Linebacker U could use another one or two, and James Franklin isn’t afraid to admit it. After Penn State’s Blue-White Game on Saturday, Franklin acknowledged Penn State’s lack of depth at linebacker after the unexpected departure of Ta’Mere Robinson in the spring portal window.
“We aren’t a big portal team, but we’re going to address some issues,” Franklin told reporters on Saturday. Then, he sent a message directly to potential transfers. “If there’s a linebacker out there that wants to be a part of our program and play for LBU, the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football, there’s an opportunity to join the room.”
Penn State looking to add linebacker depth through the transfer portal
Franklin’s primary approach to the transfer portal and his program’s NIL dollars is retention, and he’s done a great job keeping his most talented players in Happy Valley. This offseason, Franklin convinced Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Zane Durant to hold off their inevitable NFL careers for another run at a national championship next season.
However, in the spring window, Franklin has shown some real aggressiveness, fitting of a coach who hasn’t beaten his program’s biggest rival since 2016 and finished last season a game away from playing that team for a national title.
Penn State has already brought in a much-needed wide receiver, Trebor Pena, who led the ACC in receptions for Syracuse last season. Now, Franklin is laying down the gauntlet for potential transfer portal linebackers. Tony Rojas is entrenched in his starting role, likely next to Dom DeLuca, who starred in the Nittany Lions' first-round College Football Playoff win over SMU.
Beyond Rojas and DeLucas, though, the Nittany Lions start to become thin and inexperienced, with Keon Wylie and redshirt freshman Anthony Speca next up on the depth chart. Robinson played just 100 defensive snaps last season, 40 more than Speca in his true freshman campaign, and 100 more than Wylie, who missed the entire season with an injury.
While entry into the spring portal for non-graduates has closed, there are still plenty of uncommitted transfers that Penn State could hope to attract at linebacker. Rojas should be a star in his junior season, but if he suffers an injury, linebacker could instantly become a major weakness for Linebacker U. That lack of depth, combined with championship aspirations, has Franklin more aggressive than ever.