Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1486024
3 2 D E C E M B E R 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 NOVEMBER REIGN Penn State's defense played some of its best football in the final month of the regular season F resh off a dominating defensive performance in a 55-10 vic- tory over Rutgers on Nov. 19, coach James Franklin identified the trend. The Nittany Lions had twice turned Rutgers fumbles into touchdowns, and a second-quarter interception by junior cor- nerback Johnny Dixon set up the team's first offensive touchdown of the game. "We're playing really good on defense," Franklin said. "We've done it for multiple weeks." Under the direction of first-year coordinator Manny Diaz, a finalist for the Broyles Award recognizing the top assistant coach in college football, Penn State's defense could claim that to be an understatement. After surrendering 418 rushing yards in a 41-17 loss at Michi- gan on Oct. 15, the unit steadied itself and played well the rest of the year. The Nittany Lions racked up 6 sacks in a 45-14 win at Indiana, while Maryland notched just 27 yards of offense in the first half of a 30-0 PSU shutout on Nov. 12. Against Rutgers, the Nittany Lions finished with 15 tackles for loss and 3 turnovers to help secure their blowout win. And Michigan State wasn't able to reach the end zone until the last two minutes of the third quarter in a 35-16 Penn State victory. All told, the Penn State defense allowed only 40 combined points in November and was steadily climbing into the upper echelons of college football's elite groups, ranking 18th in the FBS with an average of 317.8 yards allowed per game. With the regular season now complete, here's a look at how the defense has done it: Defensive Line Penn State's defensive success is predicated on controlling the trenches. The Lions have relied on consistently steady per- formances from super senior P.J. Mustipher and redshirt junior Hakeem Beamon at the starting tackle spots, with increasing production from freshman Zane Durant and redshirt junior Dvon Ellies. The result has been the virtual elimination of an effective run- ning game for Penn State's opponents, with Indiana (65 yards), Maryland (60), Rutgers (32) and Michigan State (25) all ineffective on the ground. Those efforts have helped pave the way for the steady emer- gence of Penn State's edge rushers and an avalanche of sacks and tackles for loss. "You've got a chance to penetrate and create negative plays," Franklin said. "But every single guy had better be doing their job, because if you create vertical seams and not everybody is in their gap, then you obviously can also put yourself in a position to give up a big play. "We're just more consistent across the board, playing within the scheme, and playing fast and aggressive. If you're a defensive player, specifically a defensive lineman or a linebacker, I can't imagine there's a more productive system to play in." NAT E BAU E R | NAT E . B AU E R @ O N 3 . C O M Former On3 four-star prospect Abdul Carter wasted little time becoming a key player for the Nittany Lions. He earned the first start of his college career against Minnesota in Week 7 and spent the rest of the season as part of the first-team defense. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE