It's been a long process for Penn State tight end Andrew Rappleyea to finally make his return to the Nittany Lions offense in 2025.
The 6-foot-4, 251-pound pass-catcher from Millbrook, New York, had his season cut short after suffering a knee injury in Penn State's first game of the season in 2024.
He was supposed to team up with standout Tyler Warren and Khalil Dinkins last season, but it seemed too good to be true, and Rappleyea had to watch his team's successful 2024 campaign from the sidelines.
Andrew Rappleyea speaks out on return to Penn State lineup
As a redshirt freshman last season, Rappleyea was given a starting role alongside Tyler Warren, but the combination of tight ends didn't last long after he sustained the knee injury in Penn State's opener against West Virginia on Aug. 31.
Just under a year later, Rappleyea returned to the lineup, and it seemed nothing less than an emotional experience.
"I've never dealt with injuries, honestly, in my career. I never thought I would... The first bit of adversity had been thrown at me in my life. So kind of just coping with that and realizing I got to take it the right way," Rappleyea said in a Tuesday interview, according to Lyle Alenstein of The Daily Collegian.
"I felt the strongest, the fastest, the best and it just felt amazing," Rappleyea mentioned. "It brought me life again. Putting somebody in the ground, making a play here and there. It just feels good, man. It feels good."
The now sophomore tight end contributed three catches for 33 yards in the Nittany Lions' 46-11 season-opening win against Nevada on Saturday. Now Penn State will have all eyes on Ohio State for the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 as they take on FIU in Week 2.