STATE COLLEGE – Two linebackers who did not participate in Penn State’s spring football practice already have drawn praise from new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles at the start of fall camp.
Tony Rojas underwent upper-body surgery after starting every game last season and missed spring practice.
“I’ve been very impressed,” Knowles said Saturday during Media Day. “He seems to have developed physically in the offseason. Not only that, but he’s picked things up, which is not easy to do. His knowledge of the defense has been impressive.
“He’s able to perform within the scheme. He kind of jumped out the first two days of practice.”
Amare Campbell, who transferred from North Carolina after spring practice, also looked very good in the first two practices,” Knowles said. Campbell had 76 tackles last season for the Tar Heels, including 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
“In two days I saw a lot of natural linebacker skills in him,” Knowles said. “You don’t see that as much in this day and age of college football because linebackers are converted from other positions.
“There’s a skill in playing linebacker that’s innate and instinctual. He has it. We’re LBU (Linebacker U.), so we’ve had a lot of great ones here.”
It’s unclear how Knowles plans to use Campbell. He often uses a 4-2-5 alignment, and Wyoming Area product Dominic DeLuca and Rojas are returning starters at linebacker.
Keon Wylie and Anthony Speca also are expected to be in the mix there.
Backup competition: Jaxon Smolik and Ethan Grunkemeyer will compete to be Penn State’s No. 2 quarterback behind Drew Allar during preseason camp.
Grunkemeyer was the third-team quarterback as a freshman last season behind Allar and Beau Pribula, who transferred to Missouri. He played in one game, completing 1-of-2 passes…
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Publish date : 2025-08-03 03:46:00
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