STATE COLLEGE – Wyoming Area graduate was named Defensive Player of the Game by Penn State coaches following his pick six in a rout of Delaware.
The 26-yard return was DeLuca’s first career college touchdown.
DeLuca needed just a second to rattle off the details of his last touchdown in a live game.
“December seventh,” DeLuca said. “2019. Quarterback sneak.”
Anyone involved would remember it that quickly. With 41 seconds left, it capped a 21-point, fourth-quarter rally in the PIAA Class 3A championship game, delivering a state title to Wyoming Area.
He scored it on a torn ACL.
On Sept. 9, 2023, DeLuca was back in the end zone. This one didn’t earn him a gold medal or a state MVP honor. It was the eighth touchdown in Penn State’s 63-7 steamrolling of FCS Delaware.
But it’s a memory he’ll have for the rest of his life.
DeLuca made the play of the day for the Nittany Lions’ defense on Saturday, reading a sideline route perfectly and snagging it in stride before taking it back for the touchdown.
It was his first career interception in college and the Lions’ first pick of the season.
In between the two scores, DeLuca recovered from knee surgery, took a walk-on offer to play at Penn State, switched from safety to linebacker, earned a scholarship and was named a team captain.
Not a bad couple of years for the redshirt sophomore from West Pittston.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity I have,” DeLuca said. “I thank (Lions coach James) Franklin for that, for believing in me and believing in my skills. I’m just happy I’ve made a name.”
And he’s happy that he got a second chance to make the play.
In the first half, DeLuca made another strong read on a pass over the middle deep in Delaware territory, but he couldn’t haul it in.
He immediately threw his hands up to his helmet when the ball hit the ground.
“I’m gonna have nightmares about that first one still,” DeLuca said with a laugh.
His preparation paid off in the third quarter.
Delaware quarterback Zach Marker sprinted out to his left, eyeing down a receiver on the sideline the whole way. DeLuca was right there to make the play, then juke past Marker before hitting paydirt for the celebration.
“We’ve been going over that play all week,” DeLuca said. “We knew they were gonna roll out and have someone in the flat. (Defensive coordinator Manny) Diaz actually was yelling to me about it, and I gave him a thumbs up that I heard him that someone would be in the flat. And I got there.
“Coach Diaz always says it’s like cheating on a test. You know the answer already — might as well take it.”
Still, even as the opportunity presented itself, DeLuca couldn’t help think of his near-miss in the first half — which also had the potential to go for a pick-six.
“I’ll be honest, it was kind of in slow motion when I saw the ball in the air,” DeLuca said of his second chance. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God — again.’ But I was happy to make the play this time. … I was just so excited when I made it past the (goal line). I was just excited to celebrate with all my buddies. Just to see everyone else happy was awesome. A great feeling.”
DeLuca’s touchdown was the first by a Wyoming Valley Conference alum for Penn State since Lake-Lehman’s Nick Eury scored at the end of a rout of Idaho in the 2019 opener.
Local ties are important to DeLuca, who said a group of “two or three hundred” mini-football players from the Wyoming Valley made the trip to Happy Valley for the game.
“I always try to give back to them,” DeLuca said. “They look up to me as a role model, and for me to be that guy for them, it’s heartwarming. I’m just wishing they can follow their dreams like I did.”
