Penn State has a high-level starter in safety Zakee Wheatley, but has been working through the offseason to find who will be next to him to open games. And at his first weekly press conference of the regular season, Penn State head coach James Franklin named an unexpected starter at the position.

Penn State also thinks highly of J’ven Williams, a third-year linemen who can play guard and tackle. And the Lions’ 2025 recruiting class includes four-star January enrollee Owen Aliciene and five-star Malachi Goodman, who arrived in the summer.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin shared how quarterback Drew Allar is now different going into the 2025 season.