Penn State Football 2017 Player Profile: Safety Troy Apke
Senior safety Troy Apke plays an important role in the Penn State secondary and on special teams.
Penn State enters the 2017 with the luxury of having a deep and talented secondary. One player who has been — and should continue to be — a valuable piece in that is senior safety Troy Apke. Thanks to Apke and his fellow defensive backs, the Nittany Lion secondary should be one of the best parts of the defense this season.
Apke came to Penn State as a member of the 2014 recruiting class and was officially listed as a wide receiver recruit. 247Sports ranked him as a three-star recruit and the No. 9 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania. A standout wide receiver and safety at Mt. Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh, Apke was recruited to Penn State for his defensive skills.
He showed enough as a true freshman to earn a roster spot during his first year in 2014. He played in six games that year and proved to be a versatile player on special teams.
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In 2015 Apke saw his playing time really increase. He appeared in all 13 games and started at safety in the game against Army. In that game he had his best performance as a Nittany Lion to date by making five stops. Apke spent the majority of 2015 as an important player on special teams and was also able to put up some solid numbers when he did get in on defense.
Last year, Apke once again appeared in every game for the Nittany Lions and made one start at safety. He also continued his role as one of Penn State’s top players on special teams. He picked up his first career interception in the win over Iowa and finished the season with 28 total tackles.
Penn State does have an opening at safety this season with the departure of Malik Golden, so there will definitely be an opportunity for Apke to compete for a starting job. Nonetheless, no matter where he eventually falls on the depth chart, Apke will continue his role on special teams and be an important piece of what the Nittany Lions do on defense.