Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1512721
3 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M created, the defensive front and sec- ondary have tended to get the most at- tention. But the linebacker corps has also shined this year. A Leader Of The Defense In what is likely to be his final season in blue and white, Jacobs got better as the year went on. He finished the regular sea- son with 47 tackles, which ranked third on the team, including 8 for loss and 2.5 sacks. Jacobs also had 5 quarterback hur- ries and a pair of fumble recoveries. Carter, who had plenty of room to grow even after his breakout freshman season, has been a game-wrecker when at his best. Heading into the bowl game, he had notched 46 tackles and 4.5 sacks in addition to 5 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. King, meanwhile, has been the big- gest revelation of the group. With Els- don hurt for much of spring practice, King took charge of the middle line- backer position and never gave up the starting job. He played 331 snaps during the regular season, outpacing DeLuca (212) and Elsdon (162) by a considerable margin. His edge in playing time grew wider in the final month of the season when it became clear that he was the best man to be on the field lining up the defense before every play and then of- ten making the tackle after the snap. He finished with a team-high 54 tackles, including 5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. Late in the season, King said he was pleased with his growth, both as a player and as a leader of the defense. "It's to a point where I can help younger guys around me and be a per- son that people want to hear and listen to," he explained. "I just want to be the best player for my teammates and for the coaches." Embracing that role has paid off in a big way. With two seasons of eligibility remaining and every reason to be back in 2024, King will be considered one of the top defenders in the expanded Big Ten next season and a likely captain for Penn State. He's eager to continue his development now that he's wrapping up his third year in the program. "I'm definitely taking steps in the right direction [toward being a captain next year], just with my role increasing this year a lot," King said. "I would say I have a bigger voice among the players and my teammates in the locker room and just That Penn State has enjoyed tremendous success defensively during the two-year tenure of coordina- tor Manny Diaz isn't in dispute. The Nittany Lions have fielded one of the best units nationally week in and week out, and their excellence has been reflected both on the stat page and through the eye test. In November, Penn State head coach James Franklin offered an expansive perspective on the defense's performance under Diaz. Extolling the attacking style that the former Miami head coach has brought to a program that was already standing on a firm foundation defensively, Franklin made his message clear. Diaz, he said, "has done a phenom- enal job" of taking what was already working and elevating it to a new level. That success didn't translate into a spot among the finalists for the Broyles Award, which goes to college football's top assistant coach. Many were surprised when Diaz was left off the short list for the honor, given that Penn State has allowed the fewest yards of any FBS team this year and the third-fewest points. The list of finalists included one defensive coordinator — Iowa's Phil Parker — and four offensive coordinators: Michigan's Sherrone Moore, LSU's Mike Den- brock, Oregon's Will Stein and Georgia's Mike Bobo. But within the Penn State community, Diaz is an extremely popular fig- ure. One of Penn State's former defensive greats echoed Franklin's assess- ment while filling in on the head coach's weekly radio show. Alan Zemaitis, a standout cornerback for the Nittany Lions from 2002-05 and now a member of their recruiting staff, recently provided his perspective on what Diaz has brought to the program. "He has a lot of knowledge about the game, and how the offense is try- ing to attack the defense," Zemaitis said. "The defense that he has manu- factured here at Penn State, it's very unique. In terms of Penn State's defensive history, you see a lot of bend, don't break. "What Manny brings to the table is, he's on attack mode the minute we kick the ball off. He wants to dictate. He's not going to allow an of- fense to say, 'This is what we're going to do,' and we'll be reactive. He's going to be proactive on that end of it." That sentiment has manifested itself through- out the Nittany Lions' 2023 campaign. Ranked in the top 10 nationally of every major statistical category, Penn State has been consis- tently excellent against a range of opponents. The Nittany Lions are first in total defense (223.2 yards per game), and second in both rushing defense (69.7 ypg) and passing defense (153.6 ypg). Most important of all, the Lions are third in scoring de- fense (11.4 points per game), with only Michigan (10.3) and Ohio State (11.0) ahead of them. Zemaitis described Diaz's schematic approach as "art, not science," noting that he has put his own unique stamp on Penn State's defense, par- ticularly in his ability to adjust on the fly. "When you talk about in-game adjustments — where I think coaches really make a mark on this game and the flow of the game — the way he calls the defense is on an elite level," Zemaitis said. "But the defensive structure, the scheme itself, it's been different from years past. "It's always been successful. Penn State, don't get me wrong, has al- ways had great defense. Always. But he brings an element to the table where it's exciting. There are a lot of splash plays, and there's a chance that you can suffocate an offense. That's what's exciting about what he brings to us." — Nate Bauer Manny Diaz's Attacking Style Elevates Penn State's Defense Diaz's defense gave up fewer yards during the regular season (223.2 per game) than any team in the FBS. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL