Nick Tarburton, steadying Penn State DL, weighing options for bonus year
Nick Tarburton’s ascent through the 2022 season proved integral to Penn State’s defensive success. A 12-game starter on John Scott’s defensive line, in this, his fifth season as a Nittany Lion, a question now remains.
Does he want to do it again?
Having redshirted during the 2018 season, appearing in two games but sidelined by injury, Tarburton didn’t play in 2019, saw limited action still battling challenges in 2020, and played extensively in each of the past two campaigns. Yet, with a bonus COVID year at his disposal, Tarburton could return for a final season of play.
“I’m still thinking about it,” Tarburton said Saturday night. “I’m kind of working through that with my family, my coaches. As of right now, my biggest focus is just kind of staying where my feet are, just kind of finishing out this year the way I want to finish it.”
Nick Tarburton’s 2022 season
That finish was a marked improvement on the way the season started for Tarburton in Penn State’s 35-31 win at Purdue on September 1.
In his fifth year as a Nittany Lion, and second as a featured contributor on the defensive line, Tarburton notched two pass breakups, a tackle, and a quarterback hurry in Penn State’s 35-16 win over Michigan State on Saturday. According to PFF’s grading, the effort was his second-best against the run all year and among his best tackling performances of the season.
Standing in contrast to his lowest-graded effort of the season in the Nittany Lions’ win at Purdue on Sept. 1, Tarburton’s steady development proved critical in the unit’s defensive success this year. Highlighted by his three stops at Michigan, one of the few for Penn State in the loss, Tarburton was among the three-man rotation of Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson to see extensive action.
Next steps
Explaining the considerations at hand to pursue, or not, a sixth year of college football, Tarburton said much is to be weighed.
“A lot goes into it, no doubt about it,” he said. “It’s a whole other year. So you got to take that into effect and just understand that if you’re gonna come back for that year, you gotta be fully committed, fully dialed in with everything that’s going to be going with it. I’m still working through that process and I’m kind of just gonna see where all that goes.”
For the regular season, Tarburton finished with 18 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, a pair of sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Unencumbered by injury this season, having battled through setbacks throughout the early part of his career, Tarburton added that it’s not one of the considerations to carry much weight when making his decision for next year.
“It’s part of the game. You can’t change that. It’s part of the game,” Tarburton said. “Bottom line, I’m just focused on myself, my teammates, gonna enjoy this win, have a lot of fun, but just focus on being where my feet are. I’m just excited to play another game with these guys.”
Tarburton will get that opportunity when Penn State appears in its to-be-determined bowl. The Nittany Lions will learn their fate Sunday afternoon when bowl selections are made.
