Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1472993
1 6 A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M With last year's sack leader, Arnold Ebiketie, off to the NFL, Penn State's defensive end corps is go- ing to be relying heavily on players who didn't see the field in a Nittany Lion uni- form in 2021. There's red- shirt junior Adisa Isaac, the talented pass rusher who missed last season with an injury. There's sophomore Demeioun "Chop" Robin- son, who has transferred in from Maryland. And there's Dani Dennis-Sutton, an On3 five-star freshman who arrived this summer. There's also Nick Tar- burton. A 6-3, 260-pound redshirt senior, Tarburton is definitely not a new- comer. He's been at Penn State since 2018, but he was waylaid by injuries in his first couple of seasons and didn't emerge as a de- fensive force until last year, when he appeared in all 13 games and started eight. This year, the Green Lane, Pa., native is looking to build on his showing as a junior. Of his 30 tackles last year, 4.5 were for a loss and 1 was a sack. He also had a key fumble recovery in the season- opening upset of Wisconsin. Tarburton recently took the time to discuss Penn State's outlook on the defensive line and his own career trajectory. QUESTION: What are your im- pressions of new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz so far? TARBURTON: "It's been a blessing to be able to work with Coach Diaz. I love his style of defense. It's aggressive, it lets us play free and it's a lot of fun. "Coach Diaz is a character coach in my eyes, as well. He wants his players doing everything right — not just on the field, but off the field, too. It's been fun work- ing with him." QUESTION: What would you say has been the biggest improvement you've made since last season? TARBURTON: "I feel like I'm pretty established in the run game. But con- tinuing to work on different moves, dif- ferent techniques in the pass game [is important]. Spring is the best time to do that, and to hone in on different tech- niques and work on different things as well." QUESTION: What does it mean to you guys on the defensive line to have Adisa Isaac back at defensive end after he missed all of last season with an injury? TARBURTON: "I can't say enough about Adisa. I love being able to play be- side him again. It's been a blessing. "He's an awesome guy, a character guy. Then he adds so much to it. He's quick and explosive, and he can rush the passer. It's been awesome to see him back on the field and being able to work with him." QUESTION: There's been a lot of buzz lately about true freshman Zane Durant. What does he bring to the ta- ble, and how unique is it for someone so young to be standing out at a position like defensive tackle? TARBURTON: "He's re- ally explosive. He's got great footwork, and he's also a re- ally strong kid. I'm not re- ally into comparing guys, but one guy who I can say is similar in his style of play is Kevin Givens [the former PSU defensive tackle who is now with the San Francisco 49ers]. I see that in him. That's a big thing to say, but down the road I think Zane can be a great asset for us. He's going to be a great player." Q U E S T I O N : L a s t year, you were able to stay healthy after some difficul- ties with injuries earlier in your career. How do you build on that moving for- ward? TA R B U R T O N : " T h e biggest thing is that I can't focus on the injury aspect of the game. That's part of the game, but I'll do everything I can to prevent it, as far as doing 'pre- hab,' rehab, and just knowing my body. If I'm sore or fatigued, I'll go into the training room and get that treatment. It all boils down to how your body feels and [knowing] what you need to do to perform at the highest level." QUESTION: Other players have said that you're one of the guys that every- one looks up to. Given that you're one of the older guys now, have you made a concerted effort to be a leader in that locker room? TARBURTON: "I try to be the best teammate I can possibly be, each and every day. I'm a guy who's willing to give the shirt off my back for anybody. It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from. I'm a stand-up guy who's going to be there for you when- ever I can. "I think I lead by example more than I do by voice. That's something I want to add to my leadership abilities, to speak, as well. Show through play, lead by play, but also be able to speak up when need be." ■ Sitting Down With Redshirt Senior Defensive End Nick Tarburton Tarburton made eight starts last year and played in all 13 games, finishing 10th on the team in tackles with 30, including 4.5 for loss and 1 sack. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL