Penn State Tight End No Longer on Nittany Lions Roster

Redshirt sophomore Joey Schlaffer no longer is with the Penn State program.

A general view of the end zone at Penn State's Beaver Stadium prior to the Nittany Lions' game vs. the Northwestern Wildcats. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

A Penn State tight end no longer is on the football roster, marking the first official player departure since James Franklin was fired Oct. 12.

Joey Schlaffer, a redshirt sophomore tight end, no longer is listed on the Nittany Lions' roster. Blue-White Illustrated first reported the move Wednesday. Schlafer played in the season's first three games but did not record a snap during the Big Ten season. He was not on the travel roster last week at Ohio State.

Schlaffer likely will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal when a new coach is announced. Penn State players have 15 days to enter the portal, following a five-day waiting period, once the new coach is hired.

Schlaffer caught one pass for a 19-yard touchdown in Penn State's 52-6 win over Villanova, its last victory of the season. Penn State since has lost five consecutive games, the last two on the road at Iowa and Ohio State.

Schlaffer was in his third season at Penn State. He redshirted in 2023 and played in four games last season without registering a catch.

Schlaffer (6-5, 252 pounds) was a 3-star tight end in Penn State's 2023 recruiting class. The Reading, Pennsylvania, native was a three-time all-state player at Exeter Township High. He set Berks County records for career receiving yards (2,493) and touchdowns (28). Schlaffer caught 38 passes for 879 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior.

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Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith adjusts his headset during a game vs. the Ohio State Buckeyes. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Schlaffer's departure could signal the first of several roster changes Penn State will undergo during the season's final four regular-season games. Players can't officially enter the portal until Penn State names a new head coach, though some could choose to start their futures sooner.

Smith this week discussed the challenges of re-recruiting his current roster while finishing the regular season. Penn State has four regular-season games remaining.

"They're very difficult," Smith said of the conversations between players and coaches. "Reality is no one knows who is going to be here. When the next head coach is hired, that person could wipe the whole building out.

"We just try to stay grounded, keep our feet on the ground, and be professionals. The young men in the locker room, they deserve that. They're showing up to work every single day, so us as coaching and as a staff, we have to give our 110 percent for these guys. That's what we're going to continue to do, and focus is on trying to beat Indiana this week."

Penn State hosts unbeaten Indiana on Saturday at Beaver Stadium in its first home game since Franklin's firing. The Hoosiers (8-0) debuted at No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on FOX.