Manny Bowen was reinstated to Penn State’s roster Saturday after being dismissed from the program last December.

Bowen, a senior linebacker from Barnegat, NJ, was suspended for the 2017 Rose Bowl alongside wide receiver Saeed Blacknall. Bowen was suspended again for the final four games of last season, including the team’s 35-28 win over Washington in the Fiesta Bowl.

James Franklin declined to discuss Bowen’s situation at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago a few weeks ago, but he remained enrolled in classes at Penn State during the spring semester.

Bowen’s return to the team provides a key veteran presence for defensive coordinator Brent Pry’s linebacker group. He has seen action in 30 games (21 starts) for the Nittany Lions, racking up 136 total tackles.

Bowen was pressed into action as a true freshman in 2015 when Nyeem Wartman-White went down with an injury in the season opener against Temple. Bowen tallied a career-high 12 tackles in Penn State’s 24-21 win over Ohio State in 2016.

Bowen arrived in State College as a four-star linebacker and the sixth-best prospect from New Jersey, accumulating more than 30 scholarship offers from around the country. He was also a standout receiver and safety in high school.

It’s still unclear who will start at middle linebacker for Penn State this season, but Bowen, fellow senior Koa Farmer, and junior Cam Brown all have plenty of experience. Ellis Brooks, Jan Johnson, and heralded true freshmen Micah Parsons and Jesse Luketa could also see significant playing time.

Bowen reportedly rejoined the team for the first practice of training camp on Friday. The Nittany Lions open the 2018 season against Appalachian State at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1.