first meeting between Penn State and the Mountaineers.