Who are the 2022 Penn State football captains?
Penn State football has picked its team captains ahead of the 2022 season. A total of six players were selected by head coach James Franklin.
The group is led by sixth-year seniors Sean Clifford and Jonathan Sutherland. The pair set Penn State history, as they are now the first four-time team captains in Lions lore. A quarterback and linebacker respectively, each came back for a final season thanks to the extra year of eligibility the NCAA granted all players because of the coronavirus pandemic. Clifford will be the team’s starting quarterback while Sutherland will be first up at SAM linebacker.
The other captain on offense is center Juice Scruggs. It’s fitting, as he will work closely with Clifford as the leader in the middle of the Lions’ line. It is the first time he is earning that honor.
Moving onto the defense, Sutherland is joined by defensive tackle PJ Mustipher and safety Ji’Ayir Brown. Mustipher is a Penn State captain for a second consecutive season. He is returning to action in 2022 after missing the last half of the 2021 season due to a knee injury. Despite that, he was still helping teammates from the sidelines and has fought back to be ready for this year’s opener. As for Brown, he is a first-time captain. And, he is aiming to lift his NFL Draft stock and the Lions to higher heights after returning for a final year.
Last but certainly not least, the group of captains is rounded out by long snapper Chris Stoll. He has started 35 career games in his position. And, he was put on scholarship in 2020. He’s also in his third year as the program’s Uplifting Athletes chapter president.
More Penn State preseason camp updates
Penn State took a break from the grind of camp on Wednesday. A day of laser tag and off-field team building was subbed in its place. From the sights and sounds of social media videos, the day was a big hit. However, that shouldn’t be a surprise. As head coach James Franklin told reporters on Wednesday, this set of drills has been different than some others that have come before it in prior years.
“We’ve had really physical practices, which I think has been important,” Franklin said. “In years past, I was concerned about depth at a few spots where you’d have to kind of pull that back. And it’s hard to have a tough, physical team, mentally and physically if you’re not having those types of practices.
“So I think we’re in a good place, but at the end of the day, you guys will tell me and everybody else very clearly how we are after the Purdue game.”
