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Beachum opts for redshirt season at Penn St.
Photo
Brandon Beachum
By JOE SCALZO
YOUNGSTOWN
Since the time Brandon Beachum starting playing youth football to earning varsity carries as a freshman at Poland to enrolling early at Penn State and seeing time in every game as a freshman, there’s been one constant: He’s never sat.
So when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Indiana last November, he immediately set his sights on being ready for the 2010 season opener against Youngstown State. But when he was limited in training camp and appeared likely to miss the first few games, Beachum decided to redshirt this fall.
“If we had this conversation even two months ago, I would have said there was no way I was redshirting,” Beachum said. “But things are a little bit different now.”
Beachum, who had surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament, finished his rehab a month ago but was less than 100 percent in training camp. He said the knee wasn’t the problem — he had no swelling or discomfort — but it was more of a “comfort level.”
“I wasn’t involved in full contact, wasn’t getting tackled,” said Beachum, a Mooney High graduate who played his last two prep seasons with the Cardinals. “The closer we got to the season, the more I knew that would hurt me.
“I knew in a month or so, I’d be feeling really good. But I’d have missed a couple games already and to come back that late, that’s pushing it.”
Beachum’s father, Lock, said Brandon was probably a month ahead in his rehab, which was originally expected to be between 8-10 months.
“He’s been phenomenal in rehab,” Lock said. “He’s put in the work.”
But Lock wanted to see how his son looked in practice. So he recently drove to the Nittany Lions’ training camp and saw a player who wasn’t quite 100 percent.
“Personally, I want to see him 100 percent,” he said. “Really, I want to see him 110 percent since he’s coming off such a serious injury.”
Both Beachum and his father said the coaches supported the decision, which isn’t likely to hurt Penn State’s running game this fall. Senior Evan Royster is entrenched as the starter, with junior Stephfon Green serving as his backup.
“That made it a little bit easier to accept,” Beachum said.
Beachum is on track to graduate with a degree in advertising/public relations this spring. He’s also working on a Spanish minor and has a chance to earn his master’s degree — possibly in graphic design — by the time he graduates.
While the redshirt is the smart decision in the long run, Beachum was disappointed that he’ll miss the opener against Youngstown State and the showdown the following week against defending national champion Alabama.
“Of course, I hate to miss the Youngstown State game,” he said. “That goes without saying. And in week 2, we have one of biggest games of our season and probably the biggest game that week in college football.
“But this is a long-term situation and I can’t focus on that stuff. I’ve just got to do everything I can to get ready for 2011.”