Wyoming Area grad Dominic DeLuca highlighted a strong day on special teams for Penn State by blocking a punt in the second quarter of the Saturday, Sept. 6 win over FIU. It was the third career block for the senior captain.
AP File Photo
STATE COLLEGE — Dominic DeLuca is firmly entrenched in the three-man rotation at the two Penn State linebacker positions that have led the strong defensive effort during a 3-0 start by the nation’s second-ranked college football team.
But don’t expect the graduate student to forget his roots in his third year as captain of the Nittany Lions.
DeLuca, a Wyoming Area graduate, remains a force on the special teams.
“I’m most definitely still taking pride in it,” DeLuca said. “Now being the older guy in the room, I’m trying to get the younger guys and show them how to do it the proper way — any way we can improve, any way I can improve. They help me with that.”
Penn State had the week off before returning Sept. 27 for a key matchup with Oregon in the Big Ten opener.
In the 52-6 rout of Villanova Sept. 13, DeLuca came close to a second blocked punt of the season and fourth of his career. When not rushing the punter, he was dropping back and sustaining blocks to help the punt and kick return men find room to maneuver.
“Special teams, I think has been a real positive,” Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said. “I think we’ve been really good in special teams in all three games. Obviously, there’s still some things I think we can improve on, but I think that’s been a positive.”
The effort hasn’t changed from when DeLuca was a preferred walk-on trying to earn playing time and a scholarship. He hopes that presence provides a good example.
“It’s just being able to show the kids that special teams is the way to get on the field, especially if you’re not seeing time on offense or defense,” DeLuca said.
DeLuca worked his way up to five starts at linebacker during last season’s run to the national semifinals. His Penn State career has produced more than 100 tackles, a dozen of them for losses, and five interceptions, two of which DeLuca returned for touchdowns.
North Carolina transfer Amare Campbell and fellow returnee Tony Rojas have been starting at linebacker and are 1-2 on the Nittany Lions in tackles. Campbell is at the “Mike” linebacker spot while Rojas plays the “Will” position in Penn State’s 4-2-5 alignment.
DeLuca’s ability to play both positions allows him to be combined with either Campbell or Rojas as the three fill the important snaps for the Nittany Lions before reserves have taken over in comfortable wins.
“Being able to play both positions allows me to play faster at each position, too,” DeLuca said. “When I’m at Mike, I know when the Will is going to be able to help me on certain plays and I know when the Mike is going to be able to help me on plays at Will.
“Just being able to learn those multiple positions helps me play faster on the field, knowing I can trust my guy to do his job.”
DeLuca was effective in the win over Villanova with a season-high four solo tackles, along with delivering a hit on the quarterback to rush him into an incompletion.
Villanova punted in the second quarter after back-to-back tackles by DeLuca on second and third down, making stops on a run play then in pass coverage.
Villanova gained just four yards in six plays in the pair of three-and-out series that DeLuca played linebacker in the first half. He was then on the field for 10 of 13 defensive plays in the third quarter.
When it was over, the Wildcats had gained just 26 yards on the 16 plays DeLuca was at linebacker and they turned the ball over once.
The Penn State defense has one shutout, came within the game’s final play of shutting out Villanova and has not allowed a touchdown before the game’s final 25 seconds in any of the three outings.
Franklin points to the linebackers and safeties having heavy responsibilities in the current Penn State defensive scheme and likes the progress he saw in the Villanova game.
“I think up until this week, we weren’t playing as fast and as confident as I think we need to play,” Franklin said. “It seemed like we took a step in the right direction in terms of running the defense and commanding defense like I mentioned before.”
DeLuca had a sack in the 46-11 victory over Nevada to open the season and blocked a punt in the 34-0 shutout of Florida International.
On the season, he is tied for fourth on the Nittany Lions in total tackles with nine, five solo and four unassisted.
