Penn State Sports Magazine
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O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 2 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M up to the standard. So, we talked about it before the game. We couldn't come out flat this game. I know we had to prove a point." Here's a closer look at who's been set- ting the standard so far and what ques- tions remain as conference play starts. Defensive Line The Lions' defensive front had a lot to prove going into the season. Getting se- nior edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton and senior defensive tackle Zane Durant back for a final campaign were both massive victories, but could the former change games like Abdul Carter did? Could the latter go to another level of disruption? So far, Dennis-Sutton has made a statement, totaling 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 4 quarterback hurries and 2 forced fumbles through three games. While impressive, his impact exceeds even those gaudy numbers. He has been a constant presence in opposing backfields, disrupting run and pass plays alike. Durant's numbers are more typical of his past seasons: 2 tackles, lots of plays that don't make the stat sheet, and an in- terception. Beyond those two, questions still linger. Super senior defensive end Zuriah Fisher is back in action after missing Week 1 but has yet to flash consistently. Freshman end Chaz Coleman is as electric as they come and has all the potential in the world but is still entering just his fourth col- lege game. He has 3 tackles for loss and a sack. In addition, redshirt freshman Jaylen Havey is in the mix, as is true freshman Yvan Kemajou, who has played in all three games so far. The status of Harvey's classmate Mylachi Williams is not as clear after missing the Vil- lanova game. In the middle, Durant and su- per senior tackle Alonzo Ford Jr. are stout players who get the job done. Redshirt freshman Xavier Gilliam has been very good, and Michigan transfer Owen Wafle has contributed, as well. We should have a better read on this group by early October. Linebacker Penn State seems to have only three players it trusts to play consistently at this spot, but all three were tackling machines in the first three weeks. Newcomer Amare Campbell, a junior, leads the team with 22 tackles (3 for loss) and a sack over the first three weeks. He and junior Tony Rojas were terrific against Villanova, combining for 12 stops (5 for loss) and 3 sacks. The two linebackers are both from Vir- ginia, and Rojas pushed Campbell to join Penn State from North Carolina out of the transfer portal. Their longstanding rela- tionship is evident via their chemistry on the field despite only playing together at this level for a short period of time. "I think it starts from just being friends back home," Rojas said in mid-Septem- ber. "You're able to talk to each other and speak the truth on whatever it is. I think that helps a lot. Whatever it is in prac- tice that we mess up, we'll be honest with each other." The third starter is redshirt senior Dominic DeLuca. A special teams ace who contributes on defense more than most give him credit for, he has 9 tackles (1.5 for loss) and a sack. "We've been playing very good," Campbell said when asked to evaluate the group's play. "There's always room for improvement, but I feel like week in and week out, we're getting better." The key question facing this group is the depth behind the top three. Redshirt junior Keon Wylie played more against Villanova than in the previous weeks and is the fourth option. From there, however, there's no proven talent. Secondary This is the hardest group to evaluate because it has had to do next to nothing en route to three victories. Penn State's nonconference opponents wisely elected not to test junior cornerbacks A.J. Har- ris and Audavion Collins, redshirt senior safety Zakee Wheatley, and the rest of the Lions' secondary. The other safety spot is the most inter- esting one. Redshirt freshman Antoine Belgrave-Shorter earned the first-team job coming out of camp, but junior King Mack, who is in his second stint with the team after spending the 2024 season at Alabama, has seen his role expand in re- cent weeks. "[Mack] was fighting for the starting job and did not win it during training camp," Franklin said after the Villanova game. "The first couple of games, we weren't playing as fast as we needed to. I give King a ton of credit. A lot of guys, when that happens, they kind of go into the tank. And he was the total opposite. He was in the build- ing, lived in the building, huge smile on his face. Great energy. Attacked special teams, was really play- ing well on special teams, and just worked his way back into it." Mack plays with speed and ag- gression, which is what this defense needs to be built on under Knowles. Expect his role to continue to grow. "The big thing this week that Coach Knowles was heavy on was being the most physical defense in the country," Mack said. "We were very on top of being physical. I feel like today we were very physical, and that's going to take us a long way." ■ Redshirt junior cornerback Audavion Collins and his fellow defensive backs weren't tested often during Penn State's nonconference season. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS