Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526526
3 2 O C T O B E R 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 T wo different defenses have taken the field so far for Penn State in 2024. On opening day, the Nittany Li- ons put a poised, aggressive and domi- nant unit on the field at West Virginia for a full 60 minutes. A week later against Bowling Green, defensive coordinator Tom Allen's unit was undisciplined during the first half. It missed tackles, blew assignments and failed to communicate, problems that allowed the Falcons to rack up 286 yards and 24 points. A halftime speech from Allen proved to be the difference-maker. The Nittany Lions exited the break and proceeded to play with the kind of poise and emo- tion they had displayed a week earlier in Morgantown. Over the final 30 minutes, the Lions' Mid-American Conference opponent turned the ball over twice, mustered only 89 yards and scored just a field goal in the waning minutes of a 34-27 Penn State win. "In the second half, we were able to calm down and get ahead of the sticks on defense," head coach James Frank- lin said. "That was the issue in the first half. We were giving up too much on first down, creating manageable third- down situations for most of the first half, and that was problematic." Redshirt junior linebacker Kobe King said Allen's halftime message made an impact on the whole unit. "It definitely changed the perspec- tive of the defense and how we looked at things while the game was going on," King said. "He doesn't get too high or too low. He knows what we have to do. He knows the expectation for him and us. It was more of effort messaging, because we've got the players. It's just about guys being on the same wave- length, guys having a sense of urgency and giving more effort." With the Lions set to face Kent State in their final nonconference game on Sept. 21, they still have time to clean up their defensive concerns before the Big Ten season starts Sept. 28 against Illinois. However, depth is an issue at some spots. Defensive Line Abdul Carter's move to the defensive line has gotten off to an interesting start. The All-Big Ten linebacker was more pro- ductive than his stat sheet indicated in the opener at West Virginia, and in the win over Bowling Green, he broke up a key third-down pass in the second half and finished with 7 tackles, including 1 for loss, and a quarterback hurry. "I think the best is yet to come," Carter said afterward. "I just need to keep getting Split Personality Split Personality The defense has looked both dominant and vulnerable in Penn State's first two games of the year 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 Junior defensive end Abdul Carter had 7 tackles and a quarterback hurry that ended a Bowling Green drive in Penn State's 34-27 victory in Week 2. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL