Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1518105
3 6 A P R I L 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T he Nittany Lion football team wrapped up winter workouts on March 1 and invited Penn State beat reporters into the Lasch Building's renovated weight room to learn about the team's progress. To hear strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey tell it, there was a lot to discuss. "It's been a good seven weeks," Losey said. "This team, from a maturity and a focus standpoint, I think is where we need to be. We've set a good founda- tion going into spring ball, so I'm really happy with it." Losey is now in his second year as assistant athletics director for per- formance enhancement. He's been in charge of the football team's strength and conditioning program during a pe- riod of transition for PSU's facilities. With head coach James Franklin hav- ing frequently highlighted the need for Penn State to keep pace with its rivals, the Lasch Building is undergoing a mul- tiphase renovation that began with a major expansion of the weight room. The room nearly doubled in size when the first phase of the project was com- pleted in the summer of 2022 at a cost of $48 million. The Nittany Lions have since been put- ting those improved resources to good use. Losey said he was happy with the leadership that a number of upperclass- men had provided this winter, notably redshirt junior linebacker Dominic De- Luca, redshirt senior center Nick Dawkins and transfer receiver Julian Fleming. From a growth and development standpoint, Losey said two of the stand- outs this winter were redshirt freshman offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh and sophomore defensive end Jameial Lyons. Donkoh has actually lost seven pounds since arriving as a 335-pound freshman last year. However, he's been on the fast track since last fall and is viewed as a contender to start at one of Penn State's vacant offensive tackle spots, "You talk about a gritty kid who just embraces every challenge we put in front of him — he's got a bright future for this football team," Losey said. Lyons was listed at 6-foot-5, 242 Strength coach Chuck Losey lauds Penn State's performance during winter workouts HEAVY LIFTING HEAVY LIFTING NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Losey is in his second year as Pe n n Sta te's ass i sta n t athletics director for perfor- mance enhancement. He said at the conclusion of a seven- week winter workout pro- gram that the Nittany Lions were "where we need to be." PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL "We bring in the right type of guys, Penn State guys who fit well with our culture. I'm proud of all of our transfers who have come in." L O S E Y