Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520787
2 0 J U N E / J U L Y 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 effort. Effort is a big thing, and he really makes sure that stands out for us, like running to the ball after it's thrown to the other side of the field. That [kind of ef- fort] is going to go a long way during the season." 'He Looks Different' On the field, Allen will likely employ more of a 4-2-5 look this fall than Diaz did the past two years, even though that alignment was part of his play sheet in both seasons. Rojas could be the star of it. Although he's still listed at 225 pounds on Penn State's roster, he said his actual weight was closer to 240 pounds this spring. He looks bigger and better physi- cally than he did a year ago and should step into a starting role for the first time now that junior Abdul Carter is moving to defensive end. Franklin said that Rojas' physique could potentially allow him to see ac- tion at more than one position within the linebacker corps. He could line up alongside the team's starting middle line- backer, redshirt junior Kobe King, or he could play the Mike position himself in some situations. "Physically, he looks different," Frank- lin said. "But I wanted to make sure that he's not putting on too much weight [because] I think he's a guy that literally can play both positions. He's intelligent enough to play Mike, and he's physical enough and has got enough instincts to play the boundary 'backer. "He's had a lot of production early on in his career," the coach added. "Obvi- ously, we expect it to skyrocket this year, especially with Abdul moving to defen- sive end. I think he and Kobe will work very well together. And I think there will still be competition with some other guys, but he's getting better every single day." Rojas said he feels like his confidence is higher now than it was a year ago, which will only boost his play on the field. The added weight will make a difference, too. He said it's a good feeling knowing that a running back won't be able to just run him over in the box. Even playing at 225 pounds last fall, tackling was not an issue for Rojas as a Rojas made impressive gains in the weight room after arriving on campus in January 2023. He was listed at 225 pounds last season, about 30 pounds above his weight when he signed with PSU the previous December. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS