Penn State star safety Kevin Winston Jr. will be out for an extended period due to a long-term injury, as announced by head coach James Franklin on Wednesday. This absence will leave defensive coordinator Tom Allen searching for solutions ahead of Week 4.
Winston injured himself in the first quarter of Penn State’s Week 2 victory over Bowling Green and, following a bye week, he will remain sidelined indefinitely. Franklin confirmed that Winston will miss the matchup against Kent State but did not provide a timeline for his return or details about the injury sustained against Bowling Green.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pound safety led the team in tackles in 2023 with 60 total, along with five pass breakups, one interception, and two fumble recoveries. In just a game and a quarter in 2024, he recorded 13 tackles and a forced fumble after a standout performance in the season opener against West Virginia.
This offseason, Tom Allen took over as Penn State’s defensive coordinator, replacing Manny Diaz. Allen typically employed a system featuring three safeties: Winston and Zakee Wheatley deep, with Jaylen Reed positioned closer to the line in a nickel role dubbed the “lion” position.
Franklin mentioned two freshmen, Dejuan Lane (safety) and Antoine Belgrave-Shorter (cornerback), as candidates likely to see more playing time during Winston’s absence.
Allen faces two options for his adjusted defense: he can either keep Reed in the “lion” role where he excelled against West Virginia and pair Lane with Wheatley at safety, or shift Reed into Winston’s position alongside Wheatley and move junior cornerback Cam Miller into the “lion” role.
In Week 2, Allen chose the latter strategy, but Miller struggled, allowing six receptions on six targets while being outmatched by Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who had 11 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown.
Kent State, coming off a 71-0 loss to Tennessee, presents a chance for Allen to experiment defensively and establish a reliable unit before Big Ten play begins in Week 5. Winston’s long-term absence significantly impacts the Nittany Lions, making it difficult to maintain a top-10 defense unless the defensive line improves its performance.
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