Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1410640
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 4 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M isfies the need for more big intersec- tional games to compete against the SEC, there might not be much of a push for expansion in the Big Ten, ACC or Pac-12. Making the arrangement work could require the Big Ten to pare back its conference schedule to eight games rather than the current nine, but that's a change that a number of coaches would likely embrace, including Franklin, who has long been a proponent of standard- izing schedules across the Power Five conferences. Warren said that by banding together, the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 are "taking the necessary steps to shape and stabi- lize the future of college athletics." But the SEC's power grab is not the only move that has shaken the sport's foundations. All the speculation about conference realignment comes at a time when college football is changing in other fundamental ways. A form of professionalism is already here, with the NCAA earlier this sum- mer having largely scrapped longstand- ing rules that prevented athletes from cashing in on their name, image and likeness. Changes to the College Foot- ball Playoff may be on the way, too, with Jaquan Brisker | DB | Penn State Brisker, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior safety, was one of the stars of Penn State's season-opening victory at Wisconsin. He received a near-perfect tackling grade from Pro Football Focus last season and could have gone to the NFL but opted instead for one final year of college football. After finish- ing third on the team last season with 57 tackles, he's poised to break out in 2021. Haskell Garrett | DT | Ohio State A consensus preseason All- American, the 6-2, 300-pound fifth-year senior is the Buckeyes' most experienced defensive player, having seen action in 41 games during his career. That includes all eight contests last year — a season in which he shined for Ohio State despite having to be hospitalized in August after being shot in the face while trying to break up a dispute between a couple he encountered in the early-morning hours near Ohio State's campus. Aidan Hutchinson | DE | Michigan A 6-6, 265-pound senior, Hutchinson has been hailed as a potential top-10 NFL Draft pick next spring. That assumes he's ready to bounce back from a junior year that got cut short by a broken ankle. His numbers from 2019 — 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six passes defended and two forced fumbles — suggest that he's got the ability to meet the loftiest expectations. George Karlaftis | DE | Purdue Karlaftis, a 6-4, 275-pound junior, has been hailed as possibly the best defensive end in the Big Ten this year. He didn't make much of an impact last fall, finishing with just four tackles, two of which were sacks. But that was mostly because his season was cut short by health problems, includ- ing a bout with COVID-19. His true potential was more evident in his debut season, when he led the Boilermakers with 17 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Brandon Joseph | DB | Northwestern As a redshirt freshman last season, Joseph was a key part of the Wild- cats' run to the West Division title. The 6-1, 192-pound safety from College Station, Texas, finished with six interceptions and eight passes defended. He won first-team All-America notice from the Associated Press, Sporting News and American Football Coaches Association, setting up high expecta- tions for his sophomore year. Micah McFadden | LB | Indiana McFadden led the Big Ten in sacks last year with six and was third in tackles for loss with 10.5. He paced the Hoosiers' defense with 58 total stops and was named the team's MVP. Now a senior, the 6-2, 232-pounder will anchor an Indiana defense that has come a long, long way from the days when it was the team's biggest liability. Tiawan Mullen | CB | Indiana A year ago, the 5-10, 180-pound Mullen was a playmaker for the Hoosiers both downfield (three interceptions, four pass breakups) and behind the line of scrimmage (3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss). He became the first Indiana cornerback to earn first-team All-America honors and appears poised for a repeat performance as a junior this fall. Olakunle Fatukasi | LB | Rutgers Fatukasi led the Big Ten last season with 101 tackles. Maybe you're thinking that his ranking atop the league stats was a little bit deceptive, a byproduct of Rutgers' status as one of only two conference teams that were able to play all nine of their scheduled games. If so, think again. The 6-2, 240-pounder averaged 11.2 stops per game, best in the Big Ten and ninth- best nationally. In addition, 11 of those tackles were for negative yardage, the league's second-highest total. He's a playmaker with a knack for finding the ball. Jack Sanborn | LB | Wisconsin Name a defensive watch list, and the senior from Deer Park, Ill., is proba- bly on it. Nagurski Trophy? Check. Bednarik Award? Check. Butkus Award? Lombardi Award? Lott IMPACT Trophy? Check, check and check. Sanborn led the Badgers in tackles in 2019 and 2020, and he is a key player in their bid to return to the Big Ten Championship Game this fall. Tyreke Smith | DE | Ohio State Since former Penn State assistant coach Larry Johnson took over the Buckeyes' defensive line in 2012, they've rarely been without a game- wrecking defensive end. They might actually have two this year in Smith and former five-star prospect Zach Harrison. It's entirely possible that by the end of the year, Harrison will be a no-brainer choice for first-team all- conference honors. But for now, Smith gets the nod. The 6-3, 265-pound senior had a big night in Ohio State's victory over Clemson in last year's College Football Playoff semifinal matchup, finishing with a sack, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Expect more of the same this fall. — Matt Herb B I G T E N ' S B E S T D E F E N S I V E P L A Y E R S Michigan senior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is looking to bounce back from an injury- shortened 2020 season. PHOTO BY ERIC UPCHURCH/MGOBLOG