Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1528325
3 0 N O V E M 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 om Allen had a tough act to fol- low. Penn State fielded one of the best defenses in the country under Manny Diaz last year, surrender- ing only 247.6 yards and 13.5 points per game to rank second and third, respec- tively, in the FBS. In Allen's first season as defensive co- ordinator, Penn State had given up 262.5 yards and 14.5 points on average through six games, ranking eighth and tied for ninth in the FBS. You can win a lot of games giving up only a couple of touch- downs on average, and PSU had won all six of its contests with Allen as DC head- ing into its visit to Wisconsin on Oct. 26. Here's a closer look at how the Nittany Lions' defense fared in the first half of the season. Defensive Line Penn State has had mixed success in generating sacks this season along the defensive line. With the Lions boasting two of the most dangerous, well-re- spected defensive ends in college foot- ball, there's been a disparity between outside expectations and reality. Through six games, Penn State ranked 36th nationally and ninth in the Big Ten in team sacks with 2.33 per game. Though the Lions have hardly been un- productive, the performance has been met externally with ambivalence. Junior edge rusher Abdul Carter was tied for third on the defense with 27 tackles and led the team both in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (9.5). Not far behind, junior defensive tackle Zane Durant had notched 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss, while junior end Dani Dennis-Sutton had 2 and 4, respectively. Internally, Penn State isn't worried. Allen and his fellow coaches have been pleased not only with the individual per- formances but also the group's collective impact on the defense as a whole. "Pressure is always interesting. Every- body looks at sacks and lets that become the variable. There's more to it," Allen said. "Does the quarterback feel us? The big answer for a lot of people against us, our whole defensive line, has been two things. Number one: Get the ball out fast. And number two: Find a way to either chip or get extra guys [involved in pass protection]. Keep extra receiv- ers, tight ends, running backs in to block those defensive ends." The more resources Penn State's op- ponents have devoted to keeping Den- nis-Sutton, Carter and Durant at bay, the fewer options those offenses have to move the football downfield. Already stalwarts in stopping the run, checking in at the season's midpoint allowing just 95 yards per game on the ground, the Nittany Lions have used their defensive line to heavily tilt the equation in their favor. While Allen concedes there's room for growth, the lesson as Penn State turns toward the back half of the regular sea- son is straightforward. "You would like to have 4 or 5 sacks a game. That's awesome. Everybody gets excited about that," Allen said. "But are they affecting the game in a posi- tive way? I would say absolutely. They're forcing teams to do a lot of things they probably don't want to do, which is keep Midseason Grades: Midseason Grades: DEFENSE DEFENSE Personnel losses sting, but Penn State has continued to thrive NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Junior defensive end Abdul Carter was leading the Nittany Lions in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (9.5) through six games. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL