Some bad news for Penn State's defensive line as the team announced Thursday afternoon that reserve defensive end Brad Bars will miss the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon earlier this week during a workout.
Bars, a redshirt junior, will undergo surgery in the next few days before beginning a rehabilitation plan estimated at 4-6 months, according to team doctor Peter Seidenberg. The 6-3, 251-pound Bars was listed as a backup end on Penn State's summer depth chart behind C.J. Olaniyan. He appeared in eight games last year and recorded two tackles against Navy.
A two-time academic All-Big Ten selection, Bars redshirted the 2010 season, so he will have just one season of eligibility remaining unless he applies for a sixth year.
"Definitely plan on playing another season and know I have a lot of football left in me," said Bars in a text to NittanyNation's Josh Moyer.
Deion Barnes, the 2012 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, has locked up one starting defensive end spot, and Olaniyan and sophomore Anthony Zettel are expected to compete for the other. Bars' injury thins Penn State's depth up front, but if Barnes, Olaniyan and Zettel stay healthy, the Lions should be OK at a traditionally strong position.
