UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Head coach James Franklin, senior cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, senior wide receiver Jahan Dotson and senior defensive tackle PJ Mustipher will represent Penn State at the 49th Annual Big Ten Kickoff in Indianapolis, Thursday, July 22.
Franklin, a 26-year football coaching veteran, was appointed Penn State's 16th head football coach on January 11, 2014 and enters his 11th season as a collegiate head football coach. Franklin's career head coaching record is 84-43 and is one of only six current FBS coaches to lead his team to a bowl game in each of his first nine seasons as a head coach.
Under Franklin's direction, Penn State has finished in the top 12 in the final College Football Playoff rankings in four of the last five seasons, has earned berths in three New Year's Six bowl games with two wins and won the 2016 Big Ten Championship. Franklin has guided the Nittany Lions to an 86 percent graduation success rate, a perfect single-year 1,000 APR for the 2018-19 school year and record-breaking performances in the classroom.
Tariq Castro-Fields · Sr. · CB · 6-0 · 198 · Upper Marlboro, Md. · Riverdale Baptist
- Owns 18 career starts at corner for the Nittany Lions.
- Voted an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection by the coaches and media in 2020.
- Made three starts in 2020.
- Totaled 12 tackles (6 solo) and added a pass breakup.
- Played in the first three games before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.
- Collected five tackles, including four solo, and added a pass breakup at Indiana (10/24/20).
- Notched six tackles against Maryland (11/7/20).
- Also voted All-Big Ten third team by the media and honorable mention by the coaches following the 2019 season.
Jahan Dotson · Sr. · WR · 5-11 · 184 · Nazareth, Pa. · Nazareth Area
- Has played in 30 career games, making 26 starts.
- Has caught a pass in 29-straight games, dating back to Indiana game (10/20/18).
- Has 26 career receptions of 20 or more yards.
- Owns five career touchdown catches of 60 or more yards (75 vs. Illinois, 2020; 70 vs. Illinois, 2020; 68 vs. Iowa, 2020; 60 at Indiana, 2020; 72 vs. Purdue, 2019) and six of 40 or more yards.
- Ranks 13th all-time at Penn State in career receiving touchdowns (13) and is 17th in receiving yards (1,575).
- Is one of 18 Nittany Lions to reach the 1,500 career receiving yards mark.
- Owns six career 100-yard receiving games, tied for eighth all-time at Penn State.
- Owns the Penn State single season record for punt return average (24.6; 2020).
- In 2020, finished tied for 11th in a single season at Penn State for receiving touchdowns (8), 13th in receiving yardage (884), and tied for 17th in receptions (52).
- One of eight receivers (nine occasions) to have five 100-yard games in a season and the third to do so since 2000, joining Allen Robinson (8; 2013), Bryant Johnson (5; 2001) and Chris Godwin (5; 2015).
- With an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 100-yard receiving performance vs. Michigan State (12/12), he became one of three Big Ten players to have 100 receiving yards and a punt return for a touchdown in the same game since 2000 (Michigan's Steve Breaston, 2006 vs. Indiana; Wisconsin's Brandon Williams, 2005 vs. Indiana).
PJ Mustipher · Sr. · DT · 6-4 · 323 · Owings Mills, Md. · McDonogh School
- Named an honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree by the coaches and media in 2020.
- Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
- Has appeared in 34 career games, making 10 starts.
- Started all nine games at defensive tackle in 2020, making 35 tackles (12 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two QB hurries and a pass breakup.
- Was named the coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Week twice in 2020 (Maryland - 11/7; Michigan - 11/28).
- Registered a career-high eight tackles vs. Ohio State (10/31/20).
- Tallied seven tackles, including three solo, at Nebraska (11/14/20).
- Tallied three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack against Illinois (12/19/20).
Penn State's season opener on Sept. 4 at Wisconsin will kick off at noon on FOX. The Nittany Lions will make their return to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 11 vs. Ball State, a 3:30 p.m. ET start on FS1. Penn State's 2021 schedule with updated kick times and TV designations can be found here: https://bit.ly/3fVFuhc.
The 2021 Penn State Football season is presented by PSECU.