Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1496986
1 2 M A 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 Defensive Front Remains A Work In Progress RYAN SNYDER: Penn State has added six players via the transfer portal since last season. Following the Rose Bowl, it was no secret that bringing in proven wide receivers was imperative. With sophomore quarterback Drew Allar about to take over, James Franklin and his staff put a major emphasis on pass catchers. They've added players at a few other positions as well, but there's one spot where they've fallen short: defensive tackle. T h ro u g h o u t t h e p o r ta l e ra , Franklin has made it clear that he's not going to take players just to take players. Do the Lions want to add tal- ent at defensive tackle? Abso- lutely. They just haven't found the kind of players they believe will make a difference. Redshirt seniors Dvon Ellies and Hakeem Beamon have both earned praise from the staff this spring, but junior Coziah Izzard is recovering from an injury. While he's expected to be back for the season, that's still a con- cern. The biggest bright spot has to be sophomore Zane Durant, who was described by Franklin in early April as being "on a re- ally good trajectory." "I think you'll see a big jump from his true freshman year, from getting some reps to now being a guy with a significant role," Franklin said. "He's put really good weight on ... and is still lean and explosive and athletic. He fits what we're look- ing for." That's good news for PSU, but on a defense that's stacked just about everywhere else, this position group remains a con- cern. All three of Penn State's key returnees graded out below 70 last year, according to Pro Football Focus. Beamon's 68.7 grade was highest, while Ellies' 55.4 was lowest. For some per- spective, the top three interior defensive linemen at Michigan and Ohio State all were above 80. If the returnees can take another step forward this season, it could be the difference between another New Year's Six bowl and a College Football Playoff berth. Wide receivers will need to hit the ground running as well, but for now, defensive tackle remains the key position. ■ Big Questions Linger In The Kicking Game GREG PICKEL: Penn State exits spring practice with many questions answered and others still to be resolved. Ryan cites the defensive tackles as the Nittany Lions' biggest concern heading into the summer months, and that makes perfect sense. But a different area has my atten- tion: special teams. Some of the biggest wins of the James Franklin era have hinged on a big kick, a perfect punt or the incredibly athletic (and in retrospect crucial) play that punter Blake Gillikin made in the 2016 Ohio State game to turn what could have been a Buckeyes touchdown on a high snap into just a safety. The point is that Penn State has typically had re- turning specialists it could rely on. This year is a different story, though. Penn State started spring prac- tice in search of a new punter, kicker, kickoff specialist and long snapper. It sounds like redshirt sophomore Tyler Duzansky will replace Chris Stoll at the last of those spots, while redshirt soph- omore Gabriel Nwosu seems to be on track to lock up the kickoff job. The placement kicker and punter spots, however, remain up in the air. Redshirt sophomore Sander Sahaydak is battling senior Alex Felkins, a Columbia transfer, for the former. Redshirt freshman Alex Bacchetta is taking on senior Riley Thompson, a Florida Atlantic transfer, for the latter. By all accounts, neither job is close to being won as the march toward preseason camp begins. "It's a competition right now, and that's what we wanted through the spring," special teams coordinator Stacy Collins said. "Consistency is what we need." Inclement weather in State College throughout spring ball did not allow the specialists to get outside as often as the coaching staff would have liked. That's one reason these battles continue. Another reason is that none of the specialists have run away with a job yet. That, in turn, means the concerns over who will fill these critical roles will linger into mid-August. It's not ideal entering a season in which Penn State is otherwise viewed as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. ■ James Franklin is getting set to conclude his 10th spring as the Nittany Lions' head coach. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE Point – Counterpoint What Is The Nittany Lions' Biggest Concern Coming Out Of Spring Practice?