Former Penn State defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas, who played alongside Durant for two seasons, called him "freakish" and a mismatch, traits that Durant will carry into 2025. Durant became the second Penn State defensive starter to announce his return, joining safety Zakee Wheatley.

For years, Penn State had a pair of popular cheers, “The Nittany Lion” and "Short Yell State.” In the mid-1970s, according to Penn State historian Lou Prato, the Nittany Lions’ cheerleaders were awed when making road trips with the team to Ohio State and USC, both of which used call-and-response cheers among fans to liven the in-stadium atmosphere.

Defensive tackle Zane Durant announced he’ll be returning to the Nittany Lions for the 2025 season instead of declaring for the NFL draft. He made the announcement via his Twitter account.