Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547107
3 6 N O V E M B E R 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 DEFENSE Defensive End 19 Yvan Kemajou So. 6-3 252 33 Alexander McPherson So. 6-6 254 Defensive Tackle 92 Siale Taupaki R-Sr.+ 6-2 326 39 Ty Blanding R-Jr. 6-1 301 Defensive Tackle 99 Keanu Williams R-Sr. 6-5 317 98 Dallas Vakalahi Jr. 6-2 326 Five-Technique 1 Ikenna Ezeogu R-Sr. 6-5 273 90 Liam Andrews R-So. 6-4 276 Defensive End 33 Alexander McPherson So. 6-6 254 10 Caleb Bacon R-Sr. 6-4 242 Will Linebacker 13 Tony Rojas R-Jr. 6-2 236 25 Alex Tatsch So. 6-3 235 Mike Linebacker 8 Kooper Ebel Sr. 6-4 233 9 Cael Brezina Jr. 6-3 233 Sam Linebacker 31 Marcus Neal Jr. Jr. 6-1 216 32 John Klosterman R-Sr. 5-11 223 Cornerback 2 Audavion Collins R-Sr. 5-11 183 7 Zion Tracy Sr. 5-11 184 Nickel 7 Zion Tracy Sr. 5-11 184 17 Josiah Zayas Fr. 6-2 205 Safety 4 Jeremiah Cooper R-Sr. 6-0 188 31 Marcus Neal Jr. Jr. 6-1 216 Safety 3 Jamison Patton Sr. 6-2 206 27 Omarion Davis So. 5-11 198 Cornerback 5 Daryus Dixson So. 6-0 184 0 Jahmir Joseph R-Fr. 6-0 190 PENN STATE DEPTH CHART Placekicker 94 Ryan Barker R-Jr. 6-2 191 98 Matthew Parker R-Fr. 6-0 224 Kickoffs 96 Lucas Tenbrock Fr. 6-6 210 98 Matthew Parker R-Fr. 6-0 224 Punter 38 Nathan Tiyce So. 6-5 232 96 Lucas Tenbrock Fr. 6-6 210 Long Snapper 35 Blaise Sokach-Minnick R-Sr. 6-3 216 92 Andrew Dufault R-So. 6-1 249 Punt Returns 2 Zay Robinson R-Fr. 5-11 186 7 Zion Tracy Sr. 5-11 184 Kickoff Returns 2 Zay Robinson R-Fr. 5-11 186 25 Quinton Martin Jr. R-So. 6-1 212 OFFENSE Quarterback 3 Rocco Becht R-Sr. 6-1 208 7 Alex Manske R-Fr. 6-3 210 10 Connor Barry Sr. 6-1 211 Running Back 1 James Peoples Jr. 5-10 214 21 Carson Hansen Sr. 6-2 216 25 Quinton Martin Jr. R-So. 6-1 212 X Wide Receiver 0 Chase Sowell R-Sr. 6-3 203 8 Karon Brookins R-Fr. 6-5 205 Z Wide Receiver 4 Brett Eskildsen Jr. 6-1 198 9 Amarion Jackson Fr. 6-2 192 F/Slot Wide Receiver 2 Zay Robinson R-Fr. 5-11 186 0 Chase Sowell R-Sr. 6-3 203 Tight End 18 Benjamin Brahmer Sr. 6-7 250 84 Gabe Burkle R-Sr. 6-6 247 F Tight End 87 Andrew Rappleyea R-Jr. 6-4 242 89 Finn Furmanek R-Jr. 6-3 251 Left Tackle 78 Malachi Goodman R-Fr. 6-6 330 71 Garrett Sexton R-So. 6-6 315 Left Guard 70 Trevor Buhr R-Jr. 6-4 318 54 Vaea Ikakoula R-Fr. 6-3 32 Center 51 Brock Riker R-So. 6-4 291 54 Vaea Ikakoula R-Fr. 6-3 326 Right Guard 50 Cooper Cousins Jr. 6-6 320 55 Chimdy Onoh R-Jr. 6-5 320 Right Tackle 68 Anthony Donkoh R-Jr. 6-5 334 77 Owen Aliciene R-Fr. 6-7 303 SPECIAL TEAMS "He knows what's going on," Camp- bell said. "He's just a mature leader on our football team, and he also is a guy who feels like he's got something to prove. It's been awesome to watch him continue to grow." Through six games, Penn State was allowing 315.7 yards and 18.5 points per game to rank ninth in the Big Ten in both categories. The defensive front had held up well until a disastrous visit to Northwestern in which the Wildcats caught PSU off guard with a Wing-T of- fense that produced an eye-opening 413 rushing yards. Heading into the season's second half, the Nittany Lions are hop- ing the defense's performance in their 34-13 loss to Northwestern had more to do with schematic issues that can't be easily exploited by other opponents than with any physical shortcomings up front. Individually, Taupaki had totaled 13 tackles playing a position where sta- tistics don't really tell the story. Even if they did, his influence goes well beyond the part of the game that people see on Saturdays. "It's really just contagious energy" that he brings to the team, said Wil- liams, who knows Taupaki both as a teammate and roommate. "He wants to get better, and to see him grow, it forces other people to grow, too." The eighth-year senior views him- self as one of the leaders of the Nit- tany Lions' defensive line. That's partly due to his experience, which is virtu- ally unprecedented in college athletics. But he's also an empathetic listener, the kind of person who makes an effort to connect on a deeper level because, as he noted, "You can't really get some- one's attention or earn the respect if you don't understand their story." He's also a survivor. Injuries and off- the-field difficulties didn't prevent him from finding a role at Penn State, and he intends to keep on modeling the power of perseverance in the final months of his college career. "If these guys believe in me, you think I want them to see me fall?" he asked. "I'm never going to fall. I might be wrong, but I'm never going to fall." ■