Deluca
Dominic DeLuca continued a strong postseason when he was in on five tackles for the second straight College Football Playoff game Tuesday when Penn State defeated Boise State 31-14.
The Fiesta Bowl game also served as the national quarterfinal. It propelled the sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (13-2) into Thursday’s Orange Bowl and national semifinal against seventh-seeded Notre Dame (13-1). The winner will face the Texas-Ohio State winner for the national title.
DeLuca had three solo tackles, including one for a loss, against Boise State. He also was in on five tackles and intercepted two passes, one of which he returned for the game’s first touchdown, in the first-round win over Southern Methodist and was in on four tackles in the Big Ten Championship game loss to Oregon.
The redshirt junior from Wyoming Area has 20 solo tackles and 18 assists in 14 games. He missed one game with an injury.
DeLuca had 66 return yards on three interceptions. He has been credited for half a sack and four tackles for losses, along with a pass break-up and a quarterback hurry into another incompletion.
Though he has made no public statement about his future, Penn State is expecting DeLuca to return for a fifth and final season with the Lions in 2025. He was one of a few dozen players to be honored on senior day last month in case he decided to move on.
According to defensive coordinator Tom Allen, that won’t be the case.
“He’s a great player and a great person. He’s fun to coach and I look forward to having another year with him,” Allen said, according to a story in the Times Leader. “To me, he embodies Penn State football. Tough, hard-nosed kid that loves this place, loves representing his home state and I’m thrilled he’s one of our leaders.”
