Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1378330
KIND OF A BIG DEAL After bulking up this spring, veteran tackle P.J. Mustipher is looking to dominate from his new position in the middle of the Nittany Lions' defensive front unning through his list of impact performers along the defensive line through the team's winter workouts, Penn State strength coach Dwight Galt began at the defensive end position. With Jayson Oweh and Shaka Toney leaving for the NFL and Shane Simmons moving on, the Nittany Lions would be featuring two new starters at the position in 2021. Combined with senior defensive tackle Antonio Shelton's transfer for a final season of college ball, the turnover was unavoidable. Exhibiting confidence in the young tal- ent, highlighting the likes of Adisa Isaac, Smith Vilbert and Hakeem Beamon, Galt then turned to commend one of the longest-tenured, most consistently pro- ductive members of the line. "P.J. Mustipher has taken it to a whole new level," Galt said. "He's gained some weight and he's asserted himself as the guy on that defensive front, both physi- cally and spiritually. He's done a great job of leadership, and we're looking forward to seeing him in the mid- dle this year." Dissatisfied with his performance in a feature role last season, Mustipher has spent the past five months working diligently to share in that optimism. The Nittany Lions are coming off a sea- son in which they finished a modest fourth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game allowed (130.2), trailing Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa after leading the league in 2019 with only 95.0 ypg al- lowed. Assessing his role in that regres- sion, one of many factors that contributed to the team's disappointing 0-5 start to the season, Mustipher quickly identified a crucial difference separating his 2020 season (graded 65.0 overall by Pro Football Focus) against his more pro- ductive 2019 campaign (74.6). "Looking at the film last season, I was much lighter than I was the season be- fore. And, to be honest, I don't think we played the run that great," Mustipher said. "For me, I put that on myself. That was my fault. I was one of the guys in the middle and I don't think I did my job that well, and I have to be better. So one of the main things I want to do is put back on the weight and be stout. "I want the guys [around me] to know when there's a run play, those guys up the middle are going to shut that down so they can worry about the pass and making plays on the back end. I just want to be an an- chor in that middle and put the confidence in our coaches that when it's a running play, it's going to be shut down by not only myself but those guys next to me in the tackle room, and the D-ends as well." That much could not be said of the Nit- tany Lions' performances to open the 2020 season. Although they held Indiana to just 41 yards on 26 carries to open the campaign, the Nittany Lions were bludg- eoned repeatedly in the ensuing weeks. The slide began in week two, as Ohio State totaled 208 yards on the ground, and in its next four games, Penn State gave up 123, 146, 175 and 174 yards rush- ing. The numbers didn't start trending down again until the team's visit to Rut- gers in week seven, when it gave up only 83 yards on 32 carries. Turning to defensive line coach John Scott Jr. at the start of the off-season, Mustipher began working to regain the weight he had shed ahead of the 2020 season. With an emphasis on building clean weight through additional eating without relying on junk food, the fourth- year senior added extra meals, protein shakes before bed and creatine to his daily regimen. Determined to maintain the speed and quick feet he had displayed in 2020 when he played at a listed weight of 300 pounds, Mustipher packed 26 pounds onto his 6-foot-4 frame. And along with the added muscle came a position switch, as he moved to a full-time role at the one- technique defensive tackle spot. The | BREAKING THROUGH Mustipher is set to move from the three- technique to the one-technique DT spot after adding 26 pounds in the off- season. Photo by Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics R >>