Big Ten Daily: Penn State Defensive End Adisa Isaac Likely to Miss Season

Penn State junior defensive end Adisa Isaac was set to help fill the void left by the departure of Micah Parsons and Odafe Oweh to the NFL this season. However, coach James Franklin announced Saturday that Isaac is likely to miss the 2021 campaign due to injury.

Franklin said during the team's media day that Isaac suffered an undisclosed injury unrelated to football training.

"Adisa's been phenomenal in terms of what he needs to do [potentially to play]," Franklin said. "You never know, but he will be out for a significant amount of time."

Last season, Isaac appeared in all nine games for the Nittany Lions. He ended the year with 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries. As a freshman in 2019, he played in 11 games and recorded 14 total tackles, three for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

For more from our Sports Illustrated Penn State site, AllPennState, CLICK HERE.

Ohio State Among Final Choices for 5-star 2023 RB Recruit

Richard Young, a five-star running back from Lehigh Senior High School in Lehigh Acres, Florida, has narrowed down his top college destinations to 10 schools.

Among the programs he listed Sunday on social media, Ohio State was the only Big Ten program he is considering. His top school also include Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Georgia, Oklahoma State, Oregon and USC.

Young is a 6-foot, 190-pound prospect and the No. 1 ranked running back from the class of 2023, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also rated as the 17th player in the nation and the fifth-best in the state of Florida.

Before narrowing down his choices, Young fielded offers from 41 different programs. He has yet to take an official visit. In his past two seasons of high school football, Young has recorded 211 carries for 1,836 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Ohio State doesn't yet have a verbal commitment to its 2023 recruiting class. The team currently boasts the No. 4 class in the 2022 cycle, which ranks second in the Big Ten, according to 247Sports. 

Purdue's Aidan O'Connell Looks for Edge in QB Competition

In this year's rendition of the Boilermakers' quarterback battle, Aidan O'Connell is maximizing what he does best to give him an advantage. 

"I think I know my strengths well. I'm not under the impression that I'm gonna beat anyone with my athleticism," O'Connell said after Saturday's practice. "But I try to do what I do, as good as I can."

O'Connell has nine games of playing experience under his belt, including the first three matchups of Purdue's 2020 campaign. However, he's split time with junior quarterback Jack Plummer dating back to the 2019 season. 

The coaching staff studies every play made on the field, and the determining factor is going to be who is the most consistent in the spotlight. 

"We're always looking for the best decision makers, the most accurate throwers, the toughest guys. And they got to prove that every single day," Purdue quarterbacks coach Brian Brohm said. "We try to vigorously grade every single rep they take in practice. I'm pretty open with what grade they're getting and telling them where they stand every single day." 

The Boilermakers continue to split repetitions for the quarterbacks on the roster, and they'll ride the hot hand as the season inches closer. O'Connell is determined to do all he can to start under center against Oregon State at Ross-Ade Stadium on Sept. 4. 

For more from our Sports Illustrated Purdue site, Boilermakers Country, CLICK HERE.

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