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SAFETY SCIENCEbackfield in 2013 Two experienced senior safeties lead the Lions' defensive NAT E   BAU E R   Heading into the 2012 season, depth and experience were concerning issues for the Nittany Lions at the safety positions. Following the graduation of both Nick Sukay and Drew Astorino after the 2011 season, Stephen Obeng-Agyapong and Malcolm Willis were the only scholarship athletes remaining at the position heading into the 2012 season. Neither player had seen steady playing time to that point in their career at Penn State and, through the first few games last year, it showed. Against Ohio and Virginia, the Nittany Lions gave up an incredible 293.5 yards through the air and checked in at No. 98 in the country in pass efficiency defense and No. 101 in yardage allowed. Throw in a defensive third-down conversion rate of a gaudy 61 percent – and maybe more important, two losses that were largely attributed to the secondary's inability to stop critical third-and-long passing situations – and all signs pointed toward struggles in the secondary for the duration of the 2012 season. But as the Nittany Lions turned the corner in their third game, so too did the secondary. Winning five consecutive games, including the first three of the Big Ten schedule, Penn State's defensive backfield completely transformed the numbers set in the first two games of the season. By the eighth game of the season, even after a loss to Ohio State, the Nittany Lions had the No. 29-ranked pass efficiency defense at 115.51, and the No. 32 overall passing defense, giving up just 201.38 yards per game through the air. The performance was enough to lend credence to the idea that, even with the loss of Stephon Morris at corner, by returning three starters in Adrian Amos, Willis and Obeng-Agyapong, plus a capable backup in Ryan Keiser, the Nittany Lions should have one of the more experienced and confident defensive backfields in the conference next year. Head coach Bill O'Brien nearly said as much when evaluating his secondary late in the 2012 season. "You look at the safety position with Malcolm Willis and Jake Fagnano and Stephen Obeng – these guys have played M A R C H | NBAUER@BLUEWHITEONLINE.COM ARMS IN THE AIR Obeng-Agyapong had rotator cuff surgery this off-season. His health in 2013 will be critical to Penn State's pass defense. Logan Cramer III well for us," O'Brien said. "Then you look at the role guys that are in that position, like Jesse Della Valle. He's come up big in special teams for us. Then you look at freshmen like Jordan Lucas and Da'Quan Davis – these guys have improved every week. You can't say enough about the players in that position. To this point in the season they have done everything we have asked them to do." Of course, there are a few caveats to Penn State's outlook. The first is that the Nittany Lions must stay healthy, especially at the safety spots. Obeng-Agyapong had surgery to repair a rotator cuff problem that, essentially, allowed his arm to pop in and out of its socket with near regularity throughout the 2012 season. The loss of either Obeng-Agyapong or Willis to injury for any amount of time could prove extremely detrimental to the Lions' success next season. The second caveat has to do with the competition Penn State faced a season ago. Though the Lions had considerable success stopping the pass and improved as the season progressed, the conference 6 , 2 0 1 3 5 itself was simply not up to its normal standards in the passing game. At No. 17 in the country, Indiana was the only school in the conference to crack the top 20 of the nation's passing offenses. Beyond Penn State at No. 35, no other team in the conference cracked the top 50. In fact, by season's end, Penn State had faced the No. 99 (Iowa), No. 101 (Ohio State), No. 106 (Northwestern), No. 107 (Illinois), No. 111 (Wisconsin), No. 116 (Temple) and No. 117 (Navy) passing teams in the country. Those numbers are flat-out incredible. That so many of the worst passing teams in college football all appeared on Penn State's schedule last season is the exception rather than the rule. It is unlikely that the odds will be as favorable to Penn State next season. With Fagnano gone, look for more from Keiser and Lucas. As a dark horse candidate for Penn State's most important newcomer, don't be surprised to see incoming freshman Neiko Robinson establish himself as a player in Penn State's secondary from the onset of preseason practice. B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M

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