Penn State Football: Kicker Joey Julius no longer on team
In a startling move, Penn State football kicker Joey Julius has departed from the Nittany Lions. The Big Ten champs might be in a pickle without him.
There are some players who just seem destined for greatness. Maybe they have a pass that defies description. Maybe they have a startling speed and athleticism that defies their massive size. Maybe they have a poise and focus that allows them to lead their team to victory after victory. Penn State kicker Joey Julius seemed like a legend in the making. He flouted every ideal of the conventional kicker.
Most kickers are slim and speedy and tend to avoid much of the physical confrontation on the field. Julius was 5-foot-10 and weighed in at 260 pounds — heft much more suited for a linebacker.
The kicker made news twice in the 2016 season for kicking the ball and then clocking the returner like a bullet train. His teammates called him a “stone wall”, and opposing teams’ players avoided him. Kickers just aren’t known for being physical players, but Julius terrified his opponents.
Kavious Price, receiver for Kent State, said of him: “You don’t think of a kicker making the tackle, for the most part. And having a 250-some-pound kicker, that makes it even worse, I guess. But I give him props for doing a great job coming down and even wanting to make a tackle on special teams.”
Julius was on the fast track to breaking records and possibly to an NFL career — and then he called it quits. Penn State announced today that Julis is off the roster for the 2017 season.
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Despite his undeniable talent on the field, Julius was hiding a debilitating coterie of mental issues, including anxiety, depression and an eating disorder. CBS Sports reported that Julius was seeking treatment for the eating disorder earlier this year when his absence from spring practice was noted. Later, Julius tweeted about his battle with depression.
It seems that in Julius’ case, the depression won — for the time being. He will likely be seeking help. Penn State will have a tough time replacing him.