Penn State Sports Magazine
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3 2 M A Y 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Broomfield explain it, the answer is both. "You'll see him in my meeting room. You'll see him with Terry [Smith, PSU's cornerbacks coach], but we will try to uti- lize him because he can do everything," Broomfield said. "We'll find ways to put him as a high safety. If there's a matchup possibility, we're going to try to put him in every position to help the defense, be- cause we feel like he can do that. He has that type of skill set." Tracy's flexibility should allow Penn State to avoid substituting, which will help counter tempo offenses. "It probably gives Coach Lynn a little bit more comfort that he can call differ- ent defenses and won't have to worry about subbing the guy," Broomfield said. "We can run multiple defenses with that 11 on the field, and you're not having to worry about getting caught, whether it's a tempo or different situations." The key is the complementary skill sets of Tracy and Neal. One is a cornerback who can play safety, the other is a safety who can play linebacker. "I think Marcus Neal is no different," Broomfield said. "Marcus was one of the best players in the Big 12 over the last year and a half. We asked him to play almost a hybrid Mike linebacker from the safety position to being the half safety. He's a great blitzer and gives you a lot of differ- ent flexibility." 'A Tremendous Talent' At first glance, PSU's new defense may sound like the three-safety approach that Jim Knowles deployed last sea- son. There are considerable differences, though. Simply put, Lynn's scheme is designed to solve a different problem. The original three-safety structure was designed during the peak of the spread era in the 2010s, when offenses emphasized three- and four-receiver sets and vertical spacing. That trend has shifted. Offenses now incorporate more tight ends while still maintaining spread principles. Sub- package usage across Power Four pro- grams illustrates the shift. The use of 12-personnel alignments ticked up from 22 percent in 2021 to 24 percent last fall. Meanwhile, 10-personnel alignments (one tight end, no running back, four wide receivers) have declined from 7 to 2 percent over that same span. Those trends have changed the equa- tion for defensive coordinators. Penn State's answer going forward isn't lighter personnel, it's bigger hybrid defenders. Neal and senior Jamison Patton both fit that mold. The former is listed at 6-1, 218 pounds, while the latter stands 6-2, 208. They are built like linebackers while retaining the athleticism of defensive backs. Their versatility creates a more physical 4-2-5 structure that can handle both power and spread concepts. Up front, Penn State has added size Communication Is Key To Lynn's Makeover D'Anton Lynn is no stranger to a spring ball install in State College. A former Penn State letterman, Lynn went through the process during his playing days with the Nittany Lions. This spring, however, he did something he never experienced as a player: putting in a defense from scratch during a roughly one- month, 15-practice stretch. Lynn has succeeded Jim Knowles, who spent just one season as defensive coordinator before exiting as part of a sweeping staff over- haul. During practice sessions, Knowles could often be seen observing from a distance. Lynn, by contrast, was frequently hands-on during the portions of practice that were open to the media this spring. He's an expert communica- tor and "a phenomenal teacher," cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said. "I'm super excited to work underneath him and try to help us get to be the No. 1 defense in the country," Smith said. "We've always been a really good defense, and I have no doubt that we're going to be back at the top." The defense will be a 4-3 base with plenty of 4-2-5 looks mixed in. The goal this spring was to build a foundation. There are new players at all three levels, and before anyone can be- come a star, they must first understand what Lynn, an eight-year NFL coaching veteran, wants out of them on game day. Fortunately for Penn State, Lynn's ability to explain concepts and coach technique has helped speed that process. "I think one of the great gifts that he has, what was so impressive to me even through the interview process, is his ability to articulate what he wants out of a defense, [and] what the expectations are," head coach Matt Campbell said. "He's a great, holistic teacher. Obviously, his time in the National Football League makes you be that. Your time restrictions are so short in that league that you've got to be a great communicator and a great teacher. "It's been fun to watch him align the coaching staff on verbiage and communication, getting everybody speaking the same language," Campbell added. "That's where coaching has got to start. And then to watch that coaching staff start to implement what the defense needs to look like — what are the standards? How are we communicating through everything? I think they've done an unbelievable job. I give Coach Lynn a lot of credit early on. It'll be a process … and we know that. But I think when the teachers are aligned and they're communicating in the same language, really positive things can come out of that." — Greg Pickel Lynn and his defensive assistants "have done an unbelievable job" getting their scheme installed this spring, head coach Matt Campbell said. PHOTO BY THOMAS FRANK CARR