Shaka Toney explains how Penn State Football bounced back from 0-5

Shaka Toney was a guest on FanSided’s The Matt Lombardo Show podcast, and opened up about how the 2020 Penn State Football team turned their season around after the Nittany Lions‘ startling 0-5 start.

“I wouldn’t say it was a spark (that caused the turnaround)” Toney explained. “It just everyone making their investments … This is not who we are and we have to keep working and keep figuring out our 1% to get better so we can get back on track.  Going into Michigan week, we made it clear we have to win at Michigan.  What better way to get back on track then win (at Michigan)?”

Toney finished the 2020 season with with 31 tackles as a team captain, and led the team with five sacks.

The Coaches and Media named him to the All-Big Ten first team.  Toney projects as a rotational pass-rusher at the next level and hopes to hear his named called sometime on Day 2 of next week’s NFL Draft.

Following Penn State Football’s first win of the season, over the Wolverines, Toney and the Nittany Lions rattled off four straight victories, to finish the season on a high-note.

According to Toney, the second-half of last season is more characteristic of the Penn State Football program, rather than the 0-5 start being a harbinger of things to come.

“This is what we do,” Toney said. Every single day we just kept working … and put the team back on track.  For me as a senior, (getting back on track) is what we do. We’re a winning program, it’s time for us to get back to where we need to be.  It felt right (to be able to go off like that.)”

You can listen to Toney’s full conversation on The Matt Lombardo Show podcast here.