Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1276571
KEY PERSONNEL MLB: Ellis Brooks, Max Chizmar, Tyler Elsdon, Zuriah Fisher, Jesse Luketa*; OLB: Lance Dixon, Curtis Jacobs, Charlie Katshir, Micah Parsons*, Brandon Smith LOSSES MLB: Jan Johnson*; OLB: Cam Brown* RISING STAR Both Smith and Dixon are in contention for the starting Sam out- side linebacker spot. We'll give this nod to Smith, a former Rivals.com four-star prospect who saw action in all 13 games as a true freshman, =nishing with 14 tackles. Dixon, another four-star re- cruit, played in only two games, holding onto his freshman eligibility. But he's likely to see plenty of action this year. BIGGEST LOSS Brown was Penn State's third-leading tackler last season with 72 stops and went on to become a sixth- round dra? choice of the New York Gi- ants in April. NUMBERS GAME Although he's only two years into his career, Parsons already ranks seventh in Penn State history with six forced fumbles. OUTLOOK Two of last year's three starters need to be replaced, but even so, there isn't a lot of o>-season intrigue at this position group. Sure, it's unclear whether Brooks or Luketa will take over at the Mike spot, and the Sam position will be a battle between Smith and Dixon. But no matter how those compe- titions play out, the expectations here are sky high. Led by a returning consensus =rst- team All-American in Parsons, the Nit- tany Lion linebackers feature undeniable talent and a wealth of experience. "We've recruited there probably as well * Starting experience in 2019 SPOTLIGHT LINEBACKERS I've got to be willing to accept and a challenge I've got to be willing to grow into to do what we want to do this year." More excited than nervous about the possibility, Parsons is drawing heavily from the examples that were set for him during his =rst two seasons as a Nittany Lion. Seeing how Johnson carried himself every day made an impression. His ap- proach to the game, one that allowed the former walk-on to start 26 games in his =nal two seasons and become a team leader, made an indelible impact on Parsons' perspec- tive. "He might not have been the most athletic guy, but his mental side and how he approached the game and his study of the game and helping me un- derstand the game was just o> the charts," Parsons said. "Jan helped me a lot while I was on the =eld. He helped me a lot o> the =eld in the =lm room. He helped me understand sys- tems, why they're running this, what they were running." Parsons is looking to follow that same path, and the bene=t could be far-reaching, extending well beyond his own improvement to the defense as a whole. Acknowledging that his goals are to win a Big Ten title and play in the College Football Playo>, Par- sons has a chance to set an example that could help elevate Penn State to levels of success it hasn't reached in years. Whether he's ready to take that next step is an answer only Parsons can provide, but within the walls of the Lasch Building, the outcome is already fully understood. "I say this all the time, and I think people think I'm crazy, but I don't even think Micah is anywhere close to reaching his ceiling," Franklin said. "I think he's just scratching the surface of where he can go." ■ >> MIDDLE MAN Brooks shared the middle linebacker position with Jan Johnson last sea- son, finishing with 39 tackles. Photo by Steve Manuel