Penn State football's expected win over Nevada on Saturday was more than just an easy game to start off the 2025 season. Players flashed on both sides of the ball and the defensive depth, especially, impressed head coach James Franklin.
Veterans Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant highlighted the defense with forced fumbles and interceptions. A.J. Harris, Dominic DeLuca, Tony Rojas, and Amare Campbell are others who headline the defense as well.
Young defenseman and players coming back from injury are who stood out to Franklin the most. The expected stars will always impress the head coach, but fans should expect to see more of these faces in the rotation in 2025. Franklin hopes that the combination of veteran experience will round out the young talent as the season goes on.
"We're young, but these first three games are going to be critical in terms of getting these guys as many reps as we can and then continue to pour into them," Franklin said. "But I think once you kind of get into game four, game five, they're no longer young players. They're guys [who] have played significant reps in college and we need them to act like it."
Chaz Coleman and Yvan Kemajou — Freshmen
Chaz Coleman didn't play as many snaps as Franklin anticipated. He was on the field 22 times, three snaps behind Dennis-Sutton and Jaylen Harvey. However, the freshman is someone the whole team, players and coaches alike, are expecting to have an immediate role in the 2025 rotation.
"[Coleman] was kind of walking in with me in the tunnel and was like, 'Well, I'm glad I got that over with because I was nervous andI don't have to be nervous anymore,'" Franklin recalled.
As for Yvan Kemajou, he played 19 snaps. Though he didn't show up on the stat sheet, fans should expect to see the freshman defensive end in the next two weeks in non-conference play.
"I think [Kemajou's] got a bright future," Franklin said. "We're excited about him."
Xavier Gilliam, Owen Wafle, Mylachi Williams, and Jaylen Harvey — Redshirt Freshmen
Xavier Gilliam made five appearances as a true freshman in 2024, but the defensive tackle redshirted the season. On Saturday against Nevada, Gilliam logged 18 snaps. While he wasn't flashy in terms of numbers, he gave the coaching staff what it was looking for.
Owen Wafle, the Michigan transfer, played 11 snaps and tallied a tackle against Nevada. At defensive end, Mylachi Williams played 14 snaps, logging one tackle as well.
Harvey played the most out of the redshirt freshmen, totaling 25 snaps between defensive tackle and defensive end. He'll be a consistent face in the rotation and the non-conference games aren't his test to see if he can handle it either.
"We've been high on [Gilliam] and he played the way we expect him to play," Franklin said. "[Wafle's] a young and exciting player for us as well [who] played a decent amount on Saturday and we're going to need that role to grow. And then Harvey and [Williams] . . . at defensive end."
Mason Robinson and Ty Blanding — Redshirt Sophomores
Mason Robinson is the only player Franklin listed who didn't see time on Saturday. However, he's hopeful that the defensive end will work his way back into the rotation. It didn't sound like Robinson would be available for Week 2, but getting him back at some point in the season isn't off the table.
Ty Blanding recorded a tackle against Nevada. He played 14 snaps at defensive tackle. In 2024, he played in six games and had three tackles. Franklin is expecting him to soar in 2025, especially with an older group around him.
"Hopefully we'll get . . . [Robinson] back. He's [an] older player that we'd get excited about getting . . . back into the rotation too, and I think there's a chance of that," Franklin said. "I thought Ty Blanding showed up a couple times, showing his athleticism and how explosive he is . . . He's really fast, he's really athletic. I think he'll just continue to get better and better."
Enai White — Redshirt Junior
At defensive tackle, the Nittany Lions have a lot to work with and there's a lot of competition going on. Though Enai White played at tackle on Saturday, logging 10 snaps and one tackle, Franklin sees a different path for the redshirt junior and Texas A&M transfer.
"I think we have found a home for [White]. We're pretty athletic at defensive end and so is [he]," Franklin said. ". . . I think if we can get him up to 285 [pounds] by midseason, he's going to be a really nice guy for us to factor into that rotation."
Keon Wylie — Back from Injury
Keon Wylie is a redshirt junior who was out in 2024 with a long-term injury. On Saturday, he recorded three tackles and one pass break-up over 23 snaps. The linebacker played the same number of snaps as Rojas, tying for second-most at the position behind Campbell and DeLuca (25).
He was one of the four Nittany Lions Franklin called out by name on Monday alongside Cam Wallace, Alonzo Ford Jr., and Andrew Rappleyea when talking about how nice it was to see previously injured players show out and perform well in Week 1.
“[Wylie] is one of the better athletes we have,” Franklin said. “He’s super strong, explosive and fast. I just want him to let it rip. At times he’s trying to be right rather than just going and playing. He's got all the ability in the world and I think we're going to have that moment where it all clicks and everything comes together for him."