One of Penn State footballโs best players is coming back for 2025.
Saturday morning, a defensive lineman by the name of Zane Durant announced via X (formerly Twitter) that heโs returning to Penn State for the 2025 season, which will be his last year of eligibility.
https://Twitter.com/darealbabyzane/status/1878102438365843751?s=46
This is a big deal, both literally and figuratively.
Itโs literally a big deal because Durant is a big man, at 6-foot-1 and 288 pounds. Itโs figuratively a big deal because, with possible exception of Abdul Carter, thereโs a case to be made that no Penn State defender was better than Durant in 2024.
Durant wasnโt named to either the Big Tenโs first or second-teams. That confused people because Durant has become arguably one of the best defensive tackles in college football. He more than doubled his tackles from last season, going from 17 to 42, and even playing on the interior, had 28 pressures per Pro Football Focus, which is third on the team. He also had 11 tackles for loss.
Durant was named to third-team All Big-Ten. Many felt that wasnโt enough.
โI WOULD LIKE TO BE THAT GUYโS AGENTโ
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now
Ahead of Penn Stateโs Fiesta Bowl/College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Boise State New Yearโs Eve night, Boise OC Dirk Koetter gave perhaps the most telling quote about Durant from an opposing coach.
โMan, I would like to be that guyโs agent,โ Koetter told reporters. โHeโs got a crazy combination of quickness and power, and I think that guy is very disruptive on the inside.โ
โI Would Like to be That Guyโs Agentโ: Boise State OC Impressed by Penn State DL
WHAT THIS MEANS
Penn State is losing some depth at defensive tackle, with Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard each out of eligibility. With the defensive line losing Carter to the Draft and potentially Dani Dennis-Sutton for the same reason, Durantโs role on the front could be even bigger in 2025 than it was this season.
Penn State opens its 2025 season against Nevada Aug. 30 at Beaver Stadium.
