Budding true freshman star Tony Rojas explains why he chose Penn State

 

By: Matt Thomas, Editor-in-Chief, Basic Blues Nation

 

There is a serious youth movement underway in Happy Valley currently.  Coming out of the 2022 season, Penn State football fans were obsessed with freshman phenoms such as Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, and Abdul Carter. This season, Nittany Nation may have found its next breakout true freshman star in LB Tony Rojas.

 

But Rojas almost didn’t end up at Penn State. In our exclusive interview with the true freshman, Rojas explains what eventually won him over and turned him into a Nittany Lion.

 

Family wins over Tony Rojas

 

The second-best player out of the state of Virginia in the class of 2023, Tony Rojas was Penn State’s third highest ranked prospect in the last recruiting cycle. All offseason, fans and experts alike have been clamoring to see Rojas in action this fall.

 

Rojas made headlines during spring for his offseason physical improvements and has often been tagged as one of the potential breakout true freshman stars in the entire country for the 2023 season.

 

However, Tony Rojas almost didn’t end up in Happy Valley. In our exclusive sit-down interview with the LB, Rojas explained that he had doubts about coming to Penn State after defensive coordinator Brent Pry left State College to take the Virginia Tech head coaching job.

 

But according to Rojas, it was the efforts of James Franklin, Manny Diaz, and the entire coaching staff to instill a family-like atmosphere that sold him – and his mom – on coming to Penn State.

 

 

“I became close with Coach Diaz,” Rojas said on why he chose Penn State. “Once Coach Pry left, it was kind of iffy on if I wanted to come here. But once I knew Coach Franklin more and Coach Diaz…the family atmosphere between the coaches and my mom…that was a big part [of coming here].”

 

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This weekend is a big opportunity for Rojas

 

Tony Rojas has made waves in the limited on-field action he’s seen since arriving on campus as an early enrollee in January. The true freshman was the standout performer in April’s Blue-White Game, leading all Nittany Lions in tackles.

 

Coming into this season, Rojas was one of the top performers of fall camp. In August, Rojas was deemed one of the program’s “Takeaway Kings” for his ability to force turnovers during practice. Last week, James Franklin announced that Rojas was one of four true freshmen given the “green light” to burn their redshirts during the 2023 season.

 

“He’s another one of those guys who plays with a chip on his shoulder,” Abdul Carter recently said of Rojas. “As a young guy, he’s trying to come in and play this year, which I think he will. He’s going to be good for us, too.”

 

Tony Rojas found the box sheet in his first official game in college last Saturday against West Virginia. Primarily playing on specials teams, Rojas recorded two tackles on the evening.

 

But with FCS opponent Delaware upcoming, this weekend could be significant for Rojas. The contest is expected to get out of hand early, which will provide ample opportunity for young players to see the field. If he makes the most of his opportunity, then Tony Rojas could introduce himself as the next potential star in the lineage of Linebacker U this weekend.

 

Upcoming Happy Valley United exclusive events

 

Happy Valley United will be providing exclusive access and events throughout the 2023-24 athletic year, including:

 

• American Cancer Society Coaches vs Cancer Reverse Car Drawing, Medlar Field, September 14
• Select members of the Penn State men’s basketball team will be attending the Coaches vs Cancer Reverse Car Drawing on September 14, at Medlar Field.
• The event is hosted by the American Cancer Society and will run from 6-8 p.m.

Penn State men’s basketball student-athletes attending the event are Ace Baldwin Jr., Rayquawndis Mitchell, Puff Johnson, D’Marco Dunn and Zach Hicks.

 

Be sure to check out this and all the exclusive experiences presented by Happy Valley United for the 2023 season!

 

Exclusive player insights, presented by HVU On-Demand

 

If you enjoyed this sit-down interview with Tony Rojas, stay tuned for more exclusive player insights throughout the 2023 season. HVU On-Demand will be providing exclusive access to player interviews and other content throughout the fall as part of the brand-new partnership between Happy Valley United, Up on Game, and Basic Blues Nation.

 

This initiative aims to promote NIL opportunities for the over 800 Penn State student-athletes represented by Happy Valley United and provide you with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from your favorite Nittany Lions.

 

To donate, please visit Happy Valley United’s website. We Are!