DeLuca
As Penn State begins to build for a new era under Matt Campell, the Nittany Lions first said goodbye to some history-making seniors.
Tuesday marked formal departures for players like Dominic DeLuca and commitments to return from others such as Anthony Donkoh and Andrew Rappleyea.
DeLuca was one of only a few senior starters to play in the 22-10 Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson Dec. 27, putting an exclamation point on a career unlike any other in Penn State history.
The Wyoming Area grad went from rehabbing a torn ACL and delaying his college enrollment by a semester to walking on at Penn State, taking his first practices in winter 2021 as a safety.
Soon he was moved to linebacker and, after redshirting his first year, he earned a scholarship by the end of his second. He became one of the very few three-year captains in school history, excelling on special teams and finishing his time with the Nittany Lions as a full-time starter at linebacker.
On Tuesday, he authored his thanks in a goodbye note on social media that accompanied a graphic that was produced by Penn State.
“First and foremost, I want to thank my family for always believing in me and supporting me through every step of this journey,” DeLuca wrote, also thanking current and former coaches James Franklin, Manny Diaz, Tom Allen, Dan Connor and Anthony Poindexter “for pushing me, trusting me and helping me grow as both a player and a man.”
DeLuca had led Wyoming Area to the school’s only state championship in December 2019 but suffered the knee injury in the title game. With the support of Franklin, he put together a plan to play at Penn State when he recovered. And it paid off in a major way for both sides, culminating in his biggest moment in December of 2024 in the Lions’ first College Football Playoff berth.
In the playoff debut against SMU, DeLuca became the first Penn State player to score in the Playoff, taking an interception back for a touchdown, the first of his two picks in a big win.
“Ever since I was a kid, it has always been a dream of mine to play football for Penn State,” DeLuca wrote. “Having the opportunity to wear the blue and white and run out into Beaver Stadium is something I will cherish forever.
“With that said, I am excited to announce that I will be declaring for the NFL draft. Thank you to my teammates, the staff, and the incredible Penn State fans for all the love and support. Penn State will always be home.”
DeLuca joked after his senior day game in November that he’d keep playing for the Lions if he weren’t out of eligibility.
“I don’t want to leave,” DeLuca said with a laugh after a win over Nebraska. “I want to stay here the rest of my life.”
DeLuca had a tackle for a four-yard loss, two assists, and a quarterback hurry in his final game as a Nittany Lion.
On the season, DeLuca finished third on the team in tackles, tackles for losses, and quarterback hurries while tying for second in pass break-ups. He had 35 tackles, 31 assists, seven tackles for 17 yards in losses, four quarterback hurries, three pass break-ups, and two sacks.
Penn State won its final four games to finish 7-6.
