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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Penn State linebacker Dominic DeLuca has become one of the feel-good stories over his years in the program.
DeLuca came to PSU as a walk-on in January of 2021 and immediately appeared in three games on special teams while preserving his redshirt for the 2021 season. He appeared in every game the last two seasons, both on defense and as one of the leaders on special teams, and impressed enough to earn a scholarship at the end of the 2022 season.
DeLuca was awarded the No. 0 jersey before last season, which is given to a special teams leader each year. Jonathan Sutherland was the first Nittany Lion to get the No. 0 jersey after the NCAA allowed the number.
DeLuca, now a redshirt junior, may be in line to be a starter for the first time as an outside linebacker. But it's clear that he still takes his special teams assignments as serious as the rest of the game.
"It's a huge honor to wear No. 0," DeLuca said. "Everything that comes with it. I'm trying to live up to the standard that Jon Sutherland set. I'm trying to live up to my own standard for everyone else after me. It's a huge role to fill. It's the leader of the special teams, and it shows everyone how you're supposed to go about special teams and the right way to do it."
DeLuca is in a battle for the outside linebacker jobs with heralded sophomore Tony Rojas and redshirt freshman Ta'Mere Robinson. Kobe King will serve as the starter at middle linebacker.
That's as long as Abdul Carter remains at his new position as a defensive end. The Nittany Lions' coaching staff has said Carter could move back to an outside linebacker in some matchups throughout the season.
"That's a week-to-week decision," defensive coordinator Tom Allen said. "He obviously knows how to play linebacker in our system at a pretty high level. He's a difference-maker type of guy. You want him to have multiple skill sets that he can impact the game in different positions."
King returns as second on the team in tackles from a year ago, only behind another returner in safety Kevin Winston Jr.
King also posted 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. DeLuca had 29 tackles and picked off two passes, while Rojas registered 21 tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.
Robinson, who redshirted last season, appeared in three games and made two tackles. Franklin said Robinson has looked "different" in the first couple days of training camp.
"I've been getting after it this summer, making those gains I needed to make. Putting more weight on my body, learning the playbook, getting more comfortable with the guys on defense," Robinson said.
Linebackers will also have a different responsibility, and it will likely be a change for most college programs with defensive coordinators calling plays into a player's speaker in helmets.
Similar to the NFL, one player will wear a green dot on their helmet to signify they are the designated player getting the plays. The green dot is typically worn by the middle linebacker, which will be the case at PSU.
"It's an adjustment," Allen said, while also acknowledging iPad use on the sidelines will be another big change.
"I think it's another step in the direction of allowing us to maximize technology. It's going to depend on the offensive style and tempo and what we choose to do with the green dot. Do they huddle? Do they not? We're in the process of having multiple ways of getting our calls into the defense."
The change will not only be unfamiliar territory for players, but also for Allen, who has spent his whole career in college. He has consulted with NFL coaches and some of his former players from when he was the head coach at Indiana.