Some Penn State football players are working out at State High, kicker confirms
Penn State football players may not be able to work out with a ball on the university’s campus, but they’ve found another location to put time in at before the season starts.
Several Nittany Lions have been working out at the South Track Field behind State College Area High School since they’ve returned to campus.
The team is only permitted to lift weights or run at Penn State’s Holuba Hall as part of the athletic department’s phased return to campus in accordance with NCAA rules.
But junior kicker Jake Pinegar said he, holder Jordan Stout and longsnapper Chris Stoll have gone up to the South Track to get work in while they wait for the chance to work out with a ball in the Penn State football facilities.
“I know guys are working out on their own,” Pinegar said on a Wednesday afternoon conference call. “Me, Chris and Jordan go up to the high school here. We try to get work (done) as much as possible. Because we’re not allowed to be in Lasch and use those facilities for those things right now.”
Pinegar said the field has been a workout spot for several other Nittany Lions because of what it allows the team to get done and the space it provides for them to do what they need to do.
“That’s a popular area where guys are going right now,” he said. “It’s a turf field. There’s a lot of space up there. Guys are able to get up there and throw, run routes, kick, stuff like that. It’s pretty popular with what’s going on right now, since we don’t have full access to the other fields right now.”
The South Track is a public space that can be accessed and used by members of the community, outside of when State High teams have specific field or facility reservations, a SCASD official confirmed.
Penn State can’t use a football in on-campus activities until mid-July when they begin their summer training session, according to the preseason camp plan approved by the NCAA Division I Council earlier this month.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 1:47 PM.
