STATE COLLEGE — Penn State lost a special teams ace to Texas, while two more Nittany Lions have left Happy Valley without ever playing a game for first-year coach Bill O’Brien.

Just days before the start of training camp, Penn State’s roster remained in flux Thursday after the NCAA allowed players to explore transfers in light of strict sanctions against the program for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. It set up a collegiate version of free agency in which opposing teams could cherry-pick players off the NIttany Lions’ roster.

Anthony Fera was the second starter to leave after the kicker-punter announced Thursday he would be booming kicks for Texas this year. The junior, who is from the Houston area, will have two years of eligibility left.

Fera said the last few weeks had been difficult. His mother was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which also factored into Fera’s decision.

“Shortly before I arrived on campus, the most important person in my life was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis), making it more and more difficult to travel each weekend from Texas to see me play,” Fera said in a statement released by the Longhorns.

As of Thursday afternoon, eight players have left Penn State since the NCAA imposed penalties on July 23, including a four-year bowl ban and significant scholarship reductions. One of those departing players, though — backup quarterback Rob Bolden — was given permission to look at other schools before the punishments were announced.

Despite the defections, Penn State noted that 109 players, or 93 percent, had stayed as of Thursday.