Penn State produces East-West Shrine Bowl practice standouts
Former Penn State defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher didn’t need to wait until game time to make his mark. Rather, set to appear in Thursday evening’s East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas, the veteran Nittany Lion spent the week repeatedly proving his ability on the practice field.
What began as isolated Tweets early in the practice week grew throughout. Demonstrating the same ability and effort that carried him to a successful and productive five-year career as a Nittany Lion, Mustipher has continued on the same path.
As a result, Mustipher was named the defensive line’s top performer on the West squad ahead of the main event.
The effort comes on the back side of a final campaign with the Nittany Lions in which he bounced back from a season-ending injury and its adverse effects the year prior. Praising the contributions throughout the program for its Rose Bowl-winning performance this season, Mustipher’s gratitude for his Penn State bonds was paramount coming out of the experience, with his NFL aspirations up next.
“It was so much. Not just me, man. So many guys around me had been through adversity. It wasn’t just me. So our ability to lean on one another and just feed off each other was our biggest thing because that bond, that relationship, and that trust, it shows up in moments like (the Rose Bowl). It runs deep and each and every day being around the guys, they’re my guys for life,” Mustipher said. “They had my back just as I had their backs. It shows up when it matters most and it did tonight.”
Other Penn State players involved
Mustipher hasn’t been alone in the endeavor, either. Though he’s spent his time working with the West squad, two other former Nittany Lions, receiver Mitchell Tinsley and center Juice Scruggs, are also participating in the annual showcase game with the East team. Both have also generated positive reviews for their performances this week.
For Tinsley, coming out of a one-year grad transfer year with the Nittany Lions, the effort has been eye-popping. Parlaying a successful week at the NFLPA Bowl in Los Angeles into an East-West Shrine Bowl invitation, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has established a strong footing for himself in the NFL Draft process.
Scruggs, meanwhile, has also been presented as an underrated piece of the puzzle for the East squad this week. So much so, in fact, that he joined Mustipher in receiving practice week recognition for his performance. Announced Thursday afternoon, Scruggs was the East squad top interior offensive lineman for the week.
Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the NFL Network.
