Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton: 'I feel like I can still do better'
Penn State fans have a lot to be excited about following the early signing period, and that was evident once again on Tuesday as the All-America Bowl got under way in San Antonio, Texas.
According to On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power, three of Penn State’s four participants earned top performer honors, including defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton.
“It was a lot of fun finally getting to go against these top guys in the country,” Dennis-Sutton said. “It was good to go against those guys, win my reps, and just show everyone what I can do.”
Power called Dennis-Sutton “the standout guy” during offensive and defensive line one-on-ones. That’s something we’ve seen from Dennis-Sutton in the past, but it’s exciting nonetheless following a serious elbow injury this season.
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“I feel like I can still do better, and anyone who’s truly competitive should feel like they can always do better,” Dennis-Sutton said, referring to his 2022 season. “I did enjoy my second half of the season. Obviously, the first half was frustrating with the elbow injury, but the elbow is back to being 100 percent now. It better be going against some of these guys who are 350 [pounds] out here. I’ve been stretching it, working it out to keep my muscles strong.
“But everything ended up being pretty good with the season. We finished strong, made it to the championship game. It felt really nice helping my team get back to the championship game after a poor start. That felt really good to help McDonogh get back on track.”
Right before he signed, Penn State had a major change on its staff, with Brent Pry taking over at Virginia Tech. It was never going to impact his commitment status, but nonetheless, his relationship with new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has started strong.
“Manny seems like a cool guy, a genuine guy. I have no doubt that he knows what he’s doing after talking to him a few times. Obviously, part of me is hurt that Coach Pry won’t be there, but part of me is really happy for him, too. Getting a big job like that at Virginia Tech is great for him. I think he’s going to do great things there, but no matter what, I’m always going to stick with Penn State. All my other people are still there, from John Scott to Coach [James] Franklin to Deion Barnes. Now, I’m building a great relationship with Coach Diaz, so I feel like we’re still on pace to build something special on the defensive side.”
Dennis-Sutton will take the field again this afternoon in a joint practice between both the east and west teams. However, between practices, he said he’s enjoyed getting to know his future Penn State teammates.
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“Of course, I’ve been hanging out with them a lot. I’ve been on social media a lot, so I’ve seen a lot of the notoriety that Drew Allar and Nick Singleton have gotten. I knew them, but now this week I’m really getting to know them and that’s been a lot of fun. Honestly, seeing them live, seeing some of the things they can do, that’s been a lot of fun. The way they move, it’s special. It gets you excited.
“Keon [Wylie] is playing well, too. I was watching him earlier, so it’s been cool so far this week getting to hang out with those guys. I ate lunch with them and got to catch up with them. It’s been fun.”
McDonogh doesn’t allow its students to graduate early, so Dennis-Sutton will have to wait until the summer to enroll at Penn State. In addition to his normal training, he said he’s planning to run track this winter and spring.
“Last year, I trained with the track team but didn’t get to participate because of the pandemic,” Dennis-Sutton said. “I’m running right now indoors, doing the 55 [meter] and 4×1. Outdoor I’ll probably do the 4×1. I haven’t been able to compete yet, so I don’t have times, but I’m planning to give it a go. Of course, I’m training with my defensive line coach all the time, too, lifting and doing everything I need to do. But track is going to be something I work hard at this offseason.”
