Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
3 0 J U N E / J U L 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 B y the conclusion of the Blue-White Game on April 15, it appeared clear that the Nittany Lion defense, under the direction of second- year coordinator Manny Diaz, was well ahead of the offense. Together, the two offenses managed only 10 points and 294 yards in the spring game. The Nit- tany Lions are undergoing some big changes on offense, of course, contributing to the unimpres- sive numbers, but there were also signs that PSU has the makings of a high-level defensive outfit. Here's a look at how the defense is shaping up heading into the summer months: DEFENSIVE END: This position group looks to be a team strength, and the Blue-White Game showed why. Sophomore Dani Dennis-Sutton was one of the game's standouts, totaling 2 sacks and a quarter- back hurry, and eliciting postgame praise from coach James Franklin. That he was on the White team, made up of second-string performers, while facing the Blue's first-string offensive line, was eye-opening. With two All-Big Ten defensive ends — junior Chop Robinson and redshirt senior Adisa Isaac — set to start this fall and Dennis-Sutton poised for breakout year, Penn State has a three-man rota- tion that would compare favorably with the best in the league. DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Franklin said yet again this spring that Penn State needs to strengthen the middle of its defensive front. It's a theme he has revisited periodically ever since last October when the Nittany Lions surrendered 418 rushing yards in a 41-17 loss at Michigan. In Alonzo Ford, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound junior defensive tackle picked up through the transfer portal in May, Penn State is hoping it has filled some of its needs. Brought in from Old Dominion, Ford is coming off a sophomore season in which he won honorable mention All-Sun Belt honors. He began classes the second full week in May. LINEBACKER: Two major storylines emerged at this position group during spring practice. The first concerned efforts to get fourth-year junior Curtis Jacobs and sophomore Abdul Carter onto the field at the same time, an extension of what Penn State was doing in the second half of the 2022 season. With that goal in mind, Jacobs practiced at all three linebacker positions. The second storyline featured January enrollees Tony Rojas and Ta'Mere Robinson. Rojas garnered praise for his work on the field and in the weight room. He's added at least 20 pounds since signing in December and is currently listed at 6-foot-2, 214. He was the leading tackler in the Blue-White Game with 9 stops. Robinson, meanwhile, is coming back from a knee injury that forced him to miss his senior season at Brashear High in Pittsburgh. The 6-3, 237-pound freshman demonstrated an ability to play the Mike linebacker position and could pro- vide depth this fall. CORNERBACK: Losing All-American Joey Porter Jr. to the NFL was a blow to the cornerback corps, but everyone knew that was coming. The same can't be said for the departure of senior Storm Duck. An All-ACC performer at North Carolina, Duck spent just one semester at PSU before transferring again, this time to Louisville. Penn State remains confident that its starters — junior Kalen King and senior Johnny Dixon —will be up for the challenge. And the coaching staff did fill PSU's Duck-shaped vacancy by earning a commitment in May from Mississippi State trans- fer Audavion Collins. A former three-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, Collins will have redshirt freshman eligibility at PSU. SAFETY: Penn State entered the spring looking to blend its young talent — redshirt sophomore Zakee Wheatley and sophomore Kevin Winston Jr. — with experienced veterans such as junior Jaylen Reed (who was coming back from off- season shoulder surgery) and fifth-year senior Keaton Ellis. With 20 career starts to his credit, including 13 last year, Ellis was a ball-hawking performer in spring drills and also a team leader, earning rec- ognition as a defensive captain. ■ SHOW OF STRENGTH A promising Penn State defense flexes its muscles this spring NAT E BAU E R | NAT E . B AU E R @ O N 3 . C O M BWI's Unofficial PSU Defensive Depth Chart DEFENSIVE END No. Name Elig. Ht. Wt. 44 Chop Robinson Jr. 6-3 253 33 Dani Dennis-Sutton So. 6-5 262 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 99 Coziah Izzard Jr. 6-3 291 91 Dvon Ellies R-Sr. 6-1 302 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 51 Hakeem Beamon R-Sr. 6-3 256 28 Zane Durant So. 6-1 275 DEFENSIVE END 20 Adisa Isaac R-Sr. 6-4 248 56 Amin Vanover Jr. 6-4 264 OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 23 Curtis Jacobs Jr. 6-1 235 34 Dominic DeLuca R-So. 6-1 209 MIDDLE LINEBACKER 43 Tyler Elsdon Jr. 6-2 226 or 41 Kobe King R-So. 6-1 251 OUTSIDE LINEBACKER 11 Abdul Carter So. 6-3 249 32 Keon Wylie R-Fr. 6-2 217 CORNERBACK 4 Kalen King Jr. 5-11 190 25 Daequan Hardy R-Sr. 5-9 179 CORNERBACK 3 Johnny Dixon Sr. 6-0 193 5 Cam Miller So. 6-0 181 SAFETY 1 Jaylen Reed Jr. 6-0 208 or 6 Zakee Wheatley R-So. 6-2 194 SAFETY 2 Keaton Ellis Sr. 5-11 191 21 Kevin Winston Jr. So. 6-2 204 Sophomore defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton was a force throughout spring drills. He finished with 4 tackles including 2 sacks in the Blue-White Game. PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL