Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544053
A P R I L 2 0 2 6 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W hen Penn State head coach Matt Campbell addressed the Nittany Lions' linebacker corps during a press conference in February, one name immediately popped to the forefront. "Tony Rojas — we were really fortu- nate that Tony came back and wanted to lead our football program," Camp- bell said. "He's coming off of surgery, getting himself ready to rock and roll." Campbell's comment summed up the significance of Rojas' presence at Penn State this spring. The new coach- ing staff had prioritized his retention, and their efforts proved successful. The redshirt junior linebacker an- nounced on New Year's Day that he had decided to stick with the program, calling the past three seasons "an in- credible ride" and adding that he was ready to finish what he'd started with his teammates and "flip" the disap- pointment of 2025 into success with Campbell at the helm. And yet, in affirming his desire to stick with the team that had signed him as a four-star prospect out of Fairfax (Va.) High in 2023, Rojas acknowledged the same reality Campbell and the staff have been confronting this spring. Calling the 2025 campaign a roller coaster — thanks to the season-ending leg injury he sustained in practice on the final day of September — Rojas car- ried with him the weight of potential unfulfilled. The second-year starter could only watch as the Nittany Lions struggled defensively in his absence. Already licking their wounds from a 30-24 double-overtime loss to Or- egon on Sept. 27, the Nittany Lions were carved up by UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava in a 42-37 setback. The following week, Northwestern put to- gether a field-spanning fourth-quarter drive to upset PSU, 22-21. And on it went defensively, with Rojas' absence proving costly in subsequent losses to Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana. Welcoming Campbell and his staff in the aftermath — with defensive coor- dinator Jim Knowles swapped out for D'Anton Lynn, while linebackers coach Dan Connor was retained and is now assisting Tyson Veidt — the Nittany Lions are eager to forge an improved defensive identity moving forward. Rojas is expected to be a central com- ponent, even though his continued re- habilitation this offseason has left the staff looking backward in its effort to imagine what's ahead. "There's a little bit of a projection. Obviously, you want as many guys out there as you can," Lynn said. "But the guys who aren't out there, luckily, a handful of them have played a lot this past year. You can go off this past year's tape to kind of envision what type of guy they're going to be. "But it's tough. You really have to go off of just who you have out there, and you have to make a projection after that." Rojas was leading the team in tackles at the time of his injury, and his pro- duction last September offered ample reason for optimism in 2026. He was credited with 25 tackles in four games, including 4.5 for loss and a pair of sacks, along with 2 quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. In numbers generated by Pro Football Focus, Rojas also had 5 quarterback pressures and was docked for only 2 missed tackles. He's not yet at a point in his recovery where he can replicate those efforts in spring practice, but Rojas has been working out in Penn State's rehab facili- ties. He's been a presence in the Lasch Building, forging relationships with the new staff, and he has created a positive impression. "Tony's a great student," Veidt said. "He's done a great job with time man- agement. He took that part of it very se- riously prior to our arrival. I think based on those things, you know the kind of person that Tony is. He obviously loves football and is working very hard to get himself back there at full speed. Through those daily interactions with our athletic training staff, and the things he's able to do with our strength and conditioning staff, you're still evaluating and engaging all the guys on all those things. "There still is an evaluation process with each guy, irrespective of where they are health-wise. That's really what we're doing with Tony right now. He's got areas he can improve upon without being healthy enough to put on a pair of shoulder pads and a helmet. So, those are all the things we're working with Tony on right now." Balancing optimism against the un- knowns that inevitably follow a serious injury, the Nittany Lions are moving forward with a clear understanding of the dynamics in play. Rojas is a tal- ented and capable centerpiece of Penn State's defensive plans in 2026 and has a chance to leave a lasting impression. ■ Rojas was Penn State's leading tackler early last season before an injury put him on the shelf for the team's final nine games. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS O P I N I O N NATE BAUER NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM HOT READ Tony Rojas' Recovery Looms Large For PSU