Amid Bubba Jenkins being academically ineligible for the fall semester, the 149-pounder could also redshirt this upcoming season.
Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson said "there's a good chance" the 2008 All-American could sit out of competition for the entire season. As of now, Jenkins would be eligible to compete after final exams week, which takes place Dec. 14-18. If Jenkins sits out, he would be the second All-American -- the other being Quentin Wright -- to redshirt this season.
After the 2009 NCAA Championships, Jenkins stressed his content with redshirting this upcoming season, but that was before Sanderson took hold of the program.
Sanderson said he is contemplating Jenkins' replacement for the eight matches the All-American will miss and mentioned junior Christian Harr and redshirt freshman James English as possibilities. Ranked No. 6 in the 141-pound weight class, Frank Molinaro said he would begin the season in the 149 class.
"The past four years -- I've been wrestling at 140, 141," Molinaro said. "It started taking a toll on me last year. I got real sick. My main concern last year was cutting weight."
Molinaro said he will enjoy wrestling more this year because he won't have to lose as much weight.
Sanderson said English is beginning to show improvements after he suffered a neck injury last season. The coach thought English wasn't able to compete like a normal redshirt last season because of the injury and lauded English's ability to come from high school and bear the burden.
"We've had a couple guys that are rebounding off some injuries," Sanderson said. "I don't want to talk too much about it until they get a chance to prove themselves."
Junior Adam Lynch and redshirt sophomore Colby Pisani are the only other upperclassmen listed in the 149-pound weight class. Freshmen David Taylor and Jim Vollrath are also 149-pounders, but Sanderson announced all freshmen will redshirt for 2009-10.
Pisani and Lynch substituted for Jenkins while the All-American was injured last season. Pisani went 0-4 while replacing Jenkins in the 149-pound weight class and 0-7 overall. Lynch lost by technical fall to Purdue's Jake Patacsil in replacing Jenkins.
Jenkins finished 24-3 last year. He sat out against Purdue, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa after suffering an ankle sprain while defeating Indiana's Nick Walpole. Jenkins also suffered back spasms in his 0-2 NCAA performance.
