Penn State LB Tony Rojas talks Dom DeLuca, DaKaari Nelson, improving his skillset

that's how I go along my day how would you describe the leadership of D Dua and how influential has he been on your development yeah um Dom when I came in he took me under his wing and you know every day I came in I'd ask questions and he'd be the one answering them um and so to his day I ask him the most questions whether it's in practice after play or the meeting room um he's always going to answer answer it um he's a vet obviously and he got all the right answers and just following him um with us in the weit room how he goes along his business preparation stuff um he's been a good leader for me did he expect to be named captain again what was his reaction to kind of hearing the news yeah I mean uh Dom doesn't really he doesn't change um whether he has accolades or not um he's the same person every day comes in with the same attitude so that's important with the team and I'm glad he's captain again and I'm sure he's happy for it Tony uh what's the early impression of darari over at linebacker I know he's a classmate of yours do you think that was the right move for him long term and what are you seen early on yeah um he was obviously a big body for safety and we kind of joked about it a lot with uh the safeties and the backers like come to our room and it happened and we were all happy for him and I think it's going to be uh good for him and he's got the body type to be a Sam or whatever backer he plays so um we'll see how it goes Tony sorry I came in a little late how ready do you feel to handle you know a lot of playing time in the bulk of an expanded Big 10 schedule yeah um I'm prepared I mean this offseason that's what it was all about my preparation uh and how I go B go along my day every day um and just seeing how everyone prepares like KJ Abdul um every day whether it's practice or just a lift they come in about an hour before more stretch do what they got to do um and I feel like that's what prepared me um since last season what's maybe one area in your game from last year to this year that you wanted to improve on um I'd say just my twitchiness um in the Box I feel like I was twitch enough I was Twitchy enough but for me just offseason just working on the edge um whether it's blitzes or just packages on the edge um I feel like that's really what I improved on just my uh confidence I feel like besid on the field um has improved a lot since last season just playing Tony how do you a wel from to college football moment last year you um I think it was uh UMass I believe I got uh kind of trucked in the Hole by the running back since then I just haven't skipped any set a squat uh and just like day so that's kind of just um Circle back onto car what sorts of like linebacker specific traits have you already seen pop in practice for him yeah um he showed his ver versality um physical um whether it's he's usually guarding the tight end so just coming down from safety um just as mechanics on Tian where there's inside leverage outside just he's a good I feel like he teaches us in the Lineback room from learning from the safeties on on stuff just like how to a guard a tight end um inside out um and he's just been a good job he's done a good job um he keeps asking questions so he'll be um pretty good as somebody who played a lot of running back in high school too how much of the athletic advantage could could that body type that positional background be for him in coverage yeah um he's a big body and just being able to have that that size um in the box and having the mechanics of his safety with his footwork um he going to lead him a big way um in the box and outside Tony we just heard from uh James Franklin that cam has established an edge for that third running back job so I'm curious from your perspective him coming through the hole with the ball what does it look like this this this Camp what has that been like yeah oh I'm proud of Cam I I heard that today too and I kind of talked to him um he worked his his butt off and this this offseason too he just he didn't turn down any contact putting his head down and just running through the Gap and finishing every play so I'm I'm excited for him does he have that spe I mean I know he's the physicality is something we've heard about but when he gets the open field what does it look like too yeah he's he's explosive uh he kind of reminds me of Nick obviously uh not not the size um but but just his versality um just and and Coach coach Franklin mentions it a lot like when angle tackle to start off the day um just one of once he's hard to tackle just for anybody he's a problem in space so I I think that's a big thing for him Tony there are some pretty high expectations for you this season how do you handle those expectations yeah I mean for me I'm not really like a big media guy I don't I kind of don't focus on that stuff but I'm just focused on the main thing which is being a great teammate and playing my role so I know Curtis was a big sounding board in that uh in that room last year have you talked to him at all as you've kind of stepped into this increased role this year yeah I I talked to him like probably once every two weeks maybe maybe once um and I talked to him a couple days ago after his game he had couple tfls and stuff um yeah I kind of talk to him if I have any problems or my thing anything he can give me some advice and just ask how the NFL is and how he's doing so he's been good cuz he told you anything significant I mean he's just I've been just telling him good job like just watching his preson gamees but um yeah