Penn State’s defense will look noticeably different when it takes the field Saturday against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl - and one of the biggest absences is edge rusher Zuriah Fisher.
The sixth-year senior defensive end is not with the team in New York as the Nittany Lions wrap up preparations for their final game of the season, marking another twist in what’s been a long, winding college career for Fisher.
After missing all of 2024 with a knee injury and sitting out the 2025 opener, Fisher worked his way back into the starting lineup, logging starts in all 11 games he played this fall. It was a bounce-back campaign that showcased his resilience and ability to contribute at a high level despite a history of setbacks.
He notched a career-high 19 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also forced a fumble and broke up a pass - a solid stat line that only tells part of the story.
Fisher played 438 defensive snaps this season, second only to senior Dani Dennis-Sutton among Penn State’s defensive ends, and generated 30 quarterback pressures according to Pro Football Focus. That pressure total also ranked second on the team behind Dennis-Sutton’s 44. In short, Fisher wasn’t just back - he was productive and disruptive.
Late in the regular season, Fisher spoke about the mindset in the locker room when it came to bowl participation. “I think people want to play in it, honestly,” he said. “You might have a couple people not play, but I think the majority of people will play in it.”
Now, he won’t be one of them.
His absence adds to a growing list of unavailable starters for Penn State heading into the bowl matchup. That list includes defensive tackle Zane Durant, offensive guard Vega Ioane, running back Nick Singleton, safety Zakee Wheatley, and cornerback A.J.
Harris. With Fisher out and Dennis-Sutton’s bowl status still unclear as he eyes the 2026 NFL Draft, the Nittany Lions are thin at defensive end.
Freshman Chaz Coleman has already left the program to enter the transfer portal, so the bowl game will likely be a proving ground for younger edge rushers like redshirt freshman Jaylen Harvey and true freshman Yvan Kemajou. Both will be counted on to step up against a Clemson offense that can test the edges.
Fisher’s path to this point has been anything but conventional. Coming out of Aliquippa High School in Pennsylvania, he was named Defensive MVP of the Beaver Valley Conference and climbed from No. 738 to No. 173 in 247Sports’ Class of 2020 rankings. Initially recruited as a linebacker, he transitioned to defensive end during the 2021 offseason and got early reps in that role during the Outback Bowl when Arnold Ebiketie opted out.
Injuries again derailed his momentum in 2022, limiting him to just two late-season appearances. But in 2023, he became a steady rotational piece on a deep defensive line that included future NFL draft picks Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac, as well as Dennis-Sutton and Amin Vanover.
Fisher played in all 13 games that year, logging 17 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. He saw more than 20 snaps five times, peaking with 45 in the Peach Bowl.
With Robinson and Isaac moving on, Fisher was expected to take on a larger role in 2024, even as Abdul Carter - another linebacker-turned-defensive-end - entered the mix. But a spring injury wiped out his entire 2024 season, and his return this fall was a testament to his persistence and passion for the game.
Interim head coach Terry Smith didn’t hold back when talking about what Fisher has meant to the program - and what he’s overcome.
“He has a storybook telling,” Smith said. “Two ACLs, Mom passed while he's here on campus... the truest of adversity, and yet here he is playing exceptional football for us, overachieving, fighting all the odds, and I'm super proud of him.”
Smith added that Fisher’s academic success - earning his degree - might be what he’s most proud of. “I promised his mom that he would get that, and he's just been a great kid, and he's reaping the reward of hard work.”
There’s still a chance Fisher could pursue a rare seventh year of eligibility, something he hinted at late in the season. But for now, his absence in the Pinstripe Bowl leaves a leadership void on the edge - and a big opportunity for Penn State’s younger pass rushers to make their mark.