Penn State's Nick Tarburton set to make impact at defensive end after overcoming injuries

Apr. 14—When Nick Tarburton thinks about the months he was trying to return to action for the Penn State football team, he remembers how much he missed the game, how much those closest to him lifted his spirits and how much he could endure.

"Without a doubt, I've had some struggles here as far as staying healthy," Tarburton said Wednesday. "It was tough. It took a toll on me a little bit. It made me better and stronger. I take that roller coaster (ride) as an advantage now.

"I cherish the game so much more than I ever have. Just the ability to play is something special. I'm really looking forward to this season."

Tarburton, the former Pennridge High standout, has received praise in the last month from Penn State coach James Franklin, defensive line coach John Scott Jr. and strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt. They clearly expect him to be a contributor in the fall, whether as a starter or as part of the defensive end rotation.

He missed a significant amount of time during his first two seasons at Penn State with what Galt called "some lower back and some hip and some other things with him." He played in two games as a true freshman in 2018 and did not see action in 2019.

He wouldn't disclose the exact nature of his injuries, but he said he finally began to feel close to 100% healthy about a year ago. He underwent rehabilitation two or three times a week, which included cycling and pool therapy.

"There would be certain things that I couldn't really control," Tarburton said. "It was hard for me to accept. 'I can't control this. I'm banged up.' What I could control was doing everything I could to get back.

"Just with the certain adversities I've kind of been presented with, you either fold under that pressure and just kind of fade away, or you can step to it and do everything you can to overcome it."

Tarburton was a four-star prospect at Pennridge who was twice named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State Class 6A first team. A linebacker in high school, he made 98 tackles, including 19 for losses and seven sacks, as a senior.

He's always prided himself on his toughness, but he leaned on his parents, Ami and Rick, and his two brothers, Zack and Jake, when he was injured for an extended period for the first time in his career.

"The biggest thing I had was my family," Tarburton said. "And, of course, Coach Franklin and all the coaches were always doing their best to be there for me. It was trying. It was tough. But having the right people by your side means a lot.

"My parents have probably been the biggest influences when it comes to that (staying positive). They just said, 'You can't be negative. You've got to do everything you can to stay positive.' "

The 6-3, 253-pound Tarburton is competing with several teammates at the two defensive end positions, which were left vacant after Shaka Toney graduated and Jayson Oweh declared for the NFL draft.

Adisa Isaac, Smith Vilbert and Temple transfer Arnold Ebiketie appear to be his chief competition.

"I think this group is something special that we're building," Tarburton said. "You can kind of get glimpses of it throughout the spring. We have a select group of guys that have different strengths. Some may do one thing better than I do, or I do one thing better than they do.

"We are kind of complementing each other."

Tarburton, though, is the one who opened some eyes during winter weight training and conditioning. He's continued that momentum during spring practice, which ends Saturday with Penn State's final practice at Beaver Stadium.

"Whew, he's really good," defensive tackle PJ Mustipher said. "He looks good. I'm not going to lie to you. Even starting in the winter, he looked fast and quick. He's getting better every day.

"Seeing where he's come from and everything he's had to deal with, just to be able to bounce back and be out there every day, it's amazing to watch. He's worked his butt off. He's a good guy, too. I'm proud of him."

Tarburton played in seven games last season on defense and special teams and made the first two tackles of his career. He has higher aspirations for himself this season, and so do his coaches.

"Nick has had a really good spring so far," Scott said. "Nick's got a chance to help our football team and make plays. He's a super-smart guy. He's always in the right spot. He'll make the plays that he needs to make for our team.

"I'll tell you what, I value his leadership in our room so much. Nick Tarburton is a really, really good leader. The guys look up to him. He does things the right way. He works hard and I'm excited to see what Nick's going to be able to do for us."

Nick Tarburton has no self-pity about the injuries because he's grown from his ordeal. He's looking ahead, not back.

"I knew I was going to come back no matter what," he said. "The time is great now and I'm feeling the best I have since I've gotten up here. So I'm super-excited for the season."