Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1490816
1 8 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State made some big plays on both sides of the ball in its Rose Bowl victory over Utah. The Lions had an 87-yard touchdown run, an 88-yard touchdown catch and 6 sacks. They also had one of the more acro- batic interceptions of the year, cour- tesy of sophomore cornerback Kalen King. Late in the first quarter, Utes quarterback Cam Rising overthrew receiver Devaughn Vele on a deep pass down the right sideline, and King made a twisting, diving pick to keep the game scoreless. Making his 10th start of the season, King played a key role in helping Penn State hold Utah to just 207 passing yards, 46 yards below its average. The win over the Utes set the stage for what Penn State hopes will be a big 2023 season. The cornerback corps will lose one of its best players in NFL- bound standout Joey Porter Jr., who is being hailed as a likely first-rounder. Nevertheless, the Lions have plenty of talent returning in their secondary. King, who finished third in the FBS this season with 21 passes defended, headlines that group. QUESTION: What did you learn from being around Joey Porter Jr.? KALEN KING: "Joey is one of those guys who just leads by example. If you want to see what a real first-round corner is, it's Joey. "I had the opportunity to practice with Joey and work out with him. He just pushed me, man. He was another person I could go to if I ever had a question. I'm trying to get where he's at right now. He's getting ready to prepare for the draft. Just playing with a guy like that, I feel it's defi- nitely a benefit to me." QUESTION: What's your mindset as a corner- back? It's a unique position because you're going to get tested, and you're going to get beat sometimes. How do you develop that confidence? When did that start for you? KING: "In high school, I had stretches without even getting the ball thrown toward me. Now that I'm in college, like you said, anybody can get beat at any time, so I feel like having a one-play mindset is very important for a corner. "You can give up a play. You can give up a big play sometimes, and then the ball is going to come again eventually. If a player has a quick mentality and lets the negative play go and focuses on the next play, that's the mindset you need as a cornerback." QUESTION: Where do you think you made the most improvement this season? KING: "I would just say my intel- ligence and my understanding of the game as far as route combinations and formations and what's coming. From last year to the beginning of this sea- son, I wasn't really mastering the art of film study and applying it to the game. I would usually go out there and just play naturally. "But the more film study I put in, the more time I get to watch the other team and see what they're doing. I feel like that helps me on game day." QUESTION: What is something you learned from defensive coordinator Manny Diaz in his first season at Penn State? KING: "Manny came in very deter- mined and very eager to get better. Ever since Manny came in, I feel like our defense just trusts each other, and we play for each other. "I think that's what makes us so good, because we play for each other. Manny is one of those coaches who just gets you. You will want to play for Manny because of the way he talks to us, the relationship he's got with us." QUESTION: There are a lot of Penn State defensive backs in the NFL. How much do you think that motivates the cornerbacks, knowing that if you put in the work in State College, you can make your dreams come true? KALEN KING: "I'm pretty sure ev- eryone thinks like that. [There are] people who were sit- ting in the same seats as you, doing the same things you're doing, and now you see them in the NFL making plays. That definitely is motiva- tion to just keep go- ing and make a name for yourself and try to be one of those guys." Sitting Down With Cornerback Kalen King King finished the season with 18 pass breakups and 3 interceptions. He ranked third in the FBS with 21 passes defended, trailing only Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo (25) and Teldrick Ross of Middle Tennessee State (22). PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE