The Penn State football linebacking corps could be down a key player.
Fourth-year player and second-year team captain Dom DeLuca left Saturday’s 56-0 win over Kent State early and wasn’t seen at practice Wednesday during the media’s weekly viewing window.
Although coach James Franklin doesn’t have an update on DeLuca’s status, there’s at least a possibility he’ll miss this week’s game against Illinois.
If this happens, a true freshman linebacker from one of Pittsburgh’s most prestigious schools could be given the “green light” Saturday. The player is Anthony Speca, who made his college debut Saturday and played 19 snaps per Pro Football Focus. In those 19 snaps, he made his first solo tackle and assisted on another, getting an overall PFF grade of 70.4.
To have the “green light” means Penn State’s coaches are ok with a player burning his redshirt— which he keeps as long as he doesn’t appear in more than four games— so he can help the team right away.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Days before the season opener at West Virginia, Franklin announced that true freshman OL Cooper Cousins and safety Dejuan Lane had been given the green light. Two weeks later, Franklin confirmed that true freshman TE Luke Reynolds had been given the green light after second-year TE Andrew Rappleyea had been lost with a “long-term injury.” Now, it looks like Speca could be on the verge.
Franklin thinks highly of Speca’s work so far and also loves Speca’s alma mater.
“We just can’t get enough Pittsburgh Central Catholic guys,” Franklin said.
Fellow Penn State football true freshman Peter Gonzalez also came from Pittsburgh Central Catholic, as does Class of 2025 commit Xxavier Thomas.
