Penn State football fans received some welcome news Monday, when strength coach Chuck Losey emphatically indicated linebacker Tony Rojas will be at full strength when preseason camp kicks off in early August. And it was not just what Losey said about Rojas, but what members of the media saw him doing during an open workout earlier in the day.

Rojas started all 16 games for the Nittany Lions last season despite playing with his left shoulder in a heavy harness. He was spotted in a sling in January, admitted to getting the shoulder “fixed,” and subsequently was held out of spring practice.

In early June, head coach James Franklin said he expected Rojas to be “fully cleared” for activity in the summer and in training camp. Losey was even more enthusiastic in his assessment Monday.

Before a reporter could even get out an entire question about whether Rojas had picked up where he’d left off before undergoing an unspecified medical procedure on the shoulder, Losey jumped right in:

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

But we really did not have to take Losey’s word for it. During the open lift, Rojas spent time pressing two massive dumbbells as a spotter looked on. The weight appeared to be equal in his left and right hands.

(Photo: Mark Brennan-Lions247)

The junior’s health was one of the pressing issues for the Nittany Lions coming out of spring ball. It may well have been THE biggest concern. With starting middle linebacker Kobe King making an early exit to the NFL, Rojas became the program’s most experienced player (in terms of 2024-25 snaps and starts) at the position. In fact, his 656 snaps were more than all of the other returning linebackers combined, with only veteran Dominic DeLuca (387) remotely close.

Meanwhile, promising underclassman Ta’Mere Robinson — who had 100 snaps last season and was expected to move into a more prominent role in 2025-26 — unexpectedly transferred out of the program, landing at Southern Cal. PSU picked up former North Carolina starter Amare Campbell out of the NCAA Transfer Portal, but experience and depth remain an issue.

Which is what makes a healthy Rojas so important.

Rojas finished fifth on the team in tackles last season with 58, and among returning players only safety Zakee Wheatley had more stops (96). He tied for the team high with three interceptions.

Rojas was at his most productive during the College Football Playoff run. He returned an interception for a touchdown against SMU and secured seven tackles versus Boise State, marking his second-highest total of the season.