Just a few weeks into the disbanding of the Penn State football program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dwight Galt had some concerns.
The Nittany Lions’ strength and conditioning coordinator wasn’t worried about the middle weights on the roster. His tight ends and running backs and linebackers were all highly likely to continue their trajectory in both the weight room as well as with their speed work.
The ends of the spectrum, however, gave him pause.
“We all kind of know what athletes gravitate toward. Quarterbacks and receivers are gonna want to go out and throw and catch. O-line, D-line want to lift weights,” Galt said. “Everybody's kind of got the thing that they gravitate to positionally and almost like DNA.
“So some of my concerns would be lineman conditioning, lineman movement training. They love getting in there and lifting weights. But when you weigh 325-330 pounds, it's just not quite as fun to go out and run around carrying that much weight, even though I think our lean situation is really good. So I worry a little bit about the linemen, making sure that they're doing a really good job of keeping their movement training levels that are really high intensity.”
Sunday’s release of the program’s updated preseason roster, just days ahead of the official August 7 commencement of preseason camp, demonstrates some of Galt’s worries.
While much of the roster was able to maintain its size through the three-month hiatus from official football work. a few big changes stand out.
On the offense and defensive line, here are the big movers:
OL Juice Scurggs - 6-3, 281 -16 pounds
OL Mike Miranda - 6-3, 285 -16 pounds
DT Fatorma Mulbah - 6-3, 302 +19 pounds
DT Hakeem Beamon - 6-3, 274 -14 pounds
DT Judge Culpepper - 6-4, 281 -13 pounds
DT D’Von Ellies - 6-1, 301 +9 pounds
DE Smith Vilbert - 6-6, 246 -20 pounds
DE Adisa Isaac - 6-4, 240 -16 pounds
DE Nick Tarburton - 6-3, 248 -11 pounds
Penn State’s roster saw less movement in the secondary or among the receivers, though Galt also shared his concerns regarding those positions.
“On the flip side is our skill guys,” Galt said. “DBs and safeties obviously like to do a lot of drill work, they love drill work, and then the receivers obviously want to catch and run routes. So I'm a little bit more worried about those guys in the weight room, because they love getting outside and doing that.”
Among the skill guys, only cornerback Marquis Wilson saw a double-digit weight change from his previously listed size. A few others came close.
CB Keaton Ellis - 5-11, 189 +6 pounds
CB Marquis Wilson - 5-11, 166 -15 pounds
CB Joey Porter Jr. - 6-2, 198 +6 pounds
Saf. Trent Gordon - 5-11, 200 +8 pounds
RB Devyn Ford - 5-11, 192 +8 pounds
Complete 2020 Penn State Preseason Roster (w/weight changes)
1) Saf. Jaquan Brisker - 6-1, 210 - Up five pounds
2) QB Micah Bowens - 5-11, 198 - Up eight pounds
2) CB Keaton Ellis - 5-11, 189 - Up six pounds
3) CB Donovan Johnson - 5-9, 180 - No change
4) RB Journey Brown - 5-11, 215 - Down one pound
5) CB Tariq Castro-Fields - 6-0, 195 - Up five pounds
5) WR Jahan Dotson - 5-11, 183 - Down one pound
6) WR Cam Sullivan-Brown - 6-0, 192 - Down one pound
7) QB Will Levis - 6-3, 230 - Down one pound
8) WR John Dunmore - 6-1, 190 - Down one pound
8) CB Marquis Wilson - 5-11, 166 - Down 15 pounds
9) CB Joey Porter Jr. - 6-2, 198 - Up six pounds
9) QB Ta’Quan Roberson - 5-11, 197 - Up three pounds
10) LB Lance Dixon - 6-2, 210 - Down 13 pounds
10) WR T.J. Jones - 6-1, 204 - Up four pounds
11) WR Daniel George - 6-2, 210 - No Change
11) LB Micah Parsons - 6-3, 245 - Up one pound
12) LB Brandon Smith - 6-3, 237 - Down three pounds
13) LB Ellis Brooks - 6-1, 241 - Up five pounds
13) WR Keandre Lambert-Smith - 6-1, 185 - No Change
14) QB Sean Clifford - 6-2, 218 - Down one pound
15) Saf. Enzo Jennings - 6-1, 200 - No Change
16) CB Ji’Ayir Brown- 5-11, 205 - No change
17) CB Joseph Johnson - 6-2, 174 - No Change
18) DE Shaka Toney - 6-3, 231 - Down five pounds
18) WR Parker Washington- 5-10, 203 - Up three pounds
19) WR Jaden Dottin - 6-2, 183 - No Change
19) Saf. Trent Gordon - 5-11, 200 - Up eight pounds
20) DE Adisa Isaac - 6-4, 240 - Down 16 pounds
21) RB Noah Cain - 5-10, 228 - Up five pounds
21) Saf. Tyler Rudolph - 6-0, 204 - Down three pounds
23) LB Curtis Jacobs - 6-1, 221 - Up one pound
24) RB Keyvone Lee - 6-0, 220 - No Change
