Abdul Carter, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, left Penn State’s 31-14 win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the second quarter with a left arm injury and did not return. However, on Saturday, leading up to the Nittany Lion’s Orange Bowl semifinal contest with Notre Dame on Thursday, James Franklin indicated that those wondering if Carter will play are asking the wrong question.
"At this point, I don't think there's anything stopping him from playing, but it's going to come down to, how is he able to play?" Franklin said told reporters. "We'll see. But his mentality is great. He's excited about this week, but it's too early to say at this stage."
This comment was a departure from Franklin’s typical handling of injury updates throughout the season. He is not one to reveal unnecessary information to his opponent, and while he didn’t flat-out say that Carter would take the field on Thursday night at Hard Rock Stadium, he came pretty close. The better question to ask now is how effective Carter will be with an injured left arm, and that’s really tough to answer.
Facing a physical, athletic quarterback like Riley Leonard, Carter’s presence along Penn State’s defensive line will be crucial for limiting his effectiveness as a runner. Penn State has one of the country’s most elite run defenses and with over 20 tackles for loss this year, Carter is a crucial piece of that.
As a passer, Leonard struggled mightily under pressure, averaging fewer than 4.0 yards per attempt on pressured dropbacks, and when Carter went out in the Fiesta Bowl, the Nittany Lions struggled to affect Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen. If Carter is playing, but is far from 100%, defensive coordinator Tom Allen will need to get creative to maximize his effectiveness.
Carter’s versatility with his history as an off-ball linebacker last season could come in handy. His arm could be at greater risk of reinjury in trench battles with offensive tackles and limited strength and mobility could be detrimental to his entire array of pass-rushing moves. But in space, he’s still one of the faster players on Penn State’s defense and could be a very effective spy on Leonard or even take a limited number of snaps back at linebacker against Notre Dame’s heavy personnel.
It’s unlikely that Franklin will provide much more of an update about his best defensive player before kickoff in Miami, but for now, it sounds like Carter will give it a go, and even if he’s limited, that’s great news.