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position, comes from familiarity with the playbook, Sutherland explained. General knowledge of his teammates' assignments is important to Suther- land's ability to communicate with them on Saturdays. "When I say communication, that's diving into the playbook and going be- yond and learning beyond what your re- sponsibility is, as well as the 'backers, but also the D-line and the corners, and just seeing how that all fits together per- fectly," he said. Sutherland is one of a handful of safeties competing to start alongside Jaquan Brisker when the Nittany Lions begin their season this fall. From what has been said publicly, nothing has been de- cided there yet. "There's a healthy competition," Penn State cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said earlier this spring. "Obviously, Brisker is a solidified guy, but that other spot is wide open for three or four guys." Among them, Sutherland is certainly the most experienced. He's played 523 snaps for Penn State over the course of the past three seasons, including 152 snaps at safety a season ago. In 2020, playing primarily at the strong safety position, Sutherland finished the season with 10 tackles and a sack. He never missed a tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. He also didn't allow a re- ception, in what was a very limited sam- ple. He was targeted six times on 73 coverage snaps and forced an incomple- tion each time. Asked about what he needs to do to earn the starting spot, Sutherland explained that consistency is key. "Just coming into work, coming into practice ready to work, and staying con- sistent," he said. "It's really that simple. "Preparation, taking care of your body, making sure you're available, and obvi- ously staying in the playbook, making sure that you're ready to make all the appropriate checks, knowing not only my position but the positions around me, and knowing what other guys are doing on the field, and just working hard and continuing to work." A new development this spring was a change in the coaching staff, with Tim Banks leaving for Tennessee and Anthony Poindexter taking over as the Nittany Lions' safeties coach. But for Sutherland, even that move had a hint of familiarity. That's because Poindexter recruited Sutherland while he was coaching at Connecticut. "With him being a new coach, I just get a whole new side of coaching," Suther- land said. "He's really helped me in pretty much every aspect, as far as giving life advice, to the X's and O's, to the academ- ics. He's just an all-around guy who's been really supportive. I'm thankful and I'm really excited to continue working with him." ■ OFFENSE LT Rasheed Walker Bryce E8ner Olu Fashanu LG Des Holmes Anthony Whigan Sal Wormley C Mike Miranda Nick Dawkins Bryce E8ner RG Juice Scruggs Sal Wormley Nick Dawkins RT Caedan Wallace Jimmy Christ Landon Tengwall TE Brenton Strange Theo Johnson Tyler Warren WR Jahan Dotson Daniel George Winston Eubanks WR Parker Washington Jaden Dottin Norval Black WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith Cam Sullivan-Brown Malick Meiga QB Sean Cli8ord Ta'Quan Roberson Christian Veilleux RB Noah Cain Keyvone Lee Devyn Ford Caziah Holmes John Lovett DEFENSE DE Arnold Ebiketie Smith Vilbert Amin Vanover Bryce Mostella 3-tech. DT Derrick Tangelo Hakeem Beamon Dvon Ellies Coziah Izzard 1-tech. DT P.J. Mustipher Fred Hansard Cole Brevard DE Adisa Isaac Nick Tarburton Zuriah Fisher Sam OLB Curtis Jacobs Charlie Katshir MLB Ellis Brooks Jesse Luketa Tyler Elsdon Kobe King Will OLB Brandon Smith Charlie Katshir Jesse Luketa CB Tariq Castro-Fields Johnny Dixon Kalen King Daequan Hardy CB Joey Porter Jr. Kalen King Keaton Ellis BS Jaquan Brisker Tyler Rudolph Enzo Jennings FS Ji'Ayir Brown Jonathan Sutherland * Includes only players who were enrolled at Penn State this spring | ** Availability this spring uncertain due to in- jury P H I L G R O S Z ' S P O S T - S P R I N G D E P T H C H A R T * O F F E N S E D E F E N S E >>

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