Penn State safety Koa Farmer’s on-again, off-again move to linebacker is back on again, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin confirmed on Tuesday. The redshirt sophomore has been a backup at strong safety this season but with injuries to all three starting linebackers, he’s been listed on the latest official depth chart behind Manny Bowen at the ‘Will’ field linebacker position.

“We think his best position long-term is outside linebacker,” explained Franklin. “He’s a guy that’s really kinda had to fight to keep his weight down. At one point I think he was as high as 227 playing safety. I think right now he’s around 222, somewhere around that range. Genetics are telling him one thing, but obviously playing running back in high school and playing some defensive back, some safety, that’s where he was most comfortable.”

Penn State moved Farmer to linebacker before last season, but Farmer struggled in traffic and moved back to safety late in the year. With a huge need at the position and nature taking, the return to the front seven was inevitable.

“It’s a transition that we think is going to happen,” said Franklin. “He did it a little bit since he's been here. The linebacker position, especially being out in space, not necessarily in the box. The problem is when you play 22 personnel people or 12 personnel or 21 personnel people, they're going to get in heavy sets and try to pound you. That linebacker is no longer to the field. That linebacker is no longer in space covering the receiver, he's in the box, which is a completely different world being a space linebacker compared to a box linebacker.”

Safety Malik Golden called Farmer one of the most versatile players on the roster earlier this week, but Franklin echoed that his development at linebacker is very much a work in progress.

“He has a lot of potential. But there is a transformation that has to happen from going in and being basically a running back in high school to a defensive player,” said Franklin. “Some guys pick those things up faster than others.”

Penn State will travel to Michigan to take on the Wolverines on Saturday at 3:30.