Kicking off the 2025 season, Penn State won the opening coin toss against Nevada and deferred, sending the defense out for the first drive of the game. Though the Wolf Pack found some success, covering 44 yards across seven plays, the march came to an end when defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton punched the ball out for a fumble, sending the Nittany Lion offense onto the field.
During the ensuing commercial break, former Nittany Lion Abdul Carter, fresh off his first preseason with the New York Giants after being selected No. 3 overall, led the Beaver Stadium crowd in a “we are” chant.
It was a symbolic moment, a passing of the torch from one great Penn State edge rusher to the next. With Carter in attendance for possibly his only chance to watch a game in-person before the NFL season starts, Dennis-Sutton posted one of his best career performances.
“I talked to him, man,” Dennis-Sutton said. “He just gave me some advice and things like that. But it was good to see my brother.”
The senior finished with five tackles (four solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a sack, adding a quarterback hurry and pass break-up, all in less than three quarters of action. He’s made substantial statistical jumps each season on campus, and if Week 1 was any indication, he’s poised for another leap in 2025.
“We put so much into this, offseason, all year long, just for 12 games and possibly playoffs,” Dennis-Sutton said after the game. “So I love it, man. I play with emotion. I feel like I play best when I do show my emotions, and I try to reciprocate that to the defense.”
That level of emotion was apparent from Dennis-Sutton on Saturday, playing with confidence and celebrating big plays enthusiastically while the crowd roared in approval.
“It’s contagious. When a guy makes plays and he got a lot of energy, the other guys want to make a play,” defensive tackle Zane Durant said. “He wants to make a play, so everybody’s doing their job to the best of their ability.”
It was hard not to notice Dennis-Sutton flying around the field, giving Penn State fans déjà vu. In recent years, Micah Parsons, Chop Robinson and Carter developed into first-round draft picks in the same stadium. Dennis-Sutton, a former five-star recruit, is on track to becoming the next member of that party. Despite his high recruiting status, development has been an important factor in his success, going from 17 total tackles as a freshman to 26 as a sophomore and 42 as a junior.
“(Strength coach Chuck) Losey, he does a great job,” Dennis-Sutton said. “A lot of work obviously throughout every summer, we’re working in the winter, workouts are hard, but I think just being consistent, things like that. In my training the past four years I’ve been in college, just getting faster with technique and all those things.”
According to head coach James Franklin, his progress extends beyond his hours on the practice field and in the weight room.
“A lot of guys say they want to be great. This guy eats, sleeps and dreams football, and wants to be special,” Franklin said. “And he’s been that way since we recruited him, and since he’s been on campus, and he just continues to get better.”
