Penn State says running back Journey Brown could miss the season due to a “medical condition.”

247 Sports first reported Monday that the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions might be without their leading rusher from 2019.

“Journey Brown is being treated for a medical condition discovered during the offseason and will potentially miss the 2020 football season,” the school said in a statement.

Penn State opens its season Saturday at Indiana. The Nittany Lions already took a significant loss this offseason when All-America linebacker Micah Parsons opted out in August.

Brown, a fourth-year junior, had a breakout season last year and emerged from a crowded backfield to become Penn State’s top ballcarrier. He ran for 890 yards, 12 touchdowns and 6.8 yards per carry.

In Penn State’s Cotton Bowl victory against Memphis, Brown ran 202 yards, a school record for a bowl game.

Earlier this month, Brown told reporters he gave some passing consideration to skipping this pandemic-delayed season and concentrating on pursuing a pro career.

“You can’t come back — you’ve got four years or five years and you’re done. So I’m gonna ride this one out,” he said.

Sophomores Noah Cain (443 yards and eight touchdowns) and Devyn Ford (294 and three touchdowns) are likely to have bigger roles if Brown does not play.

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

FILE – In this Nov. 30, 2019, file photo, Penn State running back Journey Brown (4) celebrates his third quarter touchdown run against Rutgers during an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa. Big Ten is going to give fall football a shot after all. Less than five weeks after pushing football and other fall sports to spring in the name of player safety during the pandemic, the conference changed course Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, and said it plans to begin its season the weekend of Oct. 23-24. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/10/web1_125652346-a2f5c5cbf7c74e6f96c036449f984b7b.jpgFILE – In this Nov. 30, 2019, file photo, Penn State running back Journey Brown (4) celebrates his third quarter touchdown run against Rutgers during an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa. Big Ten is going to give fall football a shot after all. Less than five weeks after pushing football and other fall sports to spring in the name of player safety during the pandemic, the conference changed course Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, and said it plans to begin its season the weekend of Oct. 23-24. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)