James Franklin updates status of DB Donovan Johnson for season opener
Penn State will be down one defender for the season opener against Idaho.
The Nittany Lions unveiled their first depth chart of the season Tuesday, and the most notable omission was defensive back Donovan Johnson. It was originally unclear what the reason was, but head coach James Franklin clarified the reasoning Wednesday.
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According to The Athletic’s Audrey Snyder, Franklin told media that Johnson’s absence is due to a violation of team rules. Johnson will sit out the season opener as a result:
https://twitter.com/audsnyder4/status/1166846046305230850?s=20
Johnson did see limited action as a redshirt freshman in 2018 and recorded 12 tackles. His absence likely will not have a huge impact against Idaho, but hopefully, he is back for the rest of the season.
Saturday’s kickoff is set for 3:30 pm EST on BTN.