Akron Wide Receiver Jared Fagnano Transfers to Penn State Because of Sanctions

By Troy Pfaff

While all of the sanctions against The Pennsylvania State University football team may have cost the program nine roster players this season and will certainly keep more than a few away in the future, they have opened the door for one player on another team to fulfill his dream of playing for the university. Former Akron Zips wide receiver Jared Fagnano recently transferred to Penn State as a walk-on after noting an opportunity created by the players fleeing from adversity. Jared Fagnano

“I’ve just always wanted to play football there,” the Williamsport, PA native told ESPN.com.

At 5’10 and 182 pounds, Fagnano was not invited to Akron’s preseason camp earlier this month and immediately reached out to the Penn State coaching staff.

He will join brother Jake Fagnano – a safety for the Nittany Lions – as a Penn Stater. Though the redshirt freshman will have to sit out a year because of NCAA transfer rules, Jared will still have three years of eligibility remaining once he can be put on the roster next year.

He also becomes the first player to transfer to Penn State since the sanctions.

While he may very well never take the field in a game situation for the Nittany Lions – I know the program is in trouble, but a non-invitee from Akron still shouldn’t make the team – this is still a great story.

For a kid who was going to play in front of about 15,000 fans in Ohio, the opportunity to play in front of 110,000+ on national television should be a nice change.

Follow Troy on Twitter @TroyPfaff for more Penn State as well as NHL and Pittsburgh Pirates  content

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