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2 0 1 9 K I C K O F F S P E C I A L the rotation. So if I need to be put at strong safety, I still have to have the knowledge to go there and show what I can do there. I [pay attention] to both, but as of right now I'm focused primarily on free." As for Brisker, a juco transfer from Lackawanna College, both Wade and Sutherland said they've been impressed with what they've seen so far. Brisker has only been on campus for a few months, but Wade has actually seen a lot of him, having played on a seven-on-seven team with his fellow western Pennsylvania na- tive. "He kind of came up with me," Wade said. "That's my guy, so I'm doing every- thing I can to help him out, any questions he's got or anything. He's looking real good. He's real athletic, he's real physical. He fits right in with the mode of our room." Wade, too, has been fitting in nicely. Listed at 5-foot-9, 199 pounds, he said that lately he's been feeling like an en- tirely different player than the one who arrived as an early enrollee in January 2017, and not just physically. "I'm a hundred times more mature than I was when I walked in the door," he said. "I've grown a lot, and a lot of things have changed. At the end of the day, I'm a bet- ter player, 100 percent. And I'm a better man at the same time, too." At Penn State's media day, Wade was asked what he would say to his younger self if he could go back in time to the start of his career and offer a piece of ad- vice. After considering that proposition for a second, he said, "I probably would tell him a million things." But then he re- considered. All of that personal growth he had cited moments earlier had stemmed from his experiences, good and bad. Even if he could undo them, why would he want to? "That's what life is about," Wade said. "That's what life is for, everything you go through. Things change for the good, for the bad, but it's all for a reason at the end of the day. So I really wouldn't want to tell myself anything. I had to figure some stuff out on my own. That's the best way to figure it out." ■ Terry Smith has been coaching Penn State's cornerbacks since 2014, when he became the only Nittany Lion alum on a sta: that had been imported mostly from Vanderbilt fol- lowing James Franklin's arrival. Smith, a former PSU re- ceiver, has enjoyed his share of success as a defensive coach. Four of his former players were in NFL training camps earlier this month, and last year Penn State ranked second in the Big Ten in pass defense, allowing only 181.5 yards per game. He has also served as one of the program's recruiting coordinators and has seen 9rsthand how the tal- ent pool has expanded over the years. Smith recently talked to reporters about the development of Penn State's secondary. Here's what he had to say: ON KEATON ELLIS Keaton had a great spring, great summer. He's o: to a fast start here in the fall. I see Keaton as a contributor this year. Where, exactly, that still is to be determined, but he's o: to a great start. We're really excited about him. The kid just seems to make plays, and he's super smart. He doesn't make mental errors, so the trust is growing fast. ON THE COMPETITION AT SAFETY Looking at them physically, [Jaquan] Brisker is just bigger. But Lamont [Wade] has experience in the system, he knows the system better. They're both fast guys, they both run 4.4, they're both physical, both can cover. Other than what they look like, they're very similar type play- ers. They're battling it out, and I can see both of them playing a lot of football for us. ON JOHN REID DOUBLING AS A NICKEL BACK It's di;cult, because outside re- ceivers run certain releases and certain routes, and they're usually bigger, stronger type receivers. The inside slots are like K.J. Hamler. They're quicker guys and they have two-way goes. It creates a challenge because you're out there in space. You've got to be quick, you've got to be strong, you've got to be a good tackler, you've got to be super smart because you've got to 9t into the run game as well as the pass game. We do have a couple of other corners [who can do that]. Donovan Johnson is a backup at the nickel, and Keaton is a backup as well. We're training those guys because we've got to have multiple bodies. This is a physical sport. We don't want injuries, but unfortunately, in- juries happen. ON THE LIONS' IMPROVED DEPTH It's night and day. We're probably not a full three-deep at every position, but a lot of positions can go three-deep [with players who] could start a game for us and be a quality player for us. Our depth is growing each year. We continue to improve our recruiting. We've got guys who come in and expect to compete and play, and that's what we recruit them for. We want guys like Keaton Ellis who come in and can contribute right away. ON PREPARING FOR WET WEATHER As a DB coach, we want to make sure that all of our footwork stays underneath our base, underneath our shoulders. Any time the conditions are wet or slippey, if our base is tight, then we won't have a problem with our footwork. We practice in dry weather, and it has to show up in wet weather. Because if it doesn't show up, then that's when you see guys in the back9eld slipping and sliding. They don't have their feet underneath their base. ON LAMONT WADE There's no ice-breaking. Lamont has always been a part of our team. He wanted to explore something. We allowed him to explore it and he came back home. He's family. ■ C O A C H S P E A K T E R R Y S M I T H

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