Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1541276
1 0 D E C E M B E R 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 W hoever takes the reins from James Franklin at Penn State in 2026 will command a roster that could look very different than what is out on the field this fall. In addition to the ex- pected personnel churn that comes with a coaching change these days, the Nittany Lions are also leaning heavily on veterans who wouldn't have been around next year even if Franklin were returning. The transfer portal should be a busy place after the season for the Nittany Lions, both incoming and outgoing. From Penn State's core starting lineup (counting senior Drew Allar, not red- shirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, as a first-teamer) the group is slated to lose a quarterback (Allar), two running backs (Kaytron Allen, Nicholas Singleton), three wide receivers (Devonte Ross, Ky- ron Hudson, Trebor Peña), three offen- sive linemen (Drew Shelton, Nolan Rucci, Nick Dawkins) and a tight end (Khalil Dinkins). That's not even counting the stay-or-go decision that awaits redshirt junior guard Olaivavega Ioane. The situation isn't much better on defense. The Nittany Lions will have to replace at least one edge rusher (Dani Dennis-Sutton) and possibly two, de- pending on whether oft-injured super senior Zuriah Fisher opts to pursue an- other year of eligibility. Penn State is also set to lose both defensive tackles (Zane Durant, Alonzo Ford Jr.), a linebacker (if we count Dominic DeLuca rather than injured junior Tony Rojas) and the team's best safety (Zakee Wheatley). And as with the offense, we're not accounting for the fact that three players with starting experience — cornerbacks A.J. Harris, Audavion Collins and Elliot Washington II — have junior eligibility this fall and could depart. To put it bluntly, this roster needs a lot of work. Replacing 10 of 12 starters on offense and at least five on defense is a tall order, and given the expected turnover, it's not clear how much talent will appear on the roster from this year's team moving for- ward. Identifying the high-priority play- ers that Penn State needs to keep around is a lot harder this year than it usually is. But it's not impossible. Listed be- low are the five players that Penn State can't afford to lose this coming off- season (eligibility cited here is for the current season). 1. TONY ROJAS LB | Jr. | 6-2 | 230 If there was any question before the season about how important Rojas was to Penn State's defense, that has been erased. Since Rojas suffered a knee injury in practice after the Nittany Lions' White Out loss to Oregon, the defense has fallen off a cliff. Whether the new head coach has his own defensive coordinator in mind or decides to keep Jim Knowles, Rojas is in line to be a heart-and-soul guy. If he decides to explore his options, he would be one of the hottest commodi- ties in the country. 2. CHAZ COLEMAN DE | Fr. | 6-4 | 246 He's cooled off after a fast start, but the talent is obvious. There's still a ton of room for growth as well, and he can help Penn State plenty down the stretch. Coleman is also going to be a sought-af- ter player this offseason, probably more RETAINING THESE PLAYERS WILL BE A TOP PRIORITY S E A N F I T Z | S E A N . F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M NEWS & NOTES Tony Rojas was Penn State's second-leading tackler with 25 stops before suffering an injury that is expected to keep him out of action for the rest of the season. PHOTO MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS