PSU DE turns suspension into positive
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In a moment that would have elicited understandable feelings of, at the least, ambivalence, Yetur Gross- Matos was appreciative, offering occasional smiles.
At his team’s annual media day Saturday, the Penn State defensive end was lobbed many of the standard questions from such an event. How was your offseason? What are your expectations for this season? What improvements need to be made?
Then there were the slightly more difficult queries, as much has changed since the Nittany Lions’ final game of the 2018 season. After spring practice, GrossMatos was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules, keeping him away for two months this summer from his teammates, coaches and a place that has become a second home.
From those questions came answers about growth, lessons and maturity. Most of all, his absence provided a level of perspective, meaning something as unappealing as fielding dozens of questions on a balmy August day at Beaver Stadium was welcome because he was back where he belonged.
“It was a learning experience,” Gross- Matos said. “I feel like I got better from it.”
The thought of the 6- foot- 5, 263pound junior being better than he was last year should terrify Nittany Lions opponents.
Last season, Gross- Matos
emerged as a force on a Penn State defensive line that had the most sacks of any Football Bowl Subdivision team. He led the team in tackles for a loss ( 20 for 88 yards) and sacks ( 8 for 58 yards) while ranking 12th among all FBS players in tackles for a loss per game.
With quarterback Trace McSorley gone, and with the Nittany Lions defense primed to be perhaps the best in the Big Ten Conference, Gross- Matos could well be not only the face of the program, but also one of the best defensive players in college football this season.
“Yetur is one of the hardest workers on our football team,” Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry said. “I was not surprised to see him back in action yesterday just looking like Yetor. He has an incredible motor, he runs very well, he has a tremendous work ethic. It’s great to have him back. We spoke often through the summer. He’s an important part of what we want to do here and what we’ve done here.”
Those plans were threatened to be derailed with his suspension, which the program announced in mid- July. Gross- Matos spent that time in his native northern Virginia, working out ( though he declined to specify what those workouts entailed) and mentally preparing for the upcoming season. He came into fall training camp 4 pounds heavier than last season, though such a difference, especially for a player going from his sophomore to junior year, is negligible.
Gross- Matos acknowledged he made a mistake, said he learned from it and stressed he needs to be more mature in the future. Though he was surrounded by family, his time away was difficult in certain moments. He remained in constant contact with head coach James Franklin, Pry, defensive line coach Sean Spencer and, most important of all, his teammates.
“My teammates showed me tremendous support over that time, always reaching out and making me feel like I wasn’t alone,” Gross- Matos said.
“I really appreciated it all.” Gross- Matos’ path to where he is now, and what he overcame to get to this point, is reason enough to be grateful. When he was just 2, his father died in a drowning accident. Only a handful of years later, his 12- year- old older brother died after being struck by lightning.
That’s the kind of adversity that can make something like a suspension seem rather small.
“Because of that background, he probably has a different sense of appreciation than maybe the rest of us,” Franklin said. “We’re expecting big things out of him.”
Just how big those things will be remains to be seen, but, if Gross- Matos maintains something resembling his output from last season, his future beyond Happy Valley could be lucrative.