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BREAKING: Penn State football names 2024 team captains

James Franklin and Penn State football have named six Nittany Lions as team captains for the upcoming 2024 season.

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Penn State football, team captains, James Franklin
Nov 11, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws a pass against the Michigan Wolverines during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

James Franklin and Penn State football take another step towards the 2024 season as we approach two weeks to kickoff against West Virginia. On Saturday, the program named six Nittany Lions who will serve as team captains for the upcoming year.

Most notably, second-year starting quarterback Drew Allar makes his first appearance as a team captain. Allar threw for 25 touchdowns and two interceptions as a sophomore last fall. The junior enters 2024 ranked first in Penn State football history in career interception percentage (0.45) and third in completion percentage (59.7).

On the offensive side, Allar is joined by redshirt senior Nick Dawkins. Dawkins, described as a “rare” and “special” leader by the Penn State football coaching staff this offseason, is projected to be the Nittany Lions starting center this fall.

On the other side of the ball, safety KJ Winston and linebacker Kobe King were selected as team captains for the defense. A redshirt junior, King earned All-Big Ten honorable mention status last season, recording 59 tackles and six tackles for loss in 11 starts.

Going into his third year in Happy Valley, Winston is one of the most touted members of the Penn State defense. Over his first two seasons, the DeMatha Catholic product has 77 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and one interception. Winston started all 13 games last fall for the Nittany Lions.

The only returning captain from a year ago, redshirt junior linebacker Dom DeLuca was again named to that role on special teams. A former walk-on, DeLuca had 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and a blocked punt in 2023.

Junior punter Riley Thompson rounds out the list of team captains. From Melbourne, Australia, the Florida Atlantic transfer ranked sixth in the nation and second in the Big Ten with a 42.9 net punt average for the Nittany Lions last season.

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Matt is a co-owner and Editor in Chief of Basic Blues Nation. Launched in 2022, Basic Blues Nation is one of the fastest-growing websites covering all Penn State athletics, with over 3.5 million readers in 2023. Matt is also a credentialed member of the Penn State football beat, and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America.

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