By: Pasquale Tartaro, GoPSUSports.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Though Penn State is months removed from the start of its upcoming season, the palpable energy in Chuck Losey's weight room workouts would make one think otherwise.
With teammates huddled around squat racks and music blasting, the Nittany Lions took turns showcasing their lifts and supporting one another last Thursday in a session which was open to media.
"Tyler Warren crushed it today," Losey said following the workout. "That may be a tight end record for us all time. I have to go back and check."
Known for his athletic prowess in the wildcat formation, Warren is just one of the many players who have managed to impress Losey throughout the spring thus far.
Losey, who took the helm of Penn State's performance enhancement program this winter following the retirement of his mentor Dwight Galt III, spoke to the media last week after an intense max out session.
"I've had a funny career path where I wasn't afforded the opportunity to learn under somebody early from a mentorship standpoint," Losey said. "To be with Dwight in my career, and to have his mentorship over the past 11 years, it was an amazing opportunity."
With a focus on translating the offseason work into mobility on the field, Losey will reinforce the same core principles that he and his predecessor developed throughout their 11 seasons together.
"We've always believed movement is the key to your team," Losey said. "You can be as big and strong as you want to be in the squat rack in there, but if you don't have players that can get out there and move on Saturdays and do it over and over and sustain it, then you don't have much of a shot."
Furthermore, Losey is not only strategic in the manner in which he designs his group workouts, but in how he aims to stimulate growth among his younger players.
Over the course of spring workouts, Losey has paired sophomore Jaylen Reed with senior safety Ji'Ayir Brown, a move that has "paid dividends."
As for the team's incoming freshmen, Losey pointed to running back Nicholas Singleton and defensive tackle Zane Durant as two newcomers who have stood out from an athletic standpoint.
"It's a tough transitional period for (early enrollees) coming from high school, coming in early, being mid-years," Losey said. "You talk about Singleton and Durant… those guys specifically, they've done some really good things ever since being on campus."
Moreover, two defensive linemen who missed significant time last fall, Adisa Isaac and PJ Mustipher, were present for last week's workout.
While Isaac was inactive during the 2021 season, he has totaled three sacks and 27 tackles over 20 games with the Nittany Lions.
"Adisa has done an outstanding job of attacking his rehab," Losey said. 'He's on schedule, we feel really good about him."
A team captain in 2021, Mustipher has racked up 107 total tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles throughout his collegiate career.
"He's got a voice that carries. When PJ speaks, everybody listens," Losey said. "I've talked to PJ and I explained very clearly that he needs to be an extension of this coaching staff. He's taking that seriously and he's put himself in a good position coming up for spring ball."
