Blue White Illustrated

LAST WORD T I M O W E N | O W E N . T I M . B W I @ G M A I L . C O M ll good things come to an end, and at Penn State one traditional moniker has been losing its luster and might be on its last legs. Linebacker U – is it still the label for the core of the Nittany Lions' defense? Does it still carry the same clout that it once did? Five NFL Drafts have now come and gone without a PSU line- backer hearing his name called, a steep drop-off considering that nine had been drafted between 2007 and 2013. While Koa Farmer is set on snapping that streak next spring, the dearth of drafted linebackers in recent years is notewor- thy, and it doesn't even paint the entire picture. As offenses across the country evolve with the times and continue to spread their formations across the field, de- fenses have adapted. No longer is a 4-3 base defense the one and only, and that reality is often reflected across the depth chart. Teams are prioritizing de- fensive backs in their recruiting classes, and it's no different at Penn State. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, LSU and Southern Cal are the colleges with the most linebacker alumni in the NFL, and some of them are also still employing a true three-LB set on a regular basis. It's no coinci- dence that four of those six are in the Southeastern Conference, a league still known for its power running attacks. Elsewhere, the 4-2-5 – or nickel de- fense – is becoming more common- place by the season, as quarterbacks air it out, tight ends become more athletic and receivers litter the field. It's a reac- tion to a reaction, and in a way it's al- tering the game. The Nittany Lions are seeing the changes firsthand. This past spring, three Penn State defensive backs were drafted, the most in one class in more than a dozen years. And it appears that a few more draft-worthy defensive backs will take the field for PSU this fall. It's likely that defensive coordinator Brent Pry will lean on those DBs as he rebuilds a defense that has lost, among others, last year's top two middle line- backers. Given the composition of their roster, it would make sense for the Lions to use a defensive scheme that features two linebackers and five defensive backs behind a four-man front. It's likely that a freshman or a former walk-on will as- sume the starting role at MLB this sea- son, and even at the Will spot – the other "box" position in Pry's scheme – Penn State will be looking to use players who don't necessarily fit the mold. Jun- ior Cam Brown is in for a solid year, but at 6-foot-5 and 226 pounds, he's far from prototypical. Farmer, on the other hand, said he plans to play in the box this fall and be a three-down player. A converted safety, he has shuttled back and forth between this current and for- mer positions. In doing so, he has ex- emplified the difficulties facing a school that was once well-stocked with future pro linebackers. But all is not lost, and Farmer could be the one who snaps the streak. He has me convinced that a big senior season is in the offing. He also has me convinced that some of the freshmen coming up have a chance to further correct the tra- jectory after he leaves. One player in particular – Micah Parsons – already has Farmer as a believer. "He's a true five-star," Farmer said. "He's a freak athlete: 6-foot-4 or what- ever and 242 pounds, and he's fast as lightning. Strong. When he runs to the football, it's crazy. He runs past guys to make tackles." Parsons as a freshman is already don- ning the same number as former Line- backer U great LaVar Arrington, and the vocabulary used to describe him is start- ing to echo the reaction that Arrington got when he began his college career. Then, next year, another one is set to arrive. Penn State landed a commitment from top-100 linebacker Brandon Smith this past spring, and he, too, has evoked comparisons to Arrington. In fact, there's a relationship already budding. Smith, a native of Mineral, Va., has had an opportunity to introduce himself to Arrington, and since then they have stayed in touch. Smith's dad, Rico, has shown Arrington's college highlights to his son as he prepares to join the Nit- tany Lions as part of their Class of 2019. Therein lies the inspiration. Both Rico and Brandon are well aware that another Arrington-type player is already on campus in the form of Par- sons – and that is one reason why they have high hopes for the long-term fu- ture of Penn State's linebackers. "You can take LaVar Arrington 2.0 and 2.1 with those two guys," Rico said. "What other great situation would you rather be in than being at Penn State and being able to model your game after a guy like LaVar Arrington?" In the 20 years since Arrington went pro, that's the been the question. But lately, the answers haven't been as plen- tiful. Maybe that's about to change. Before Arrington was drafted No. 2 overall in 2000, there was a five-year lull during which no Nittany Lion line- backers were selected. So perhaps it takes only a couple of recruits such as Arrington and teammate Brandon Short to help lift Linebacker U's enrollment back up. Maybe this isn't the end of anything. It could be that these things just go in cycles. ■ The more things change... A

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