Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529598
2 0 D E C 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 A smile washed over Abdul Carter's face as he fielded questions following one of his best games at Penn State. The junior from Philadelphia had put to- gether plenty of big performances as a two-time All-Big Ten pick at linebacker, but this moment felt different. It was Penn State's much-anticipated White Out night, and Carter, now stationed at de- fensive end, had shined. Pitted against a Washington offense that boasted veteran quarterback Will Rogers III, big-play running back Jonah Coleman and touchdown-mak- ing wideout Denzel Boston, Carter was relentless. Of his 6 total tack- les, a career-high 4 were for losses and 2 were sacks, and he also had a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. Carter could have done even more if not for a number of uncalled holding penal- ties, but he and his defensive teammates were still too much for Washington to handle. They confined the Huskies to a pair of field goals, and Penn State won handily, 35-6, on Nov. 9 to keep its College Football Playoff bid on track. Carter has been a huge part of the Lions' suc- cess this season, even as he has undergone a major change. No one within the program doubted that moving him from linebacker to defensive end was the right decision, but there were some skeptics on the outside who were still questioning Penn State's wisdom at the midway point of the season. Carter's performance against the Huskies finally put any concerns, questions or doubts to rest. He wanted to be a defensive end. He is a defensive end. Peak Peak Performer Performer For opponents, the scary truth of Abdul Carter's move from linebacker to defensive end is that the best may be yet to come 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