Earlier today, Penn State officially announced their team captains for the 2019 season. Eight players were chosen by votes amongst their fellow teammates, and are as follows:

Seniors

Cam Brown (LB)

Blake Gillikin (P)

Jan Johnson (LB)

Garrett Taylor (S)

Juniors

Michal Menet (OL)

Sophomores

Sean Clifford (QB)

Pat Freiermuth (TE)

Jonathan Sutherland (S)

The fact that three sophomores were named captains jumps out to me the most, as it shows how much trust the team puts into them, despite their youth. Given that Freiermuth is the returning team leader in touchdown receptions (Pat had eight of them in 2018) and Clifford has been turning heads not only on the practice field but in the locker room as a vocal leader, it’s not surprising to see them named captains. Jonathan Sutherland being named a captain despite not even starting at safety last season is a testament to how much he is trusted by his teammates.

It’s also good to see an offensive lineman in Menet get the nod as a team captain, especially given that he is the starting center. Then of course, you’ve got the quartet of seniors in Brown, Gillikin, Johnson, and Taylor who will all be key figures on defense and special teams.

Congratulations to the newly-minted captains!