Penn State's James Franklin Makes Portal Pitch for a Linebacker

'LBU' is in the market for another linebacker, the Nittany Lions coach said after the Blue-White Game.

Penn State football James Franklin greets fans outside Beaver Stadium before the Blue-White Game. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

STATE COLLEGE | Following Penn State's Blue-White Game, James Franklin made a very public pitch to linebackers in the transfer portal. The Nittany Lions are interested.

"We're not a big portal team, but we're going to have to address some issues," Franklin said after the Nittany Lions' final spring practice. "So if there is a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for for 'LBU,' the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football, there's an opportunity here to join the room and compete. So we will look at that."

RELATED: What we learned about Penn State at the Blue-White Game

Penn State is in a unique spot at linebacker entering the 2025 season. The position won't be the focus of new coordinator Jim Knowles' defense, who will run a base 4-2-5 formation, but still lacks depth. It was a position that underwent the most under-the-radar change this offseason.

First, Penn State lost starting middle linebacker Kobe King to the NFL Draft. King, who had one season of eligibility remaining, could have returned as the team's midfield anchor. Instead, he left for the NFL Draft, getting selected in the sixth round by the Minnesota Vikings.

Then, the Nittany Lions "lost a guy we didn't anticipate losing," as Franklin framed it. That was redshirt freshman linebacker Ta'Mere Robinson, who entered the transfer portal during the spring window. Robinson transferred to USC, leaving the Nittany Lions without a player whom Franklin said "was trending in the right direction" during spring drills.

Penn State also did not have starting linebacker Tony Rojas available this spring, as he was recovering from an offseason procedure. DaKaari Nelson also did not partcipate in the Blue-White Game. Meanwhile, redshirt junior Keon Wylie is returning from a 2024 injury.

That left Penn State with fifth-year senior Dom DeLuca and redshirt freshman Anthony Speca as the top linebackers for the first-team defense Saturday. LaVar Arrington II, a true freshman who enrolled in January, made a promising debut, but the Nittany Lions could be looking for another impact player at the position.

"I think we're in good shape, but there's some concerns there," Franklin said. "... I think we've got enough in the room, but to get through an entire season, if we get some injuries, it could get challenging. So we're going to look at the portal and see if we can find a solution.

"More times than not, we'd like it to be somebody that is connected to us and that we know, because we've got a really good locker room. I want to make sure that we're bringing the right people into our locker room. We're very protective of that."

Penn State did add a transfer player Saturday, as former Syracuse receiver Trebor Pena committed to the program. Pena spent five seasons at Syracuse, where he led the ACC in total receptions last year. Franklin wouldn't discuss Pena officially but did repeat the theme about competition.

"I prefer to stay away from that, just talk about the current guys on the roster at this stage," Franklin said. "But we're just trying to create as much competition at every position as we possibly can. That's the nature of this level of college football. We embrace it as coaches. The players embrace it as well, and I think we put ourselves in a position to have more competition in that room, which is what we need."