LBU legend: ‘Sky is the limit’ for young Penn State football LB Tony Rojas

Not every program can move one of its star players to a new position and have another potential superstar waiting in the wings. But that’s the luxury Penn State football feels it has with sophomore linebacker Tony Rojas. With Abdul Carter’s switch to defensive end this spring, the “Linebacker U” mantle now firmly rests on the Fairfax native’s shoulders. That’s likely no issue for Rojas, who has never been low on confidence. In our recent sit down with Nittany Lions All-American linebacker and Penn State Board of Trustees member Brandon Short, the LBU great explained why Rojas has seen this moment coming for quite some time.

Brandon Short: Sky is the limit for young Penn State linebacker

It’s a changing of the guard for Penn State football at linebacker this fall. With Curtis Jacobs off to the NFL and Abdul Carter moving to the defensive front, the Nittany Lions only return a starter at middle linebacker — a duty shared by Kobe King and Tyler Elsdon last season.

While James Franklin and Tom Allen will count on several young linebackers to fill the void, they’ll look to Tony Rojas to “skyrocket” in 2024. That shouldn’t be an issue for the second-year Nittany Lion. Actually, he’s been planning on it for a while.

Joining a recent episode of the Penn State Roar Room to discuss a variety of topics, including his re-election campaign for the university’s Board of Trustees, Penn State football letterman Brandon Short spoke of Rojas’ rapid upward trajectory. Short, a standout at the position for the Nittany Lions, said the young linebacker’s confidence stood out upon meeting him during a recruiting visit.

“The sky is the limit for Tony Rojas,” Short told us. “I remember meeting Tony Rojas on his recruiting trip. And we were standing on the sideline…He was this skinny kid. I said to him, ‘What position do you play?’ and he said, ‘I view myself like Micah Parsons.’ I was like, ‘okay.‘ At the time, Micah Parsons was on his way to being Rookie of the Year in the NFL. And sure enough, the young man is on his way to being like a Micah Parsons. So, the sky is the limit for him.”

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Tony Rojas is ready to play fast this fall

That confidence didn’t fade once Tony Rojas arrived in Happy Valley. Rojas played in every game as a true freshman in 2023 on both defense and special teams. While the numbers may be somewhat modest — 21 tackles (3.5 TFL), a forced fumble, and an interception — the tape tells a different story.

Rojas primarily played late in games on defense last year, when the outcomes had largely been decided. But once inserted into the lineup, the true freshman was all over the field, causing havoc even when he may not have shown up on the stat line.

Now finishing his second spring, Rojas expressed that it was frustrating not to be let loose from the get-go by former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. But now, the sophomore linebacker realizes that Diaz had his best interests at heart.

“Although I felt like I was ready early on in the games, I feel like those end times [of games] really boosted my confidence,” Rojas said following the Blue-White Game. “Like Maryland, those types of games, I feel like just really boosted my confidence. And it just led for like every game on I just felt more calm.”

Now, there may be no slowing down Tony Rojas — figuratively or literally. Rojas says he’s much more comfortable, and confident, in year two, and is flying around the field as a result.

“My confidence [has helped my speed],” he said. “I feel like when you get on the field and know what you’re doing, you’re just going to play fast. So that’s just how I feel right now.”

You can listen to our entire interview with Brandon Short here.

Voting in the 2024 Penn State Board of Trustees election opened on April 10, and will close on May 2. Alumni can vote at pennstatevotes.com.

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