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Where Are They Now? 2012 Football Transfers

When NCAA president Mark Emmert handed down unprecedented sanctions against the Penn State football program in July 2012, the Nittany Lion football players were able to transfer to any school without having to sit out a year. While most players publicly announced that they would be loyal and stay with the program, there were 11 players who left the team to play at other schools. Two seasons later, here’s an update on how these former Nittany Lions fared at their new schools (most didn’t do so well).

Silas Redd (USC)
The most high-profile transfer of the bunch, Redd rushed for only 376 yards and one touchdown at USC last season. He only played in six games for the Trojans in 2013 after injuring his knee in spring practice, and he injured his knee again late in the year. Because of the injury, his NFL potential is unclear.

Anthony Fera (Texas)
Fera played in all 13 games for Texas during his senior season, and made 20/22 field goals and 45/46 extra points for the year. Fera was named a Lou Groza Award finalist and is probably the most successful transfer of the group. Fera will likely earn a shot with an NFL team during preseason camps this summer.

Rob Bolden (LSU)
Bolden, once rated the second-best quarterback in the country coming out of high school, hasn’t seen game action in two years at LSU. The junior will probably not play in 2014 either, as he is not listed on the depth chart.

Khairi Fortt (Cal)
Fortt tallied 62 tackles for the Golden Bears in 2013. He was one of the lone bright spots on a Cal team that went 1-11 and was rewarded by being named a Butkus Award semifinalist. In January, Fortt declared himself eligible for the NFL draft, and he is currently projected to go in the third or fourth round.

Justin Brown (Oklahoma)
After spending the 2012 season at Oklahoma, where he recorded 73 catches for 879 yards and five touchdowns, Brown was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 6th round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the Steelers’ practice squad and didn’t see any game action in this past year.

Paul Jones (Robert Morris)
Once considered to be the favorite for the starting quarterback spot at Penn State, Jones transferred to Robert Morris and started 10 games for the Colonials in 2013. He passed for 1651 yards and 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while also rushing for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Shawney Kersey (Marshall)
Kersey transferred to Marshall before the 2012 season but only lasted one game before leaving the team. He didn’t record any statistics for the Thundering Herd.

Jamil Pollard (Rutgers)
Pollard, a highly touted defensive lineman, never played for either the Nittany Lions or the Scarlet Knights. He left the team due to an undisclosed career-ending injury, but he was allowed to keep his scholarship at the school.

Ryan Nowicki (Illinois)
The only player to leave when coach Tim Beckman and his staff came to Penn State’s campus to poach players, Nowicki left Illinois after one year to play for Northern Arizona. He was granted a medical/family hardship waiver and didn’t have to sit out a year.

Kevin Haplea (Florida State)
Haplea suffered a season-ending ACL injury during summer workouts before the 2013 season and wasn’t able to play for the national champion Seminoles. He petitioned the NCAA for a medical redshirt, and he hopes to be back at Florida State for 2014.

Tim Buckley (NC State)
Buckley recorded 25 tackles during his sophomore year at NC State, and he is listed as second-string in the Wolfpack’s offseason depth chart.

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About the Author

Alex Robinson

Alex Robinson was Onward State's Acting Managing Editor/Resident Old Man. He lived in Harrisburg almost his whole life, but he says he's from California -- where he was born -- because that's more fun. He loves cats and Chinese food, but only separately. He met both Ben Affleck and Kanye West within a half hour, so the three of them are basically best friends. If you want to hear his #scorching #hot #takes, you can follow him at @ARobinsonPSU or email him at [email protected].

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