‘Stock is up’ for freshman LB, says Penn State football coaching staff

After two weekends of Penn State football have passed, we can start to evaluate those players who are receiving significant playing time. On the other hand, some players are actively working their way onto the field. One of those Nittany Lion players who has a growing opportunity in front of him is linebacker DaKaari Nelson. Recently, special teams coordinator Justin Lustig had high praise for the redshirt freshman.

DaKaari Nelson was part of the 2023 recruiting class. When he stepped onto campus, he was a safety but has since transitioned to linebacker with the Penn State football team. With his position change, Nelson is listed at 222 pounds opposed to the 220 he was listed at in 2023.

While Nelson hasn’t carved out a significant role on the Penn State defense just yet, that could soon change. On Wednesday, Justin Lustig spoke to the media and raved about Nelson.

“Stock is up on DaKaari (Nelson),” Justin Lustig said. “He had one of the biggest hits of the game for us on special teams. … You start showing up on special teams, physicality and speed and then that starts to equate into more reps on defense.”

"Stock is up on DaKaari (Nelson)," Justin Lustig says. "He had one of the biggest hits of the game for us on special teams. … You start showing up on special teams, physicality and speed and then that starts to equate into more reps on defense."

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) September 11, 2024

James Franklin wants coaches to rotate players more

Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

Against Bowling Green, it appeared that the Penn State football team stuck with the same core defensive lineup. Even when the Falcons were on a role Tom Allen had the same core rotation on the field. But that could change, not only on defense but at several positions for the Nittany Lions. When speaking to the media on Tuesday night James Franklin outlined these details.

“We had a plan for a rotation to get those guys some more reps,” Franklin stated. “Then, the game doesn’t go the way you want it to go in the first half and you’re scratching and clawing. …The coaches have got to play guys. We need to continue to depth.”

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