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800 yards and 10 touchdowns during his sophomore season, Pry told him that he was going to be a linebacker at the college level. That assessment might have seemed like it came out of the blue, but in fact it wasn't the first time Jacobs had been told that his future was on defense. "I had a trainer who went to Penn State, Da'Quan Davis. He was the first guy to tell me I was going to be a linebacker," Ja- cobs recalled. "I didn't really believe him at first. But then with Pry telling me that, it kind of sunk in. I didn't know how to accept it, because I'd been an offensive guy my whole life. But I just knew I wanted to play football at the next level." Jacobs had an even bigger season as a junior, catching 55 passes for 1,015 yards and 12 scores. But he also shined on defense throughout his high school career. He played so well at so many different po- sitions that even James Franklin couldn't tell him for sure where he was going to end up. "I didn't really have a posi- tion going into college," Jacobs said. "Coach Franklin will tell you, when they offered me, they told me they didn't know where I was going to play. I didn't really have a specific position till later in my re- cruitment when I started talking to Coach Pry and getting a feel for what I was going to be here." Because of his ability to fit in just about anywhere, Jacobs fully expected to see action as a true freshman at Penn State. He knew he would have a role on special teams as part of the kick-coverage units. But he envisioned a prominent spot for himself on defense, too. Even though outside linebacker was one of the few po- sitions where he didn't see much action in high school, he came to Penn State thinking there was an opportunity just waiting to be seized. It's the way he ap- proaches the game. "I have high expectations for myself," Jacobs said. "I really came in with the mindset that I was trying to start last year. That didn't really go how I planned it. I took it as adversity and took it on the chin and kept going. I played a fairly good amount. I liked the amount that I played. I felt like it gave me an opportunity to show what I can do." It took a few games before Jacobs started to feel comfortable last season, partly due to the unusual off-season and the disjointed nature of the team's prac- tices and meetings during a year in which COVID-19 protocols disrupted every- one's routine. "For a long time, I was uncomfortable because I didn't really have the structure I needed to learn the position last year with the way things went," he said. Despite all that, the coaching staff was pleased with Jacobs' progress throughout the season – progress that continued into the team's recently concluded spring practice sessions. Franklin said during spring drills that the sophomore looked like a veteran. "Right now, he's playing like a confident guy who gained some valuable experience last year," Franklin said. "We've been pleased with his athleticism in space, and he seems to continue to get more confi- dent out there on the field. I've been very, very pleased with him." Pry also has been impressed with Ja- cobs' growth and sees him as a difference- maker this fall. "I think Curtis brings some things to the Sam position that we didn't have," Pry said. "Athletically, he's a very fluid, good space player. He was a wide receiver at times in high school. He's got great ball skills. Then Brandon, putting him in the boundary at Micah [Parsons'] spot, he's very long and physical. I just think those two guys are owning those spots, and I think we're improved in both areas." As evidenced by his high expectations going into last season, Jacobs is confident in his abilities and in how he figures into the big picture. But the big picture is re- ally just a composite of many small pic- tures, and one of the keys to his future will be to harness that sense of self-assurance and use it to his advantage on a play-by- play basis. No one knows that better than Jacobs himself. "Confidence, that's the biggest thing for me," he said. "This spring really showed me that when I'm playing confidently, you see the results. I just want to be able to go out there, play as confident as I can, show my stuff and make plays." ■ DYNAMIC DUO Jacobs (left) will be teaming up with fellow OLB Bran- don Smith, who has moved to the Will position this year. Photo by Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics >>

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