Kicker Joey Julius is no longer with Penn State football, according to a team spokesperson, though no reason has been given for his departure.

Affably nicknamed “Big Toe Joe” for his booming leg utilized on kickoffs, Julius rose to national prominence as a redshirt sophomore in 2016 for his knack for laying down some brutal hits on kickoff coverage. One in particular, during Penn State’s 49-10 loss to Michigan, saw Julius appear on highlight reels across the country as he knocked Wolverines return man Jourdan Lewis into next week early in the fourth quarter.

Julius was lauded for his bravery after revealing his struggles with an eating disorder, and later appeared on Good Morning America to tell his story.

Julius recorded 45 touchbacks as Penn State’s primary kickoff specialist in 2016. Kickoff duties will either be handled by Tyler Davis, Alex Barbir, or Blake Gillikin in 2017.

We’ll provide further updates on Julius’ departure once they’re made available.

About the Author

David Abruzzese

David is a senior from Rochester, NY, nestled right in beautiful Western New York. He is majoring in Broadcast Journalism, and as an avid sports fan, he passionately supports the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. He is the first Penn Stater from his family, and couldn’t be prouder to represent Penn State University. In his free time, he likes to alpine ski, and play golf. You can follow him on Twitter @abruz11, and can contact him via email at davidabruzzese@onwardstate.com.

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