Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1462941
3 4 A P R I L 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M O ne of Penn State's most recogniz- able faces is now the football pro- gram's lead strength and condition- ing coach. Chuck Losey III was elevated to the role of assistant athletics director for football performance enhancement — back in January. He replaces his longtime men- tor, Dwight Galt III, who oversaw all of the Nittany Lions' weight training efforts before announcing in January that he was stepping down. Losey is known for his perfectly curled mustache, which has made him a recog- nizable on-field presence for the Nittany Lions, even if few fans knew his name or his role within the program until recently. Losey had been with Galt for more than a decade, and also with head coach James Franklin, for that matter. His longevity made him an obvious choice to succeed the man known affectionately within the program as "Deege." Losey's connection to Galt has helped prepare him for the crucial new role in which he will serve as the main offseason point of contact for players and also as the person most responsible for ensuring that they are fast, flexible and strong on game days. "I've been with Deege for 11 years, so my principles are not too far from his own," Losey said. "We've come up with a system. Deege has always been outstanding, and I've got to thank him." Losey has a highly accomplished back- ground in college football. As a player, he was picked as Vanderbilt's defensive line MVP following his senior season and won the Commodores' first Iron Man competi- tion in the overall lineman category. After graduating from the SEC school in 2002, Losey quickly transitioned to the field of athletic performance. He served as director of speed, strength and con- ditioning for Tennessee State from 2004 through 2010, then was invited to join Galt's staff at Vanderbilt when Franklin took over the program following the 2010 season. When Franklin was hired by Penn State in 2014, Galt and Losey joined him in State College. According to his Penn State bio, Losey is a master strength and conditioning coach, which is the highest honor that the Col- legiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association bestows on its members. He also has sports performance coach sta- tus with the United States Weightlifting Federation. Given his background, it should come as no surprise that he was promoted from within to fill his mentor's sizable shoes. His elevation gives the Lions a sense of conti- nuity, and another aspect of the strength program that isn't going to change is the set of expectations that players will have to meet. Penn State must continue churning out lean and mean athletes plus physical linemen who perform well at the college level before moving on to the pros. "We've always believed movement is the key to your team," Losey said. "You can be as big and as strong as you want to be on the squat rack in there. But if you don't have players who can get out there and move on Saturdays and do it over and over and sustain it, you don't have much of a shot." In an interview with The Athletic, Galt explained why Losey is the right man for the job. "It's been a great situation for him, Chuck Losey III brings both continuity and innovation to his new role overseeing the football team's strength and conditioning program G R E G P I C K E L | G P I C 9 2 @ G M A I L . C O M Coming On Strong The Losey File Year at Penn State: Ninth Hometown: Hixson, Tenn. Education: Vanderbilt, 2002 — B.A. human and organizational development Family: Wife: Lauren; daughter: Vera; son: Townes Coaching Career YEARS SCHOOL TITLE 2022-pres. Penn State Assistant athletic director for performance enhancement — football 2014-21 Penn State Assistant/associate director of performance enhancement 2011-13 Vanderbilt Assistant director of performance enhancement 2004-10 Tennessee State Director of speed, strength and conditioning Promoted to his new position in January, Losey was mentored at Vanderbilt and Penn State by the man he succeeded, Dwight Galt III. PHOTO BY THOMAS FRANK CARR