Penn State linebacker Rojas anchoring Nittany Lion defense through losing streak

Tony Rojas stuck around at Penn State because he believed the Nittany Lions could compete for a conference championship.

The team’s star linebacker now knows a Big Ten title is out of reach, but he still believes the Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) can win. They’ll need to win three of their final five to salvage a bowl appearance.

“I just want to win out,” Rojas said. “I think winning is my biggest thing and all those accolades and whatever, it doesn’t really do anything good for me. I just want to win.”

Mired in a four-game losing streak, Penn State will try for its first conference win of the Matt Campbell era when Purdue (3-4, 2-2) visits Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

Rojas has played inspired football since returning from a knee injury that cost him nearly all of last season. He’s anchored a defense that has often been hung out to dry by an offense averaging just 18.5 points per conference game with just three second-half touchdowns.

The junior leads the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. He also leads all active FBS linebackers with six career interceptions, two of them coming this season.

“Tony’s a great player all around the field,” defensive end Yvan Kemajou said. “Getting interceptions, TFLs, sacks. Great player. On the field, we just have that confidence knowing he’s there.”

Rojas’ confidence isn’t shaken. He experienced last year’s midseason disaster when the Nittany Lions lost six straight to start Big Ten play before winning out and earning a bowl trip and another win against Clemson.

The stark difference for Rojas was that he watched all of that transpire from the sideline.

Rojas suffered a season-ending knee injury after Penn State’s Week 5 loss to Oregon. Losing their defensive captain drained whatever life the team had left following the overtime loss to the Ducks. The Nittany Lions fell to UCLA and Northwestern immediately thereafter, leading to James Franklin’s firing.

For Rojas, the team’s current four-game skid doesn’t really compare. He’s not helpless to do anything on the field this time around.

“I think the biggest thing is just having fun,” Rojas said. “A lot of people kind of take away the fun and the joy from this just because we have some losses, but I think just being able to still have fun, lean on each other and play for each other and at the end of the day, no one’s gonna feel sorry for us and we just gotta play for each other.”

Campbell kept Rojas on a snap count over the first two games. As his confidence in his surgically repaired knee grew, so did his playing time.

Mostly playing alongside Iowa State transfer Kooper Ebel in coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s 4-2-5 base defense, Rojas has regularly showed off his blitzing skills, sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage abilities.

“Tony has done some great things,” Campbell said. “It’s been really awesome. As we know, statistically, there’s a great catalyst when he’s at his best. There’s some areas where he can continue to improve. He knows that. What I love about Tony is he’s one of the guys that has spearheaded last week of coming out with purpose and intent and really having a great week of practice.”

Rojas is trying to take on more to try to help his team win out.

For a program that prides itself on wrecking opposing quarterbacks, Rojas is looking to add more violence from the edge. Most of his pressures have come when he’s beat interior linemen.

The Nittany Lions have nine sacks so far — only two from defensive ends — and are on pace for just 15 on the season. They had 32 a year ago, 44 in 2024 and led FBS with 49 in 2023.

“I’m kind of hard on myself, so I know I have a lot of things to improve on,” Rojas said. “I just continue to sharpen my pencil and get better at all those things.”

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