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Are you a linebacker in the NCAA transfer portal? If so, Penn State coach James Franklin might want to speak with you

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•about 18 hours•

GregPickel

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Penn State coach James Franklin. (Pickel/BWI)

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State will play a base 4-2-5 defense this year that means ‘Linebacker U’ does not need as many players at that position as it might in some years. Still, it needs enough linebackers to feel comfortable in the case of injuries, ejections, or otherwise. And, the Lions are dancing dangerously close to the line between having just enough and not enough.

After Ta’Mere Robinson unexpectedly hit the transfer portal last week and moved on to USC this week, head coach James Franklin’s team is down to just 10 players in program legend Dan Connor’s position group until four-star signee Cam Smith arrives this summer. Of the 11 he’ll have then, three will be freshmen, two will be walk-ons, and two players, Tony Rojas and Keon Wylie, will have either missed all or most of spring practice due to injuries.

“The young guys have taken some steps,” Lions coach James Franklin said Saturday after the Blue-White game. “Speca is doing some really good things. Probably had the most complete, consistent spring, from a grade standpoint, things like that.

“Kari [Jackson] is super physical. Obviously. [Dominic] DeLuca. You guys all know DeLuca. Being able to get Rojas back is going to be important as well. I think we’re in good shape. But there’s some concerns there.”

Can Penn State solve its concerns via the transfer portal?

Penn State offered former Ohio All-MAC linebacker Shay Taylor, which was the first sign that they might be looking for help at that position. He has not yet set up a visit but might. The Lions will look beyond him too, of course, to try and find a fit to provide depth and competition. Whether or not they can find one with the spring portal window now closed for entries, however, remains to be seen.

“We’re not a big portal team, but we’re going to have to address some issues,” Franklin said. “So if there is a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for LBU, the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football, there’s an opportunity here to join the room and compete. So we will look at 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. So we’re going to look at the portal and see if we could find a solution. As you guys know, more times than not, we’d like it to be somebody that is connected to us and that we know. Because, we got a really good locker room, and I’ll make sure that we’re bringing the right people in our locker room. We’re very protective of that.”

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