James Franklin confirmed exactly what fans were thinking on Penn State’s defense following huge win over Nevada
Dani Dennis-Sutton is living up to the hype as the next Penn State defensive superstar and everyone sees it
Penn State has become a defensive end and outside linebacker factory over the course of the past several years, and it looks like James Franklin’s staff is at it again. From Micah Parsons and Odafe Oweh, to Chop Robinson and Abdul Carter, the Nittany Lions always seem to have elite game-wrecking talents who can get after the passer.
Now it’s Dani Dennis-Sutton’s turn, and coach Franklin couldn’t help but rave about what sets him apart following Penn State’s huge Week 1 win over Nevada.
Dani Dennis-Sutton already living up to the hype for Penn State in big win over Nevada
Dani Dennis-Sutton may have been overshadowed by Abdul Carter’s insane 2024 season last year, but he was already an elite playmaker as well, tallying nine sacks, over a dozen tackles for loss, nearly 50 total tackles, and some forced fumbles. With Carter now in the NFL, DDS was always going to have to step up in 2025 if Penn State wanted to have a true difference maker off the edge once again, and he’s already proving to be up to the task, just like many fans expected.
When asked about Dennis-Sutton following his impressive Week 1 performance where he racked up five total tackles, a sack, four pressures, and two forced fumbles James Franklin had this to say:
“When you’re 6’5″, 265 pounds–he’s extremely strong. [Dani Dennis-Sutton] is quicker and faster than people realize. He’s a well-rounded defensive end. There’s some guys across the country that are great pass rushers. Some guys that are good against the run. He can do both. He’s a unique guy. He’s going to have a big time year. I think the thing that separates him is his motor. It’s always on 100. From the snap to the whistle he plays his tail off. And usually when you play hard, good things happen. You keep running to the ball, you’re going to end up making a play. He is hungry. He is motivated. He is driven. He wants to be great. A lot of guys say they want to be great. [DDS] eats, sleeps, and dreams football–and wants to be special…I think the ten pounds that he lost [this offseason] is helpful for him. I think it’s going to contribute to him having a big time year for us.”
James Franklin’s comments confirmed exactly what every fan was thinking after Penn State’s destruction of Nevada: Dani Dennis-Sutton simply could not be stopped on Saturday thanks to his relentless motor and strength. The Nevada offense knew it. Penn State’s defense knew it. Every fan watching the game knew it. DDS blew up play after play, putting up one of the most absurdly impressive performances among all defenders in the nation on Saturday (you can see a sample in the post below).
DDS already tied his season total from last year on forced fumbles, with two in the game. He brought pressure on 40% of his pass rush snaps. DDS created havoc left and right, even when he wasn’t the one finishing the play with a tackle or other critical stop. Simply put, Dennis-Sutton played like the superstar that Penn State needs in 2025.
Expectations are through the roof for Penn State this season. If they’re actually going to cash in and win a national championship the Nittany Lions clearly needed two things to happen. They had to get better production out of the wide receiver position, and they did on Saturday thanks to the addition of Kyron Hudson and Trebor Pena. Then they also needed to have a couple returning defenders take huge leaps to match the production and energy that Abdul Carter brought last season–and DDS certainly did that too. If Dani Dennis-Sutton and Penn State keep this up, they might just have the best season in program history.
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