25) CB Daquan Hardy - 5-9, 166 - Down four pounds
26) Saf. Jonathan Sutherland - 5-11, 199 - Up one pound
26) RB Caziah Holmes - 5-11, 215 - No Change
27) DT Aeneas Hawkins - 6-2, 285 - Down three pounds
27) Saf. Jaden Seider - 5-10, 176 - Up two pounds
28) RB Devyn Ford - 5-11, 192 - Down eight pounds
28) DE Jayson Oweh - 6-5, 253 - Down four pounds
29) CB Sebastian Costantini - 5-11, 188 - Up five pounds
29) WR Henry Fessler - 5-10, 186 - Up six pounds
32) Saf. Dylan Farronato - 5-11, 194 - Up seven pounds
33) DE Bryce Mostella - 6-6, 244 - No Change
34) DE Shane Simmons - 6-3, 247 - Up three pounds
36) LB Zuriah Fisher - 6-3, 230 - No Change
36) CB Makai Self - 5-9, 166 - Up one pound
37) Saf. Drew Hartlaub - 5-11, 184 - Up two pounds
38) RB Tank Smith - 5-7, 214 - Down six pounds
38) Saf. Lamont Wade - 5-9, 187 - Up one pound
39) LB Robbie Dwyer - 6-1, 243 - Up two pounds
40) LB Jesse Luketa - 6-3, 241 - Down three pounds
41) DE Brandon Taylor - 6-2, 269 - Down six pounds
43) LB Tyler Elsdon - 6-2, 230 - No Change
43) TE Trevor Baker - 6-3, 238 - Down three pounds
44) DT Joseph Appiah Karkwa - 6-5, 292 - Up five pounds
44) TE Tyler Warren - 6-6, 239 - Up four pounds
45) LB Charlie Katshir - 6-3, 230 - Up four pounds
46) DE Nick Tarburton - 6-3, 248 - Down 11 pounds
47) TE Tommy Friberg - 6-3, 209 - Up seven pounds
47) LB Alex Furmanek - 6-2, 249 - Up two pounds
50) LB Max Chizmar - 6-2, 233 - Up 10 pounds
50) OL Will Knutsson - 6-2, 302 - Down eight pounds
51) DT Hakeem Beamon - 6-3, 274 - Down 14 pounds
51) OL Jimmy Christ - 6-7, 302 - Up two pounds
52) OL Blake Zalar - 6-1, 296 - Up seven pounds
53) DT Fred Hansard - 6-3, 324 - Up six pounds
53) OL Rasheed Walker - 6-6, 313 - Down seven pounds
54) DT Fatorma Mulbah - 6-3, 302 - Up 19 pounds
55) DT Antonio Shelton - 6-2, 310 - Down five pounds
55) OL Anthony Wigan - 6-4, 318 - Down two pounds
56) DT Amin Vanover - 6-4, 277 - Up seven pounds
57) OL Ibrahim Traore - 6-5, 323 - Up 23 pounds
58) DT Evan Presta - 6-3, 273 - Down nine pounds
59) OL Kaleb Konigus - 6-2, 310 - Down 11 pounds
62) OL Michal Menet - 6-4, 305 - Down three pounds
63) OL Collin De Boef - 6-5, 271 - Up 21 pounds
66) OL Nick Dawkins - 6-4, 311 - No Change
69) OL C.J. Thorpe - 6-3, 322 - Down six pounds
70) OL Juice Scruggs - 6-3, 281 - Down 16 pounds
71) OL Will Fries - 6-6, 307 - Down two pounds
72) OL Bryce Effner - 6-5, 295 - Down seven pounds
73) OL Mike Miranda - 6-3, 285 - Down 16 pounds
74) OL Olu Fashanu - 6-6, 315 - No Change
75) OL Des Holmes - 6-5, 317 - Down five pounds
76) OL Justin Kopko - 6-3, 310 - Up 10 pounds
77) DT Judge Culpepper - 6-4, 281 - Down 13 pounds
77) OL Sal Wormley - 6-3, 322 - Up three pounds
78) OL Golden Israel-Achumba - 6-4, 349 - Up 24 pounds
79) OL Caedan Wallace - 6-5, 335 - Down two pounds
80) WR Justin Weller - 6-0, 189 - Down four pounds
80) WR Malick Meiga - 6-4, 195 - No Change
82) TE Zack Kuntz - 6-7, 252 - Down two pounds
82) WR Cameron Pica - 6-2, 216 - Up six pounds
84) WR Benjamin Wilson - 6-2, 208 - Down two pounds
84) TE Theo Johnson - 6-6, 258 - No Change
85) WR Isaac Lutz - 5-11, 197 - Down one pound
86) WR Alec Berger - 5-11, 176 - Up six pounds
86) TE Brenton Strange - 6-3, 248 - Up six pounds
87) TE Pat Freiermuth - 6-5, 260 - Up one pound
88) WR Norval Black - 6-1, 160 - Down 10 pounds
89) TE Grayson Kline - 6-5, 254 - Down two pounds
90) K Rafael Checa - 6-2, 201 - Down five pounds
91) DT Dvon Ellies - 6-1, 301 - Up nine pounds
91) LS Chris Stoll - 6-2, 243 - Up two pounds
92) K Jake Pinegar - 6-2, 187 - Down two pounds
92) DT Smith Vilbert - 6-6, 246 - Down 20 pounds
93) P Bradley King - 6-2, 205 - Down three pounds
94) LS Joe Calcagno - 6-0, 282 - Down 11 pounds
95) DT Cole Brevard - 6-3, 318 - No Change
95) K Vlad Hilling - 5-10, 226 - Down two pounds
96) K Anthony DaSilva - 5-11, 163 - Up one pound
97) K Carson Landis - 6-2, 203 - Down five pounds
97) DT PJ Mustipher - 6-4, 308 - Up three pounds
98) K/P Jordan Stout - 6-3, 207 - Up three pounds
98) DL/LS Dan Vasey - 6-4, 250 - Up four pounds
99) DT Coziah Izzard - 6-3, 273 - Down 12 pounds
Penn State is getting set to start preseason practices, officially, on August 7.
*******
• Talk about this article inside The Lions Den
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue-White Illustrated
• Follow us on Twitter: @BWIonRivals, @NateBauerBWI, @RivalsSnyder, @DavidEckert98
• Like us on Facebook
