Penn State returning, and so is tight end Freiermuth

Penn State football coach James Franklin wore a wide smile on his face Wednesday during an interview with the Big Ten Network.

It stemmed from the conference’s decision to play football in 2020 and from the presence of tight end Pat Freiermuth in his office.

Freiermuth, a preseason Associated Press All-American, denied a report last week by the Centre Daily Times that he had opted out and said he will play for the Nittany Lions when they begin their season in late October.

“Obviously there were some reports out there about me opting out, but I never opted out,” Freiermuth said. “I don’t know where those reports came from. I’ve stayed consistent.

“I trust Coach Franklin that he’s going to get the job done. I’m just excited to play football again for Penn State and I can’t wait for the season.”

The 6-5, 256-pound Freiermuth has enjoyed two superb seasons for the Nittany Lions with 69 catches for 875 yards and 15 touchdowns, tying him with Mike Gesicki for the school’s career record by a tight end.

He’s been widely projected to be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft. “There were conversations between me and Coach (about opting out),” Freiermuth said. “There was some open dialog, talking about pros and cons. At the end of the day, I came back for a reason - so I can continue to compete for Penn State and continue to play with my brothers on the team.”

Freiermuth will be one of eight returning starters on offense, including Sean Clifford at quarterback and Journey Brown at running back.

Last month, All-American linebacker Micah Parsons announced his decision not to play because of his concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Although he’s hired an agent, it remained unclear whether Parsons could or would return to Penn State.

Brown and offensive tackle Will Fries were among the players who expressed their thanks to Franklin for continuing to push the Big Ten to play football this fall.

Franklin said he was representing the interests of his players and their parents as he and other Big Ten coaches such as Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Nebraska’s Scott Frost tried to convince the conference to find a safe way to play.

“I think it should be the decision of the families and the young men,” Franklin said. “That’s what I was fighting for. My parents and my players wanted to play based on all the health and welfare policies that we had put in place.

“I wanted to advocate for our players to go out and compete and chase their dreams and do the things they love. I have eight seniors, and I have a responsibility to help those guys chase their dreams.

“Our guys have remained relentless in following our COVID-19 protocols and in their preparations to be ready to play football.”