Penn State defensive end Smith Vilbert to miss 2023 season
STATE COLLEGE — A Penn State football defender will miss the 2023. A progam spokesperson told Blue-White Illustrated on Sunday that defensive end Smith Vilbert is out for the year. The Athletic first reported that the redshirt senior was injured.
Vilbert played in just one game a season ago. He suited up in the Rose Bowl as the Nittany Lions knocked out Utah. Before that, he was out for undisclosed reasons that were never revealed. Now, a health setback has further halted his chance to have a breakout season. The Monsey, N.Y., native earned plenty of hype ahead of the 2022 season following a three-sack performance in the Outback Bowl to cap off the 2021 slate. He has played in just 16 games since coming to State College in 2019, when he was named the coaching staff’s Developmental Squad’s Defensive Player of the Year. But, that talent rarely translated on game days.
Vilbert has at least one and maybe more years of eligibility remaining.
Penn State has had a good start to training camp
Penn State will practice for the fourth time on Sunday afternoon. It kicked off camp back on Wednesday, and also practiced Thursday and Saturday.
“I think we have had a really good offseason from winter workouts to spring ball to summer training,” Franklin said. “Our strength staff has done a phenomenal job. We are bigger, faster, and stronger than we’ve been. It’s been good.
“I thought our practice one was really good. I thought our practice three was excellent. Extremely competitive during the first day in shoulder pads. Having all three coordinators back, there’s a ton of value in that. So far, so good. We got a good team. Exciting season.”
The Lions held media day in State College on Sunday. Franklin and his coordinators spoke to reporters before their players and other assistant coaches did. Here is a sampling of BWI’s coverage so far:
Penn State football: Position battle updates at safety, receiver, kicker, and punter
Penn State quarterback is one of the surprises of Nittany Lions camp so far
Where does the PSU QB battle stand?
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