Biding his time: Bishop Guilfoyle’s Kiesewetter enjoying the Penn State football experience while waiting for his shot
Trending
UNIVERSITY PARK -- Bishop Guilfoyle Academy football coach Justin Wheeler described 2023 graduate Karson Kiesewetter as someone who could take over a game in a moment's notice in his time with the Marauders.
"He made plays not many kids can make," Wheeler said. "Sometimes you got lost in watching the play because he was so good."
Kiesewetter entered Penn State in 2023 as a quarterback and redshirted immediately. He made the switch to safety during spring ball after his true freshman season.
Although he didn't see any game action in his redshirt freshman season last year, Kiesewetter was named the Nittany Lion coaching staff's developmental squad special teams player of the week three times and the defensive player of the week twice.
"It's quite the experience," Kiesewetter said of being a part of the second-ranked Lions. "You're on a top-5 team in the country. It's awesome with the guys you're around. It's just cool to get to experience a lot of new things."
Being a player who could play various positions on both sides of the ball is nothing new for Kiesewetter. Many remember him as a dominant quarterback who threw for over 2,000 yards and also rushed for more than 1,500 yards in his senior year but Kiesewetter also excelled as a defensive back and kicked extra points for a time in a career that got him the 2021 Pennsylvania 1A Player of the Year.
Kiesewetter is far from the only former Marauder who has played major college football. In recent years, BG has sent players to Penn State, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Temple, plus many more have gone on to further their careers at FCS schools.
"That part is one of the things I'm most proud of," Wheeler said. "Championships are awesome, but when you get a chance to see kids live their dreams, it's a great thing for us and also for the next generation hoping to be the next."
Kiesewetter still sees his former teammates and coaches on occasion. He will still go into Bishop Guilfoyle to work out when he's home in the summer and still keeps tabs on BG football during the season, especially when the Marauders won the 2024 PIAA Class 1A title.
"I'm getting older now, but the guys that just won it, we're still good friends," Kiesewetter said. "We keep in touch. I'm trying to help them as much as I can with their college transitions.
"The coaching staff puts a great team together every year. No matter what they're going to figure it out, and they're always going to have success. That's just the group they are."
"It's just great for the program, and great for the kids to see him, and of course for me to see one of the best ever at BG is always good," Wheeler said.
Wheeler is a PSU football alumnus and has been in contact with Nits' coach James Franklin and his staff regularly about Kiesewetter.
Wheeler has said the staff loves his commitment and work ethic, and Wheeler believes he will see the field, perhaps on special teams, before his time is up in State College.
"You're talking about one of the top programs in the country," Wheeler said. "Getting on the field for a 5-star (recruit) is difficult, so he's on a tough road. But I do think because he puts so much into it and I know how athletic he is, I think he'll find a way to make an impact there."