Forging a ‘Most Violent’ Identity
Reid Kagy, Penn State’s director of strength and conditioning, has set a clear ambition: transform the Nittany Lions into the ‘most violent team’ in college football while simultaneously cultivating deep bonds among the players.
With only eight hours of sanctioned summer workouts each week, Kagy must maximize every minute to improve physical performance and durability, ensuring that the limited time translates into measurable gains on the field.
To monitor progress, he relies on Catapult vests that capture biometric data, allowing staff to track workload, fatigue and injury risk. This data feeds into a philosophy of ‘building up armor’ — strengthening bodies to withstand the collisions that define the sport.
The recent Lift For Life showcase offered a glimpse into these drills, highlighting conditioning circuits that blend power with precision, while newcomers such as Iowa State transfer Jamison Patton view the sessions as a chance to forge chemistry with teammates.
Kagy also maintains a record board in the weight room, a visual tribute to past achievements that serves as motivation for current players to etch their own legacy.
Beyond raw aggression, his broader vision includes making the squad faster, stronger, more powerful and disciplined, a combination he believes will define success when the season begins.