Penn State Coach James Franklin Makes Transfer Portal Plea for Key Position
Penn State Football wrapped up spring practice in typical fashion Saturday in the Nittany Lions’ annual Blue-White game in Beaver Stadium.
However, any fans that were not able to make the trip out to State College missed seeing the Nittany Lions in action, as Penn State decided not to televise the game in the new transfer portal tampering area.
While the Nittany Lions were able to showcase their “all-in” roster for 2025 at the Blue-White game, after the game Penn State head coach James Franklin sounded a call for the Nittany Lions to add talent at one specific position before the Nittany Lions return for fall camp.
Penn State Football Actively Shopping for Linebacker Help
After an offseason filled with Penn State seeing key contributors announcing their decisions to return in 2025 to chase a national championship, Penn State’s roster for next season is stacked with talent and could be one of the best in the country.
However, that hasn’t stopped Franklin from looking to the transfer portal to fill in a few holes in the roster before the 2025 campaign kicks off.
Just before the Blue-White game started, the Nittany Lions received the commitment from one of the top wide receivers in the transfer portal, Syracuse wide receiver Trebor Pena.
After the game, in discussing developments for the Nittany Lions through spring practice, James Franklin made it clear that Penn State is still looking to fill out the 2025 roster at a key position, linebacker.
Buy The Newest Penn State Gear From Fanatics | Shop Penn State Merchandise on Amazon
Last week, Penn State linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson announced his intention to transfer from Penn State, officially landing at Big Ten rival USC.
Franklin said during his post-Blue and White press conference that the decision was not one that Penn State had anticipated. As such, Franklin announced at the press conference that Penn State will “look at the portal, see if [the Nittany Lions] can find a solution” to linebacker depth. Franklin noted that “I think we got enough in the room, but to get through an entire season, if we get some injuries, it could get challenging.”
Franklin also made a direct plea to any linebacker in the transfer portal that could have interest in Penn State, “If there’s a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for LBU… there’s an opportunity here to join the room and compete.”
James Franklin has made it clear in the past that Penn State is not a big transfer portal team, noting that the Nittany Lions focus on development of who’s already on the roster, but understanding that the team will look to the portal to fill holes. Penn State has already filled holes at wide receiver and defensive end through the portal this offseason, and now will look for a linebacker before fall camp kicks off in a few months.
MORE Penn State Football News from NittanyCentral:
A note to our readers; If you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may receive a commission
Expertise: College Football, Penn State Football
Education: Saint Vincent College, Penn State Law School
Location: Washington, DC
Experience:Robert Casturo has covered Penn State football for NittanyCentral since 2022. Casturo previously covered Penn State football through a social media presence (@PSU_FB_Thoughts on X) since 2019. Casturo earned his bachelor's degree from Saint Vincent College in 2015, where he was a punter for 1 season on the Saint Vincent College football team and worked in the athletic department for 2 years as a student manager. Casturo earned his JD from Penn State Law in 2018 where he was a senior editor of the Penn State Law Review.
Education: Saint Vincent College, Penn State Law School
Location: Washington, DC
Experience:Robert Casturo has covered Penn State football for NittanyCentral since 2022. Casturo previously covered Penn State football through a social media presence (@PSU_FB_Thoughts on X) since 2019. Casturo earned his bachelor's degree from Saint Vincent College in 2015, where he was a punter for 1 season on the Saint Vincent College football team and worked in the athletic department for 2 years as a student manager. Casturo earned his JD from Penn State Law in 2018 where he was a senior editor of the Penn State Law Review.
Latest posts by Robert Casturo (see all)
- Penn State Coach James Franklin Makes Transfer Portal Plea for Key Position - April 28, 2025
- Drew Allar Named Top-10 Returning QB By Pro Football Focus - February 14, 2024
- Penn State Football: Breaking Down James Franklin’s Bowl Game Record - December 13, 2023