Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
6 8 A U G U S T 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 LINEBACKERS / / / / / / / 2 0 2 3 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★★ National Title; ★★★★ Top 10; ★★★ Top 25; ★★ Too Unproven; ★ Major Concern STARTERS ★★★★★ On the outside, Penn State has a preseason All- America candidate in sophomore Abdul Carter and an All-Big Ten returnee in junior Curtis Jacobs. In the middle, the Nittany Lions have redshirt sophomore Kobe King and junior Tyler Elsdon essentially shar- ing the position. On3 ranked PSU's linebacker corps third in the nation heading into the 2023 season, and it's not hard to imagine the Lions living up to that lofty appraisal. The starters pack a punch at the point of attack, can play in space and are following defensive coordinator Manny Diaz's instructions to near perfection. EXPERIENCE ★★★★★ Jacobs has made big strides in each of his sea- sons at Penn State. There was some uncertainty as to whether he would leave for the NFL after his third year in the program, but he gave the de- fense a lift in January when he announced that he would be coming back after ranking third on the team last fall in tackles (52) and fourth in tackles for loss (7.5). Carter is only entering Year 2 but played the fourth-most snaps on the defense in 2022 with 514, according to Pro Football Focus. King, Els- don, Jacobs and redshirt sophomore Dominic DeLuca have played plenty of football, too. Put it all together, and this group knows what to expect from its upcoming Big Ten opponents. DEPTH ★★★★★ At this time a year ago, depth was a major con- cern here. That is no longer the case. In addition to the team's top five linebackers — Carter, Jacobs, King, Elsdon and DeLuca — the Lions have a trio of rising stars in freshmen Keon Wylie, Tony Rojas and Ta'Mere Robinson. Rojas, in particular, has been turning heads since his arrival in January. The four-star prospect from Fairfax, Va., was listed at 195 pounds when he signed with Penn State in December but is up to 225 on the team's most recent roster. He carried that added weight awfully well in the Blue-White Game, finishing with a game-high 9 tackles. The Lions are not hurting for numbers at this spot. OVERALL GRADE ★★★★★ Penn State enters the 2023 season with a line- backer corps that, at least on paper, checks all the boxes. It has experienced players in the middle who can call the defense and hold up against the run when necessary. And it has dynamic playmak- ers on the outside who can wreck an opponent's game plan at a moment's notice. While injuries can derail any position group, Diaz has the talent and numbers to overcome a setback or two. Line- backer U appears to be in good hands entering the new season. BY THE NUMBERS 6.5 Sacks by Abdul Carter as a true freshman in 2022, a total that was tied for fourth in the Big Ten. Carter became only the second fresh- man in school history to finish with 6 or more sacks and 10 or more tackles for loss in a season. The other player to post such numbers in his debut season was current Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes in 2012. 7th Penn State's spot among the nation's top linebacker corps in Athlon's unit rankings for the 2023 season. Two of the Lions' Big Ten East Division rivals were ahead of them on the list, with Michigan placing fourth and Ohio State fifth. 27 Tackles for loss last season by linebackers who are returning in 2023. Carter and Jacobs led the way with 10.5 and 7.5, respectively. As a team, Penn State posted 104 tackles for loss. Abdul Carter's 6.5 sacks as a true freshmen were tied for the fourth-highest total in the Big Ten last season. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE