Penn State will be without one of its defensive lineman for the remainder of the season.

James Franklin announced Tuesday night that Smith Vilbert won’t play this season. The head coach didn’t give a reason why.

“Smith [Vilbert] will not be available this week and will not be available this season,” Franklin said.

To the surprise of many, Vilbert hadn’t appeared in any games for the Nittany Lions this season. He shined in last season’s Outback Bowl with three sacks, which looked like a sign of things to come for the young defensive end.

Last week, Franklin mentioned that he wanted to talk with Vilbert to make sure the two were on the same page.

“I’d like to sit down with Smith and make sure that we’re on the same page…I’m really proud that Smith Vilbert is a part of our program,” Franklin said.

Vilbert committed to Penn State back in 2019 as a three-star recruit from St. Joseph’s Regional High School. He has totaled eight tackles and three sacks in 16 games played for the Nittany Lions.

This is the second straight season Franklin has labeled a defensive lineman unavailable for the remainder of the season. Last year, Franklin told the media, around the same point in the season, that Hakeem Beamon was unavailable for the rest of the season. Similarly, he declined to give a reason.