Penn State head coach James Franklin announced that redshirt freshman defensive lineman Fred Hansard will miss the rest of the season due to an undisclosed injury.

Franklin didn’t get into the specifics of Hansard’s injury, but he went down in the second quarter of the Nittany Lions’ defeat to Michigan State on Saturday.

Hansard was part of Penn State’s rotation at defensive tackle this season. He earned his first start of 2018 in week 1 against Appalachian State as Kevin Givens served a one-game suspension. He appeared in six games and made two tackles, including half of a tackle-for-loss against the Mountaineers. 

Now that the Burlington, NJ native is out for the season, true freshman PJ Mustipher will serve as Givens’ backup on the defensive line. CJ Thorpe made the switch from offensive line to defensive tackle earlier this month, so he may see more playing time due to the injury.

Franklin added that Mustipher, redshirt sophomore Antonio Shelton, and Damion Barber — a redshirt freshman — may see more playing time in Hansard’s absence at his weekly press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

In addition to Hansard, backup running back Mark Allen is also out for the season due to an undisclosed injury.