It’s clear how much admiration that his Penn State coaches and teammates carry for Dominic DeLuca.
Defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas said DeLuca exemplifies the resilience and effort of the entire defense.
Defensive coordinator Tom Allen said he embodies the toughness and loyalty of Penn State football.
Linebacker Kobe King might have paid him the highest compliment of all.
“I would say he’s like a mini version of (Penn State All-American tight end) Tyler Warren on defense,” King said. “You can put him in any spot. He can do anything and he’ll get the job done. He’s a great player, a great guy.”
DeLuca intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown last weekend in the Nittany Lions’ 38-10 romp past SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
He was as responsible as anyone for Penn State advancing to a quarterfinal in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State Tuesday night at 7:30 (TV-ESPN).
Those who had never heard of DeLuca before that game saw what his coaches and teammates have known for a long time. He makes big plays at big moments.
“To see him make the kind of plays he made last week on the national stage in front of the whole world was so awesome,” Allen said. “But I’m not surprised. He’s a really good football player. He’s got so much toughness and moxie and he’s really smart. He can anticipate things.”
DeLuca’s awareness stems from playing quarterback at Wyoming Area, where he led the Warriors to the PIAA Class 3A championship in 2019 while playing with a torn ACL in his knee.
His willingness to do whatever he’s asked to do comes from his father, Carl, who played college football at Wilkes, and his mother, Ree Ree, who played college field hockey at Scranton.
“They always told me that you’ve got to be a team player and you’ve got to do what’s best for the team,” DeLuca said. “If that’s being a water boy, I’ll be the best water boy in the country. If they want me to play D-line, I’ll play D-line. If they want me to play safety, I’ll play safety.
“I’ll do whatever I need to do.”
He arrived at Penn State as a walk-on in the spring of 2021 after taking a year to recover from his knee injury. He quickly caught the attention of King, a fellow linebacker in his class.
“He gained my respect from the time he got here,” King said. “Me and Dom just had a connection ever since day one by us being like-minded. We think a lot alike. We coach each other up.
“He’s crazy on the field, He’s a great guy to play with. I told him last week in the middle of the game, ‘Dom, I love you, man. You’re my guy.’ ”
DeLuca first emerged on special teams as a redshirt freshman in 2022, when he blocked a punt that led to a touchdown against Minnesota, made his first sack against Rutgers and had two tackles against Utah in the Rose Bowl.
He was put on scholarship shortly after the season and became the second Penn State player to be awarded the No. 0 jersey, which goes to a leader on special teams who demonstrates physicality, discipline and dependability.
Last season, he forced two fumbles and intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown. This season, he has made five starts while playing multiple positions at linebacker and safety.
DeLuca made his first interception of this season at Minnesota to set up a game-tying field goal. Later, he made a tackle for loss and had a key block on a fake punt that sealed Penn State’s win.
“Dom is very valuable,” safety Jaylen Reed said. “He’s just someone who goes by the Penn State tradition – to do your job when you’re out on the field. He does his job at a high level each and every time. He doesn’t complain about what we ask him to do.
“If he’s a starter or not a starter, he never complains. He just does his job and keeps going about his day. Having that type of guy on your team, who’s willing to give up more than he gets, it’s great.”
Allen watched DeLuca as an opposing player when he was head coach at Indiana, but he didn’t get to know him until he was hired as defensive coordinator last December.
“You can’t help but love Dom,” Allen said. “I love to hear his story. It was his dream to come here. We talked so much about the tailgating that his family has done since he was a kid. They would come here for all the games.
“He sat there and watched in the stands as a little boy. Now he’s here and making plays. What a cool story.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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