Penn State football’s kickoff duties will look different in 2026.
After the role was handled primarily by Gabe Nwosu over the past two seasons, the Nittany Lions are set to turn to a new option in the first year of Matt Campbell’s tenure in State College. That option appears to be Cristiano Rosa, a veteran kickoff specialist who has transferred to Penn State after spending the past two seasons at James Madison.
Rosa is not yet listed on Penn State’s official roster, but he is enrolled at the university, and BWI has confirmed his addition to the program, later Rosa posted on his social media accounts.
Rosa began his collegiate career at Central Connecticut in 2022, appearing in one game as a freshman while retaining his redshirt. In that appearance, he went 1-for-3 on field goal attempts against UConn. He did not see game action during the 2023 season before transferring to James Madison ahead of the Dukes’ 2024 campaign.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.At JMU, Rosa quickly established himself as the Dukes’ primary kickoff specialist. During the 2024 season, he appeared in every game, kicking off 69 times and recording 52 touchbacks.
He expanded that role this past season as James Madison captured a Sun Belt title and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff. Rosa handled 90 kickoffs, producing 62 touchbacks, including a season-high nine against Old Dominion in October.
