Football captains announced for 2024 season – Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Head coach of the Penn State football team James Franklin announced junior quarterback Drew AllarRedshirt senior offensive lineman Nick DawkinsRedshirt junior linebacker Dominic DeLucaRedshirt junior linebacker Kobe KingJunior Punter Riley Thompson and Junior Security Kevin Winston Jr. were named team captains for the 2024 season.

DeLuca was named team captain for the second consecutive year.

Drew Allar · Junior · Quarterback · 6-5 · 238 · Medina, Ohio · Medina

• Named to the Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Manning Award and Maxwell Award watch lists.
• Received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from coaches and media in 2023.
• Enters the 2024 season ranking first in school history in pass interception percentage (0.45), third in pass completion percentage (59.7), seventh in touchdown pass percentage (6.46), and seventh in pass efficiency (135.8).
• Was in the starting lineup for all 13 games last season.
• He completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns (two interceptions) while scoring four touchdowns.
• Set Penn State’s single-season record for lowest interception percentage (0.51) and became the first quarterback in school history to throw 10 or more touchdowns before throwing an interception in a season.
• His 25 touchdown passes tied for the third-most in a season at Penn State. He ranked fifth in touchdowns accounted for (29), sixth in completions (233), seventh in attempts (389), ninth in completion percentage (59.9) and ninth in games with passes of 200 yards or more (7).
• Ranked second nationally in touchdown-to-interception ratio (12.5:1).
• Tie in the Big Ten in passing touchdowns (25; T-18^th national) and finished second in points responsible for (176; T-26^th), fourth in passing accuracy (136.9) and passing yards (2,631), and fifth in yards per pass attempt (6.76).
• Along with Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker (2022), he is the only FBS quarterback to ever throw more than 25 touchdown passes and 2 or fewer interceptions in a season.
• Began the 2023 season with 251 pass attempts without an interception, the sixth-most at the start of a season since 2000, surpassed only by Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron (428; 2012), Oregon’s Marcus Mariota (285; 2013), Western Kentucky’s Tyrrell Pigrome (278; 2020), NC State’s Ryan Finley (274; 2017) and West Virginia’s Geno Smith (273; 2012).
• He began his career with 311 pass attempts without an interception, surpassing the FBS record set by Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (209 attempts in 2008).

Nick Dawkins · R-Sr. · OL · 6-4 · 298 · Allentown, Pa. · Parkland

• Named on the watch list for the Dice Trophy.
• Appeared in 26 games as a Nittany Lion.
• Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Leisure, Park and Tourism Management.
• Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
• Was the 2023 winner of Penn State’s Public Service Award and won the team’s Letterman’s Club Scholarship, which is given to an outstanding graduating senior.
• Appeared in all 13 games last season on offense and special teams.
• Helped Penn State rush for at least 400 yards in six games, including a season-high 586 yards at Michigan State.
• Penn State did not allow a sack against Delaware, Iowa or Rutgers.
• The Nittany Lions ran for over 200 yards in five games and threw for at least 200 yards in eight games.
• The Nittany Lions scored multiple rushing touchdowns in eight games last season.

Dominic DeLuca · R Jr. · LB · 6-1 · 228 · West Pittston, Pa. · Wyoming Area

• Has played in 29 games in his career.
• Joined the team as a reserve in spring 2021 and received a scholarship at the end of the 2022 season.
• Received the team’s John Bruno Award recognizing Penn State’s most outstanding special teams player.
• Has recorded 58 tackles (35 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, four pass breakups and two blocked punts in his career.
• Appeared in 13 games on defense and special teams in 2023, recording 29 tackles (17 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups and one blocked punt in 2023.
• In 2023, he captained a team and received the No. 0 jersey as Penn State’s special teams leader.

Kobe King · R Jr. · LB · 6-1 · 251 · Detroit, Michigan · Cass Tech

• Named to the Butkus Award watch list.
• Received All-Big Ten honorable mention by coaches and media in 2023.
• Has played in 30 games throughout his career and started 11 times.
• Has 103 tackles (60 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and three pass breakups in his career at Penn State.

• In 2023, he recorded 59 tackles (39 solo), six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and a QB hurry while starting 11 games at middle linebacker.
• According to Pro Football Focus, he led Big Ten linebackers with a run defense grade of 85.3 (minimum 200 run defense snaps).
• His run defense score of 85.3 ranked him ninth among FBS linebackers and third among Power Four linebackers.
• With 27 solo tackles on running plays, he finished third on the team.

Riley Thompson · Jr. · P · 6-1 · 221 · Melbourne, Australia · Haileybury/Deakin/Florida Atlantic

• Named to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award.
• Voted All-Big Ten with honorable mention by coaches and media.
• In 2023, Thompson punted 50 times for 2,290 yards (45.8 average) with a length of 56.
• Has completed 17 punts inside the 20-yard line, eight inside the 10-yard line and 15 punts over 50 yards.
• His punt average of 45.8 ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
• Penn State finished sixth in the nation (second in the Big Ten) with a net punt average of 42.9.
• His 45.8 average in 2023 is the second-best single-season average ever at Penn State.
• In his career, Thompson has averaged 45.6 yards with 43 punts inside the 20-yard line, 14 inside the 10-yard line, and 30 punts over 50 yards.
• His punting average of 45.6 at Penn State is the best ever at PSU (minimum 50 punts).

Kevin Winston Jr. · Jr. · S · 6-2 · 205 · Columbia, Md. · DeMatha Catholic

• Named to the Bednarik Award watch list.
• He has played in 25 games during his career and started 13 times.
• Honorable mention by coaches and media in the 2023 All-Big Ten rankings.
• In his first two seasons in Happy Valley, he recorded 77 tackles (45 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, one interception and five pass breakups.
• Started all 13 games last season as a safety and recorded the most tackles on his team with 60 tackles (35 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, one interception and five pass breakups.
• According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed a 50.0% completion rate and forced four incomplete passes when targeted.
• Received a run defense rating of 90.6, leading the Big Ten (all positions) and ranking third nationally among safeties (minimum 200 run defense snaps).
• With a run defense rating of 90.6, he ranked fifth nationally among all players (at least 200 run defense snaps).
• Had a coverage rating of 86.8, ranking fourth among Big Ten safeties and 11th^th among the FBS safeties.
• Led PSU in run defense with 28 solo tackles.

Penn State’s season opener at West Virginia on Aug. 31 will be televised at noon on FOX. The Nittany Lions return 42 key players from last year’s roster – 17 on offense, 22 on defense and three on special teams. They also return 16 starters – seven on offense, seven on defense and two on special teams.

For club and ticket information for the 2024 Penn State football season presented by PSECU, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.