In anticipation of the annual Blue-White Game on April 18, head coach James Franklin announced the members of his 2015 Leadership Council today. The council consists of 13 seniors, five juniors, five sophomores, and two freshmen, and is intended to be the unified voice of the team.

The Leadership Council is also tasked with upholding the four core values of Penn State football: positive attitude, great work ethic, competitiveness, and a willingness to make sacrifices. The Council will meet with Franklin at least twice a month.

“The Leadership Council is something that is very important to us. The Council gives the team a strong voice and an opportunity to positively influence change within the program,” Franklin said in a Penn State athletics release. “This is a group of guys who bring a variety of different views to the table. We value their opinions and trust they will drive our program’s culture and core values.”

The players on the Leadership Council are as follows:

Seniors: Matt Baney, Tarow Barney, Kyle Carter, Da’Quan Davis, Jordan Dudas, Brandon Johnson, Ben Kline, Jordan Lucas, Angelo Mangiro, Carl Nassib, Trevor Williams, Matt Zanellato and Anthony Zettel.

Juniors: Brandon Bell, Christian Hackenberg, Austin Johnson, Akeel Lynch and Nyeem Wartman.

Sophomores: Adam Breneman, Jason Cabinda, Grant Haley,DaeSean Hamilton and Andrew Nelson.

Freshman: Trace McSorley and Troy Reeder.

Basketball coach Pat Chambers has a similar system in place with his squad, and it seems to work well. And, as Franklin said, bringing a variety of views to the table will only strengthen the team going forward.