
Penn State named Wyoming Area grad Dominic DeLuca a captain for the 2024 season. The redshirt junior linebacker helms special teams along with punter Riley Thompson.
Mark Selders | Penn State Athletics
More than once this offseason, James Franklin publicly wondered how the leadership for his 2024 team would come together.
One person the Penn State coach didn’t have to worry about in that regard was Dominic DeLuca.
It was little surprise then that the former Wyoming Area standout was named one of the Nittany Lions’ captains for the second straight year Aug. 17.
Linebacker DeLuca and punter Riley Thompson (special teams) are joined by quarterback Drew Allar and center Nick Dawkins (offense) as well as linebacker Kobe King and safety Kevin Winston Jr. (defense) as the leaders for the squad.
A former walk-on who had the start of his college career delayed as he recovered from knee surgery during the pandemic, DeLuca quickly earned respect — along with a scholarship headed into the Lions’ Rose Bowl win at the end of the 2022 season.
In 2023, DeLuca served as a special teams captain, a role he will reprise this fall as the team’s lone returning captain.
It’s a story that Franklin doesn’t get tired of telling.
“His story, being the Player of the Year in the state, torn ACL, gray shirt, walk on, earned a scholarship, captain,” Franklin told reporters in State College after a practice last week. “I mean, they could make a movie about Dom, right? He’s that type of kid. Parents are awesome. Starts out as a special teams guy, dominates in that role, then an expanded role on defense, does really well there.
“He’s just another guy that I think is maximizing his Penn State experience. And everybody respects and loves him, the players, the staff, the coaches.”
DeLuca will be working with a new defensive coordinator in Tom Allen, who takes the torch from the highly successful Manny Diaz, and special teams boss Justin Lustig.
“He’s an unbelievable representative of Penn State and what we’re all about,” Franklin said. “Blue collar, hard nose, coal region kid. I can’t say enough good things about him. I really can’t.
“I’m a big fan of Dom, and I think he’s going to have a really good year for us. Obviously, we know as a special teams player, but also on defense.”