Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1518105
A P R I L 2 0 2 4 2 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M be very tough up the middle again this fall. In addition to Ellies and Beamon, Penn State returns senior Coziah Izzard. He's always been one of the team's most tal- ented players at the position, but he's struggled with consistency. Izzard led the defensive tackles with 3 sacks last season, and while sacks are an overrated metric for a defensive tackle, he does have that skill level. When you factor in the projected de- velopment of junior Zane Durant, this group has a chance to produce at a level we haven't seen in a while. 4. Linebacker A few months ago, this position group looked to have the best blend of return- ing talent and young upside on Penn State's roster. But moving Carter to de- fensive end means that redshirt junior Kobe King is the only returning starter. Sophomore Tony Rojas is clearly a unique talent, but where is he playing this fall? It may be Sam linebacker, it may be Will, or maybe it'll be both. Playing him in the box may limit the progress of younger players such as redshirt fresh- man Kaveion Keys, but the Will (weak- side) spot would afford Rojas an oppor- tunity to make impact plays. It'll be a tricky line for the Penn State defensive staff to walk. 5. Cornerback At this time last year, the cornerbacks room was either the best or second-best unit on the team, with very little debate. Since then, three players with substan- tial starting experience have moved on to the NFL, putting the next generation of coverage defenders under the micro- scope this spring. The talent in the room is clear, but how quickly can junior Cam Miller, sophomores Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington II, transfers Jalen Kim- ber and A.J. Harris, and the rest of the cornerbacks show that they're ready to start moving back up these rankings? Much like the offensive line, there's plenty of Big Ten-caliber talent on the roster, but the proven production is thin. ■ 1. Is Abdul Carter ready to shine at defensive end? Carter has been very successful the past two years attacking offensive tackles as a pass rusher, as evidenced by his 11 sacks. The question we're asking here is broader: How quickly will the 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior adapt to playing a new position? Carter struggled to make plays in space last sea- son, missing nearly 30 percent of his tackles. Will moving to defensive end allow him to play faster and think less? Former Penn State defensive coor- dinator Manny Diaz frequently used Carter to plug gaps as a run-blitzer by the season's end, letting other players clean up. Will playing with his nose in the facemask of a lineman allow him to get into the backfield more often? Carter has the physical skills and instincts to be an elite edge defender, but learning the nuances of the position still takes time. 2. How will the open cornerback positions shake out? Junior Cam Miller returns as the team's presumed top cornerback, but the depth chart is mostly wide open. Redshirt senior transfer Jalen Kimber and sophomore Zion Tracy are the two likely combatants for reps opposite Miller. There won't necessarily be a "win- ner" and "loser," because Penn State has routinely played three cornerbacks, as did defensive coordinator Tom Allen when he was at Indiana. Still, someone has to start, and that's worth watching. Maybe more interesting is the slot cornerback role. Daequan Hardy had a stranglehold on the position the past three seasons, so we've seen very little of any other player. 3. How will Tom Allen adjust to Penn State's talent? Much has been said and written about Allen's tendencies at Indiana, but how many of those decisions were choices, and how many sprang from a need to camouflage deficiencies? Indiana played with firm three-technique and one- technique tackles. The Hoosiers also had clearly de- fined field and boundary safety positions. Will those tendencies continue? Or will the more well-rounded talent pool at Penn State give Allen the flexibility to eschew such stringent positional determinations? 4. What will Andy Kotelnicki do with the running backs? Under Kotelnicki's leadership, the running game is likely to be straightforward, based on his usage of RPOs and outside zone running at Kansas and Buf- falo. But how will he feature juniors Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton in the passing game? There's a fine line between creating explosive plays with running backs and limiting your team's downfield passing by focusing on players whose average depth of target is behind the line of scrim- mage in most cases. We'll watch to see if Kotelnicki has creative ideas to get them the ball downfield. 5. Will the real WR1 please stand up? This is the top question for the entire team this spring. Every spot on the depth chart should be up for grabs after a 2023 season in which the wide re- ceivers failed to produce explosive plays or perform with any consistency. Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming has been the team's most scrutinized receiver this spring. He has one season in which to prove he's an NFL receiver who can be a productive, high-volume pass catcher. He doesn't possess ex- plosive speed, but he has a clear path to a starting role if he's consistent and reliable. Redshirt junior Harrison Wallace III was a starter last season when healthy, but his injury history gives pause. Will a young receiver from the class of 2022 challenge for playing time? Can senior Malik McClain make good on his impressive physical skills in his second season after transferring from Florida State? All options should be on the table, but the reality might just be that this team doesn't have a true WR1. — Thomas Frank Carr Harrison Wallace III was Penn State's third-leading wide receiver last season despite missing six games with inju- ries. He finished with 19 catches for 228 yards. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Five Burning Questions