Penn State linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White will miss the rest of the season after sustaining a knee injury in Saturday’s victory over Temple, coach James Franklin said Tuesday.
Wartman-White started each of the first three games for the Nittany Lions (2-1) and had eight solo tackles, six assists and 3.5 tackles for loss, including half of a sack.
Penn State was already without linebackers Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda, neither of whom is expected to be ready for Saturday’s game against No. 4 Michigan.
Wartman-White began the season at outside linebacker and was moved back to the middle with Cabinda sidelined. Now, with Wartman-White out, former walk-on Brandon Smith is expected to get his first collegiate start on Saturday.
“He’s been here four years and he’s played three defensive snaps,” Franklin said of Smith. “He played 57 plays on Saturday. I think the confidence he displayed and how he called the defense, I think, helped.”
Smith finished Saturday’s game with eight tackles, one for a loss, and broke up a pass.
“He’s one of those guys in practice where you get frustrated with him on scout team because you’ll be trying to do a play-action pass, you’re trying to do a fake with a reverse or something like that, and he’d be there,” Franklin said. “You thought he was cheating the drill, but he’s reading his keys. He’s one of those guys. He’s just more athletic than I think people give him credit for.”