Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1505647
2 8 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T he Penn State defense got off to a fast, fun and flying start during the first few weeks of the 2022 season. First-year defensive coordinator Manny Diaz did not bring a turnover chain with him to State College from Miami, but he has introduced a hard-hit hammer that is awarded weekly to the player who made the biggest tackle in the previous game. It's one of many signs that his approach, which is predicated on causing havoc while being physical at the point of attack, was quickly incorporated into the program's existing culture and philosophies. "He's a great coach," redshirt fresh- man safety Zakee Wheatley said in late September. "He likes to put us in the right position … so that the plays come to us. Being in his defense, and some of the packages he puts in, I really enjoy it. His coaching style is to have us mess with the quarterback's eyes and make plays." Here's a closer look at each of Diaz's position groups after the first month of the season. Defensive Line After facing two quick passing attacks in Purdue and Ohio to start the year, this group was not viewed positively. That wasn't entirely fair, as both teams inten- tionally neutralized the Nittany Lions' line to keep the pass rush out of the back- field. The last two weeks of the month showed that super senior tackle PJ Mustipher and redshirt junior end Adisa Isaac have made major strides in their return from lower-body injuries that forced them to the sideline last year. Both still have progress to make, but after an offseason of uncertainty regarding their The Lions have embraced Manny Diaz's high-energy defensive approach, but bigger tests lie ahead G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G. P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M Fun And Fun And Games Games Redshirt junior defensive end Adisa Isaac was leading Penn State with 4 tackles for loss in the team's first four games. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS