Chuck Losey talks Penn State freshmen standouts, Vega Ioane’s 2025 outlook, and more: Everything he said

Penn State football head strength coach and longtime James Franklin assistant Chuck Losey held his final media availability of the offseason on Monday as the Nittany Lions now sit less than a month from preseason camp kicking off. That, of course, means summer workouts are all but over in State College.

“I mean, obviously, we’re deep into the summer, so this is week number six for us,” Losey said. “This week is a high-intensity week where. We’re basically prepping for evaluation and test week next week. So that’s why you saw a lot of big lifts that you did today, especially on power movements. So we’re at the point in the summer right now, peaking from a power standpoint. We’re going to evaluate the guys next week, just to see what we’ve done over this cycle, and then we’ll be ready for fall camp.”

Watch the video and read a recap of everything else Losey had to say below.

On the offseason plan for Penn State senior guard Vega Ioane

“The plan is for him to be an All-American football player this year,” Losey said. “But Vega’s big thing has always been movement efficiency. He is a big, dense individual. So efficiency was a big thing for him this offseason. Actually wanted to bring him down more in that 325 [pounds] range. Feel that he moves better at that weight. He’s always going to be strong, be able to push people off the ball, but that was probably priority number one. And on top of that, it’s him cultivating himself and being a leader on this football team.

“He’s always been a leader, from the standpoint of he’s been a great example guy, but part of his challenge during the off season, during the summer months, he’s trying to insert himself vocally and take charge and separate himself as one of the leaders in that group, and really honestly, on the offense too, not just his group. He’s got enough crossover from a team-wide standpoint where he can pretty much step into any situation and be an extension of the coaching staff.”

On reclassified Class of 2026 defensive end Daniel Jennings, who is now on campus as a member of the Class of 2025

“Well, anytime we get a guy, an early enrollee like that, especially reclassified, he’s super young for a college kid, it just depends on where his baselines are,” Losey said. “I look at him and I look at the way he did his baseline testing and performed for us. He reminded me a lot of Zane or Xavier Gilliam when they first came in, same body type, measurables, similar outputs. From a performance standpoint, we’re not going to rush to get anything done. We’re just going to kind of slow-cook him, see how he responds to the training stage that we’re putting on him, and we’ll go from there. So with him, we’re not going to rush to do anything. We’re just going to take our time.”

On the development of Penn State senior running back Nick Singleton

“I mean, he did come in with such high baselines that, those guys are a little bit more challenging, because anytime, like, let’s say, you get a lift, like a power clean, Ok, kid comes in and then power cleans 365 pounds right out of the gate,” Losey said. “When people say, ‘Well, why can’t he put on 40 pounds like everybody else does in two years?’

“Well, the difference between 225 and 275 is quite different than 365 and 405. But I mean, that’s why we get paid to make adjustments to his program. I’m happy, just because his jumps haven’t been as as large as some of these other developmental guys on the team, I get super excited about when we’re able to shave five hundredths off of his 40. I get excited about us being able to put five pounds on his power, clean, 10-15 pounds on his squat. Y

“You just have to kind of take a step back, put it into perspective, what it feels but I get excited about it, and we’ve been able to do all those things. He’s been steady and progressive throughout his career here. He’s managed to stay healthy, which I’m super happy about, and I’m very pleased with. And it’s a testament to him too, and his work ethic in here, and his consistency, because he has been one of the most consistent guys in the program ever since he stepped foot [on campus].

On Penn State spring transfer portal additions Trebor Pena and Amare Campbell, a receiver and linebacker, respectively

“I mean, priority number one is just to get them comfortable within our team and getting them fit into our culture,” Losey said. “That’s always going to be priority number one for us. We knew who they were from an athlete standpoint. Athletically, we knew what their capabilities were, both of them. Pena, I knew that we could make jumps in speed and his ability to be dynamic on the field. I watched his film, saw what his baseline measurables were when they first came in, and we’d been able to increase his outputs on everything this summer. So I’m really, I’m really excited to see where he tests out next week. I think he’s going to test really well.

“And then the same thing with Amare. Amare was a little bit different situation. Combo position player, probably came in a little bit more underconditioned than Pena. So what I’m excited about Amare is that he’s been able to put five six pounds on since he’s been here, but he’s also been able to drop points off of his body fat percentage. So again, it goes back to moving efficiency for our guys. I’m happy with both of them. They fit in well with the culture. From a performance profiling standpoint. I mean, they fit right in with the guys. So I’m happy with them.”

Have any freshmen stood out this summer who were part of the May and June arrivals from the Class of 2025?

“I’ll tell you what, the whole group of new defensive ends is really impressive. Chaz Coleman, Cortez Harris, Yvan Kemajou. All those guys have been incredibly, incredibly impressive, just from a horsepower standpoint. Historically, when you stack them up historically, to some of these guys who have come in at the same age, they’re high output guys, and all of them have tremendous work ethics. They’ve done a great job.

“I’ve been really impressed with [offensive lineman] Malachi Goodman ever since he’s been here this summer. Very happy with him. We knew he was he was a naturally talented kid. What I like about Malachi is, he’s gotten better every week since he’s been on campus. This thing was, it was new to him when he first got here, just the routine of everything, the day to day demands of everything. You know, it is a hard balance for these guys, but I’ve seen growth in him. I’ve seen, obviously, physical development.”

