Penn State Football: LaVar Arrington II Will Wear No. 11 for the Nittany Lions

Penn State football has turned its No. 11 jersey into a brand, one that symbolizes its self-described legacy as "Linebacker U." Wearing the jersey number carries weight. Now, the number belongs to true freshman LaVar Arrington II, whose father helped make the number special as part of Penn State's defense.

Penn State recently updated its 2025 football roster, unveiling jersey numbers for its freshmen players. The most notable: LaVar Arrington II, a linebacker in Penn State's 2025 recruiting class, will wear No. 11, otherwise known as "Stix." He follows his father, as well as Abdul Carter, Micah Parsons, Brandon Bell and NaVorro Bowman, in representing the number on Penn State's defense. A 4-star prospect from Charter Oak High in California, Arrington enrolled at Penn State in January and was with the team during its Orange Bowl game preparation. Though he couldn't do much with the Nittany Lions, Arrington still made an impression on former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen.

"That's pretty big shoes to step into with that name, but he's an awesome young man," Allen said of Arrington before the Orange Bowl. "My first impression was that he's very athletic. I would say a raw athlete that's got a high, high ceiling. He's played on the line of scrimmage a lot. Obviously, we're gonna project him as a linebacker and a dual guy who can play in an edge position as well as at linebacker. ... He's long and lean right now and is going to be in that weight room getting bigger and stronger and faster. ... I expect him to be a really good player eventually."

Arrington II committed to Penn State last July 4, choosing the Nittany Lions over Oregon, Tennessee and UCLA. On Signing Day in December, Penn State coach James Franklin said that the program "got better" by signing Arrington II.

"To watch your development from last year to this year, I think you're one of the most improved players in the country," Franklin said during the Signing Day ceremony. "And we think you're coming at the perfect time, because your trajectory is just through the roof right now."

LaVar Arrington was proud of his son's decision but took no credit for it. In fact, Arrington's twin sister Laila will attend Penn State as well.

"He made the decision himself, he and Laila, and I'm so beyond humbled by them wanting to go there and continue to build our legacy," Arrington said in an interview last year. "Me and my wife [Trishia] raised them there. I don't take being a Penn Stater lightly. He's been begging my wife, he's been begging me, to go to the tattoo parlor to get the same tattoo of the Nittany Lion I got on my arm when I committed my junior year to go to Penn State. He really embraces everything I've always talked about, and it is very, very connected to what I learned being a part of the Penn State community."

LaVar Arrington became a College Football Hall of Fame linebacker with the Nittany Lions in the 1990s. He was the second overall pick of the 2000 NFL Draft and remains heavily involved with the Penn State football program. Arrington hosts "Stix City" tailgates at Penn State games and has partnered his company, DisruptU-PSU, with Penn State's Brand Academy to create NIL opportunities for Penn State athletes.

"I love Penn State and I want to see Penn State flourish," Arrington said in a 2024 interview. "And I want to work to hopefully create new opportunities to push our university forward. If we're improving athletics and the football team, that's a tide that lifts all ships. That improves our economy in State College. It makes us more relevant. It's a great stimulus for all of us if we can pull this off."