Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 6 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / L I N E B A C K E R S / / / / / / / 2022 vs. 2023: Stock Up Or Down? Linebacker U is in good hands with defensive coordinator and position coach Manny Diaz at the helm. The Nittany Lions return several standouts and have at least one freshman pushing for playing time for the second season in a row. Sophomore Abdul Carter was second on the team in tackles a year ago with 56 (10.5 for loss) and had a team-high 6.5 sacks. Junior Curtis Jacobs was third in stops with 52 (7.5 for loss) and racked up 4 sacks of his own. Redshirt sopho- more Kobe King and junior Tyler Elsdon return to patrol the middle, although the latter missed spring practice with an injury. Freshman Tony Rojas has added roughly 30 pounds since enrolling in Janu- ary and has a chance to be the latest first-year Nittany Lion linebacker to find a role right away. Last year's linebacker group was good. This one should be better, even if it's a high bar to clear. The pick is stock up. X-Factor For Penn State's defense to be at its best, Jacobs must have his best season to date. He's improved steadily as a Nittany Lion and is underrated nationally. He could end up being the X-factor. Still, it's hard to envision him wrecking games the way Carter has and can, and thus, the heralded sophomore is our pick. He's built like a defensive end but runs like the top-end linebacker that he is. A sure tackler, he plays just as well in the box as he does in space and can use his speed to make up for mis- takes in front of him. There are some other candidates, but he has the makings of a headliner for this unit in 2023. Freshman Outlook Redshirt freshman Keon Wylie is hoping for his first significant action after playing in three games last fall. Wylie shared the team's Developmental Squad Player of the Year honor with walk-on defensive end Jake Wilson. PSU signed three linebackers in its 2023 class. Rojas, the Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022, has bulked up to 225 pounds and retained his speed, which is why many think he can play at a high level right away. Pitts- burgh native Ta'Mere Robinson resumed his football career this spring after a knee injury cost him his senior season at Brashear High. He'll make an impact at some point and may see action in a game or four this year while preserving his freshman eligibility. Summer enrollee Kaveion Keys is a sure tackler who should find his way on the field in due time, but perhaps not in 2023. — Greg Pickel Scholarship Players (9) No. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. 43 Tyler Elsdon Jr. 6-2 233 23 Curtis Jacobs Jr. 6-1 238 34 Dominic DeLuca R-So. 6-1 213 41 Kobe King R.-So. 6-1 246 11 Abdul Carter So. 6-3 250 32 Keon Wylie R.-Fr 6-2 219 48 Kaveion Keys Fr. 6-2 214 24 Ta'Mere Robinson Fr. 6-3 231 13 Tony Rojas Fr. 6-2 225 Quick Facts Position coach: Manny Diaz (2nd season) Returning starters: OLB Curtis Jacobs (32 career starts), OLB Abdul Carter (6), MLB Tyler Elsdon (13) Departing starter: OLB Jonathan Sutherland (10 starts, 8 at line- backer) Projected new starters: None Top reserves: OLB Kobe King, OLB Dominic DeLuca Newcomers: Tony Rojas, Ta'Mere Robinson, Kaveion Keys Moved in: None Moved out: None Kobe King had 41 tackles as a redshirt freshman last year while sharing the middle linebacker position with Tyler Elsdon. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE sophomore season in 2019, Carter is do- ing likewise this year. For Penn State to reach its peak, Carter must push to reach his. The Nittany Li- ons didn't make the College Football Playoff in what would turn out to be Par- sons' final season, falling just short and ending up in the Cotton Bowl instead. Carter and his teammates are aiming to get there this fall. It won't be easy, but if he fulfills his game-wrecking potential, it could propel Penn State to new heights in 2023. "Last year, we went 11-2 and had a pretty solid season," Carter said. "We were good, but now … we want to be spe- cial. Being elite is fine, but we want to get to that point where we're special again. I think this season, and this year, we've got the players and we have the coaching staff to do it." ■