Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1490816
3 4 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 P enn State defensive coordina- tor Manny Diaz recognized Abdul Carter's talent before the true freshman linebacker stepped on campus. Even before Diaz had moved into his second-floor office at the Lasch Building, that was true. While settling into his new job with the Nittany Lions, Diaz saw the dynamism and production that he said "jumped off the tape" on Carter's senior highlight compilation. A four-star prospect ranked as the No. 129 overall player nationally by On3, Carter looked the part, even if he hadn't played a down of col- lege football. He went on to back it up with his performance last fall. Carter showed consistent improve- ment from one week to the next, a trajec- tory that earned him a second-team All-Big Ten nod and im- pressed his position coach. "That guy showed up on August 1 and didn't know any- thing," Diaz said. "What's been rewarding for me this year is that, when I think of our defense in the Purdue game, to where we were in the Michigan State game, we were a completely different animal. Week by week, I felt like we got better and better. "When you see the guys making the in- dividual improvements, as a coach, that's the part that's rewarding, because you see their confidence grow, you see them be able to play faster, see them make more plays. That's been the fun part of the jour- ney this year." The journey's start was less fun for Carter. He was ejected for targeting on his first defensive play as a Nittany Lion and had to watch from afar as the team opened its season with a victory against the Boilermakers. The process of development began in earnest a week later in the Nittany Lions' START OF START OF SOMETHING SOMETHING BIG BIG He enjoyed a dazzling freshman season, He enjoyed a dazzling freshman season, but linebacker Abdul Carter may but linebacker Abdul Carter may be just getting warmed up be just getting warmed up N A T E B A U E R | NAT E . B AU E R @ O N 3 . C O M Although he didn't earn his first start until Week 7 against Minnesota, Carter finished second on the team with 56 tackles as a true freshman, including 10.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE