Blue White Illustrated

February 2023

Penn State Sports Magazine

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3 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 O P I N I O N THOMAS FRANK CARR TFRANK.CARR@ON3.COM O ne of Penn State's biggest addi- tions in the transfer portal this offseason is former North Carolina cornerback Storm Duck. The 6-foot, 200-pound senior chose the Nittany Lions in the week leading up to the Rose Bowl and brings a lot to the table. North Carolina's scheme was unsuc- cessful last season for many reasons, but one of them was its complexity. The Tar Heels ran a large variety of schemes with several NFL-like tweaks. How- ever, at its core, the defense is similar to Northwestern's match Cover 4 scheme. Essentially, it matches four deep players in quasi-man coverage if their respective receivers run long routes. The result was one of the highest cov- erage-bust rates for any defense in the country. A coverage bust is a mental mis- take by one or more players that exposes a gap in zone coverage or lets a receiver run free in man coverage. The scheme in Chapel Hill was too complex, and the players didn't seem to play with clarity and speed. Yet in that system, one con- stant was Duck, who played with clarity, had great eyes in zone coverage and made very few mistakes. For a Penn State team looking to add a veteran cornerback to defensive coor- dinator Manny Diaz's system, Duck is a great fit from a maturity and player- execution standpoint. He didn't see action at boundary cor- ner for the Tar Heels because the team had a left/right system in which he pri- marily played left cornerback. Yet, he has the physicality to match up with tight ends and big, physical wide receivers without getting pushed around. He's a good athlete who can hold up to most matchups in single coverage and fits nicely into the Nittany Lions' man coverage system while having the veteran experience to run complex zones. Duck's size isn't just for show; he's a physical run defender who will take on blocks and tackle with authority. Penn State hasn't had a cornerback with that combination of size and tenacity in the run game in quite some time. While you want cornerbacks to be pri- marily coverage players, having a com- plete defensive back who can cover and tackle is a massive bonus. In addition, offensive coordinators are doing more to put cornerbacks into primary run- defense positions, so having Duck on the roster is a win. To be clear, though, Duck also has a few deficiencies. He'll occasionally come across players with more speed or burst than he has. When that happens, he's beatable. It's easy to pull lowlights for any cornerback and make them look worse than they are (because everyone gets beat sooner or later), but Duck has a tendency to lose big when he loses. Ultimately, if his coverage was picture perfect, he'd be in the NFL, not joining the Nittany Lions. To be more specific about an area he can improve, his transitions at the top of receiver routes could be better. There are clearly times in which Duck is slower than his opponent when triggering through his transition. However, his coverage technique at North Carolina may have played a role in those difficulties. He was using a "bail" technique in which the defensive back plays with his back to the sideline instead of face-up against the receiver. This style allows the defensive back to close faster on in-breaking and underneath routes, and to turn and run on deep routes. The tradeoff is that it leaves defensive players vulnerable on out-breaking routes. Duck and his teammates played this technique, presumably at the request of their coaches, at some inopportune times and gave up yards in critical situations. This isn't something he'll be doing a lot at Penn State. Indeed, Duck's production should improve with the Nittany Lions. He's a good corner- back when asked to line up and play in man coverage and can be physical. The Nittany Lions need size and physicality, and keeping that presence on the roster is beneficial. With Duck playing less bail technique and in a more cohesive defensive system, PSU will get the most out of the transfer cornerback. Duck will be joining senior Johnny Dixon and junior Kalen King, meaning that Penn State can still play field and boundary alignments if it chooses. Or it can mix and match. Either way, the Li- ons are getting a defensive back who is a B+ athlete and player. Having multiple body types on the roster is always beneficial, and Duck's commitment means that true freshman cornerback Elliot Washington, a four- star prospect in the On3 Consensus, can develop at his own pace. During Penn State's signing day press conference in December, cornerbacks coach Terry Smith raved about Washington's speed, but his size (6-0, 195 pounds) stands out. Duck can fill that role for the Nit- tany Lions in 2023 while Washington develops. ■ As a junior at North Carolina last fall, Duck led the Tar Heels in inter- ceptions (3) and pass breakups (9). PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETICS This Transfer Fits Penn State's Scheme Upon Further Review

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