Were any schedule changes needed based on how long the 2024 Penn State season went?

“Well, I think a lot of it had to do with the way we approached it on the front end,” Losey said. “I think I talked to you guys about that last time I spoke to you in the spring. By the time we get we get to spring ball, and we even get to post spring ball, we’re probably not, after last season, we weren’t where we were from a benchmarking standpoint the season before that.

“So my goal was, by the time we finished testing and evaluating in the summer, was for us to be ahead of schedule. That’s always my goal every July, when we test and evaluate, is to be better than what we were the year before. So as long as we got to the point to where I felt good about it compared to the previous year by that third week of July, then I was good.

“Now we had to do a little bit differently throughout the spring. That probably is where you would see the biggest differentiation between our program last year and this year. But from a summer cycle standpoint, once we really got into the thick of it in June, we were pretty much on schedule. We were in a really good spot. And I think a lot of it had to do with our management and the way we went around about spring ball this year. Credit to Coach Franklin, credit to all the coaches. We went into it, had a great plan. We executed the plan from a management, player load standpoint, and we came out of spring in a really good spot, so that we could just kind of hit the ground running.”

On injured linebacker Tony Rojas’ summer so far

“Rojas has been fantastic this summer,” Losey said. “He’s been fantastic. He’s ready to go. I’m excited about the season that he is going to have.”

Where does he want the Nittany Lions to be exiting summer workouts and entering preseason camp?

“So, priority number one during camp is, you’ve got your practice opportunities to maximize up to game one,” Losey said. “My main objective is to have these guys ready from a physical standpoint, to where they don’t miss anything during fall camp, I gotta bulletproof these guys to get them through fall camp, because that time is so valuable, from a football standpoint, a teaching standpoint, an install standpoint, that they can’t miss anything because of some type of physical limitation.

“So my main objective is to get them built up their body armor, make them bulletproof going into camp so that we can get everything installed that we need to have a successful season.”

Is the summer enough time to get spring transfers and late high school arrivals up to speed for camp and the season?

“It’s condensed compared to months,” Losey said. “But again, it just goes back to even though they may have gotten here later. We’ve done our research on the guys. We know who they are when they come in. You know, as soon as they do sign with us, we’re in contact with them, getting them ready. So, you know, it depends on who they are, what the expectation is for the year, but we also have a good idea of who we’re bringing in, and as long as they’ve got the right mindset, the right work ethic, you know, the timeline that’s given over the summer is plenty of time to generate, especially for the transfers.

“Now, the freshmen you don’t know, because we haven’t seen them in pads a lot of times, so we’ll find out who they are in the pads when we get there. But we also know our transfers, because we watch so much tape and we know who they are. But summer is plenty of time.”

What would he tell a NFL scout about Penn State quarterback Drew Allar?

“I’d say don’t be fooled by just his quiet nature,” Losey said. “He’s tough as nails, he’s durable, and he’s done nothing but get better every year on the program. So I’m a huge Drew Allar fan. I think he’s gonna have a huge year this year, and he’s just one of those guys where his play is gonna speak for itself. I don’t think I’m gonna have to say much, if anything.”

Which player(s) have stepped up as leaders this offseason?

I’m really happy about the development of Zakee Wheatley from a leadership standpoint,” Losey said. “Jaylen Reed was such a strong presence on the defense last year at that safety position, and across the board on the defense. You know, Zig has kind of taken the reins, and he’s run with it, you know. Two years ago, three years ago, when he first got here, to be able to project that; I always knew he’d be a really good ball player for us. I just didn’t know how good of a leader down the road he would be.

“And I’m really proud of him and his development from a leadership standpoint, and he’s turned into a guy who, he’s one of the first guys in the weight room every day. You know, he thrives in everything that we do out in the field, from movement standpoint, a lifting standpoint, recovery standpoint, he’s just kind of a model citizen for us now. I’m happy. I think he’s going to level up this year with his play.”

Why has Losey stayed at Penn State for so long?

“James Franklin is my guy,” he said. “Coach Franklin is my guy. I don’t want to work for anybody else in this profession. I know what I’m going to get from him every day. He knows what he’s going to get from me every day. We have a strong relationship. We’re like-minded. We have the same goals. I don’t take that for granted. I’ve got a ton of appreciation for that. I know what this profession has been, [and] have an idea of where it is right now.

“I know what’s out there, and I’m just so appreciative to have the opportunity to come to work at a place like this every day. So James Franklin, these guys that I get to come and work with every day, the rest of the strength staff, Alvin Futrell Tyrone Smith, Jeff Earls, John Fleury, Andrew Nelson, Dan Vasey, Leanne Louden in nutrition; I just got an unbelievable situation here, and I’m super appreciative of it.”

On the progress of the Lions’ backup quarterbacks

“I feel really good about them,” Losey said. “I think they’ve been both done really good job. When you’re talking about Jaxson Smolik, and then you’re talking about Ethan Grunkemeyer, both of them understand that they’re only one snap away from being in the game, and they attack every day like that. I know that sounds like coach speak, but you know, with what you would want to see out of a guy who was one snap away from leading your program, I got full confidence in both of those guys.

“Jaxson rebounded tremendously from that knee, and you ou wouldn’t know any difference. Watching them out here on the field, I think both of them have grown from a leadership standpoint and their ability to take the reins with the offense and be the commander. So I’m excited for them both.”