DeLuca, teammates instruct young players at clinic

SCRANTON – The intensity of pre-season preparations is about to ramp up for the Penn State football team.

First, special teams captain and linebacker Dominic DeLuca and seven teammates took a break July 13 to make their way to Riverfront Sports for the third annual Nittany Lion Summer Impact Football camp.

The eight Penn State football players – DeLuca, a Wyoming Area graduate, was joined by Luke Reynolds, Nick Dawkins, Cooper Cousins, Tyler Elsdon, Ethan Grunkemeyer, Kaytron Allen and Tyseer Denmark – teamed with two Penn State hockey players and two Millersville University football players to instruct about 200 campers, leading them through a variety of drills on the turf field.

“It’s an honor that I’ve been here for all three years,” DeLuca said. “I just love giving back to the community. They all support me so much through my football career. Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, West Pittston, Pittston, everyone in northeast Pennsylvania area has always had my back and any way I can give back to them is my pleasure.”

On the adjacent basketball/volleyball courts, a group of 10 special needs athletes attended a free, inclusive event organized by the Center for Independent Living. MyCiL’s iTeam joined up with the players who made their way between the two sessions, signing autographs and spending one-on-one time with the special needs athletes who sampled basketball and floor hockey while also engaging in multiple football drills.

Much of DeLuca’s public service work has involved helping children with intellectual disabilities.

“With the special needs kids we always go over and try to have a good time and hang out with them,” DeLuca said. “I’m starting to become good friends with them from remembering me from visiting their schools or from previous years here.

“They’re having a great time every year and that makes me so happy.”

Penn State opens the season at West Virginia Aug. 31 at noon and plays its home opener Sept. 7 at noon against Bowling Green. The Nittany Lions, who were 7-2 in the Big Ten and 10-3 overall last season, open Big Ten play by hosting Illinois Sept. 28 then play conference newcomers UCLA and Southern California on the first two weekends of October.

The season includes increased postseason opportunities with the expanded National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I playoffs.

“The goal is always a national championship, so we’re just going to try to go 1-0 every week,” DeLuca said. “Especially with all the new teams coming in, we’re just going to focus on one team at a time … and hopefully it ends with a national championship.”

DeLuca has steadily increased his impact at Penn State since earning Pennsylvania Class 3A Player of the Year honors and first-team, all-state quarterback recognition for his role in leading Wyoming Area to the 2019 state championship.

After coming to Penn State as a Run-On – a preferred walk on – DeLuca rehabbed his knee from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction then played in three games in 2021 as a redshirt freshman. He was named Developmental Squad Player of the Week three times on the way to the squad’s Player of the Year award.

DeLuca earned a scholarship at the end of what was officially his redshirt freshman season in 2022. He played on defense and special teams in all 13 games, making 29 tackles and blocking a punt.

Last season, DeLuca blocked his second career punt and turned his first interception into a touchdown against Delaware. His season production included 29 tackles, 4½ tackles for losses, a sack, two forced fumbles, a second interception and three broken-up passes.

The Penn State coaching staff named DeLuca Defensive Player of the Game against Delaware and Special Teams Player of the Game two weeks later against Iowa.

DeLuca figures to be part of what is often one of the most important units to Penn State’s success.

“We have a lot of depth at linebacker,” DeLuca said. “I’m really excited for this year. Everyone’s going to get a lot of time.

“I feel like we’re one of the more experienced teams at linebacker.”