Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
6 8 A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / 2 0 2 5 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Junior Tony Rojas looks to continue his ascent into a leadership role in a new-look linebacker corps Next Level G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M R arely have there been as many offseason ques- tions about the condition of Linebacker U as there are entering the 2025 season. That's not necessarily a negative. Rather, it's an indication that the position group will look different than it did in Penn State's storied past. Some roles are not as clear- cut as they may have been in previous years. Let's start with the obvious: Jim Knowles, the de- fensive mastermind that Penn State hired away from Ohio State last winter, runs a 4-2-5 base, an alignment the Nittany Lions have certainly used throughout the James Franklin era but will be an even bigger part of the team's approach going forward. Instead of the tra- ditional weakside, middle and strongside linebackers spreading out across the center of the field, a defensive back may fill one of the outside spots more times than not. Then there's the personnel perspective to consider. For the past two seasons, there was no doubt that Kobe King was the man in the middle, while Abdul Carter was the surefire outside linebacker of the group prior to his switch to defensive end last fall. There were firmly established roles, and players fit into the scheme in specific ways. This year's linebacker group, however, is not as clearly defined as many of those that came before it. Redshirt senior Dominic DeLuca is the elder statesman of the room, but he did not break the 400-snap mark at the position a year ago. Only two players did, one of whom — King — is now in the NFL. Is this the year DeLuca becomes an every-down player in the defense? Perhaps. But it's hard to put the fate of the linebackers squarely on his shoulders. That responsibility, instead, falls to junior Tony Ro- jas. He played 656 snaps a year ago to King's 748, ac- cording to Pro Football Focus, and he did so despite taking the field for much of the fall with an undisclosed upper-body injury that he suffered early in the year. Rojas played 656 defensive snaps for Penn State last year, tops among this year's returning linebackers. He ranked fifth on the team with 58 tackles as a sophomore. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS