Blue White Illustrated

Tale of the tape Film study helps turn cornerback Jordan Lucas into a rising star for the Nittany Lions M AT T   H E R B The camera doesn't lie. No matter what they think they did on Saturday afternoon, no matter what they think they saw in the heat of battle, the true story is found on those videos that Jordan Lucas and his teammates watch when they evaluate their performances. Often, there's a fairly sizable discrepancy between perception and reality. "Your mind plays tricks on you sometimes, Lucas said. "But when you watch " the film, you can actually sit down and see what coverage you were in. You see what they gave you and see what you messed up. When you break the film down, that's when you'll have your answers. " Lucas, a sophomore cornerback, has spent a lot of time breaking down film both of himself and his opponents this year. Eager to refine his game, the firstyear starter has been trying to eliminate telltale tendencies that opposing receivers and quarterbacks could potentially exploit. "Just as we study wide receivers and quarterbacks, they study us, too, and we have tendencies," he said. "Sometimes you have to break those [habits] that you do, just to give them a different picture. That's what I look at." The film work has helped turn Lucas into one of Penn State's rising stars. He's started every game for the Nittany Lions and ranks third on the team with 46 tackles. He's also tied with Ryan Keiser for the team lead in interceptions (two) and ranks third in the Big Ten in passes defended per game (1.38). In Penn State's victory last week over Illinois, his understanding of the game's finer points helped him make one of the most important plays of the afternoon. On the Illini's first drive, he intercepted a Nathan Scheelhaase pass on the right sideline, ending a possession that seemed likely to result in points. Lucas said that as he saw the play develop, he knew exactly where the ball would be. | MATT@BLUEWHITEONLINE.COM HELPING HANDS Lucas had his first interception of the season in Penn State's overtime victory over Michigan. He got his second pick last Saturday in the first quarter against Illinois. Steve Manuel "The coverage we were in allowed me to stay on top of the receiver, he explained. " "As soon as I saw the route, I knew Jesse [Della Valle] was going to break under it, and as soon as he threw the ball, I knew it was going to be a tipped ball. So I didn't move. I stayed right there, and the ball just happened to come to me. " Lucas hasn't just been working hard in the film room. He's also been pushing himself in the weight room. At 6-foot-0, 193 pounds, he has the kind of physique that could allow him to play safety someday if needed. His penchant for physical play is evident in his stats, which include 4.5 tackles for loss (third-best on the team) and a sack. Surprising numbers for a defensive back? Not to teammate Adrian Amos. "He's strong and he has a big frame," Amos said. "He passes the eye test when it comes to cornerbacks. " To hear Bill O'Brien tell it, he passes a lot of other tests, too. The Nittany Lions' coach likes Lucas's toughness and his N O V E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 3 11 versatility. "Jordan Lucas is one of the better football players on our team," O'Brien said. "He's just a great, competitive kid, plays hurt, is very good in man coverage, really good in zone coverage, understands routes, has great ball skills. I think he could also play safety, [although] right now we play him at corner. He plays on many special teams and does an excellent job. He's only in his second year playing, but he brings a competitive toughness to our football team that I really like. " He also brings a strong desire for improvement. He said he's not satisfied with his performance so far this season, describing his play as "decent. But he's " also confident that he's headed in the right direction. "Each game I keep getting more and more comfortable," he said. "I just have to keep progressing. I don't want to have a game where I take a step down. Each game, I want to keep going to the next level. " B L UEWH I T E ON L I N E . COM

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