Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1509432
2 6 N O V E M B E R 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 storylines of the season so far. Redshirt senior defensive end Adisa Isaac was a steady force throughout the Nittany Li- ons' first five games. Junior defensive end Chop Robinson took over the game against Iowa, and his sophomore posi- tion mate Dani Dennis-Sutton showed that he was ready to take the next step after a promising true freshman season in 2022. But the success of those players has been only part of the story. The defensive tackles have thrived, too. Durant is a prime example. Against the Wildcats, he earned the team's de- fensive player of the game honor for his performance. On the stat page, that took shape as 4 tackles, including 3 for loss, as well as a sack and a quarterback hurry. That his p r o d u c t i o n came on just 28 s n a p s s e r ve d as another re- m i n d e r n o t just of his current abilities, but also of what's ahead. Coming off a true freshman season in which he played in every game for the Nittany Lions, Durant was determined to build on his initial performance. Through the first five games this year, he had done that and more. He had already doubled his numbers from last season, notching 2 sacks and 11 tackles heading into Penn State's nonconference finale against Massachusetts on Oct. 14. Even more important, he translated the flashes of excellence and athleticism from a season ago into something more consistent. "You saw it last year — his athletic ability inside and his quick twitch and his ability to make plays on third down," Diaz said. "He had a great off- season. Got stronger and got bigger. And when you have that type of move- ment inside, it creates a mismatch on those guards." With Durant's improvement, the dy- namic for the entire defensive line has been transformed. Entering the year as a question mark, Durant and the Nittany Lion defensive tackles worked in the shadows of the attention shown at the end spots. With Isaac, Robinson and Dennis-Sutton all earning well-deserved accolades and anticipation for the 2023 campaign, the overall quality of Penn State's line rested in the performances of its tack- les. Through five games, they hadn't dis- appointed. While Robinson, Dennis-Sutton and Isaac have been the focal point of op- posing offensive coordinators, enduring chipping from tight ends and running backs, the avenues into the backfield for Penn State's defensive tackles have expanded. Heading into the Massachusetts game, Durant had a team-high 4.5 tack- les for loss, while junior Coziah Izzard shared the team lead with 2.5 sacks de- spite missing the first two games of the season for unspecified reasons. Throw in significant contributions from El- lies, redshirt senior Hakeem Beamon and redshirt sophomore Jordan van den Berg, and the Nittany Lions have re- shaped the defensive line conversation. "I think our whole D-line, not just defensive end, has become dominant," Dennis-Sutton said. "I think that we just built off of last year. We were domi- nant last year, and we're going to aim to do the same thing this year. I don't think any of us lack confidence. I know every- body from top to bottom has been mak- ing plays. … We expect to be dominant." An Upward Trend Penn State didn't get to that point overnight. Although the Lions held West Virginia to 15 points and Delaware to seven in the first two weeks of the sea- son, individual statistics were lacklus- ter. Penn State's sack-master defensive end trio had none in the opener. Durant notched the first of the year for the de- fensive line, with redshirt junior Zuriah Fisher and true freshman Jameial Ly- ons also coming up with sacks, but Diaz noted some hesitation. He said defensive players wanted to be perfect and played "a little tight" early in the season. What's more, opponents' of- fe n s i ve ga m e plans were be- i n g d e s i g n e d specifically to thwart the Lions' pass rush. In doing so, they created vulnerabilities elsewhere, but it was a frustrating experience for the defensive ends. "At the beginning of the season, we were getting back there, but the teams were just getting rid of it, or something would happen," Dennis-Sutton said. As the season went on, that trend started to change. Now heading into the back half of the schedule the Lions' de- fensive ends are feeling good about their disruptive potential. "We're starting to make plays, starting "When you know your job, know what you're going to do and how you're going to beat somebody, it's just about going out there and doing it." D A N I D E N N I S - S U T T O N Sophomore defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton collected 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hurries and a sack in the Nittany Lions' first five games. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL