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mons competing for the fourth spot in the rotation. Former walk-on Colin Castagna could help here. LINEBACKER SPRING STORYLINE With both Wart- man-White and Bell held out of contact drills this spring due to injuries, all eyes were on Jake Cooper and Manny Bowen. The two sophomores have established themselves as solid backups to Wart- man-White (Will OLB) and Bell (Sam OLB). If Wartman-White struggles early in the season, I believe Cooper would be a capable starter at the Will position. Both Cooper and Bowen seem to be ahead of the curve in their development at out- side linebacker. OTHER NEWS Wartman-White and Bell are expected to be healthy and ready to go this fall. But if Pry hopes to keep playing a basic 4-3 defensive set, he'll need more than that; he'll also need both of those veteran players to stay healthy for the entire season. That's something Wartman-White and Bell have had di9culties doing. TAKEAWAY Depth is a major concern here. Wartman-White, Cabinda and Bell have a wealth of experience, but Cooper and Bowen are only in their second sea- son a:er seeing action as reserves in 2015. Behind those players, there is no experienced depth. Penn State may need contributions from incoming freshmen Cameron Brown and Shaka Toney, and possibly from walk-on Brandon Smith and juco transfer Jason Vranic. Pry's other option is to deploy a 4-2-5 defensive set featuring two conventional linebackers and a "star" linebacker who is essentially a converted defensive back. Potential candidates for that posi- tion are Taylor, Farmer, Oruwariye, Monroe, Jarvis Miller and John Petr- ishen. CORNERBACK SPRING STORYLINE His name was hardly mentioned by assistant coach Terry Smith, but it appears that Taylor could end up being a game changer for Penn State at the 8eld cornerback posi- tion or nickel spot. At 6-1, 196 pounds, he has the size to play the hybrid outside linebacker/strong safety position in Penn State's 4-2-5 defensive set, and the speed, skill and ability to play man-to- man coverage at the 8eld cornerback spot. OTHER NEWS Haley and Reid have secured the starting cornerback jobs, with Taylor, Oruwariye, Christian Campbell and incoming freshmen T.J. Johnson and Zechariah McPhearson supplying depth. TAKEAWAY The cornerback positions are as deep as I've ever seen them in the 30-plus years I've covered Penn State's program. This area should be one of the strengths of the defense. SAFETY SPRING STORYLINE Not that he'll end up being a starter, but the fact that Nick Scott adjusted well to the move from running back to free safety caught my attention. It's a move Scott initiated and embraced, having been told by for- mer defensive coordinator Bob Shoop that he had the makings of a capable de- fensive back. "Ever since I was a recruit, he would always sort of tease me: 'You should play on defense.' Basically, he told me I could be a really good safety at this level," Scott said. "Hearing that from a guy like Shoop who has seen a lot of big players in and out of this system [was encouraging]." Scott said this spring that he's "happy with the decision." He has every reason to feel that way, because he appeared to be running with the second team com- ing out of spring practice. OTHER NEWS Allen reportedly had a superb spring and seems ready to return to the level of performance he displayed in the 8nal six games of his freshman season. It also appears that Farmer made signi8cant strides in advance of his red- shirt sophomore season. TAKEAWAY Penn State appears to have solid depth at both safety posi- tions, with Apke and Scott backing up Allen at free safety, and Farmer, Monroe and Jarvis Miller behind Golden at strong safety. The Lions are much deep- er here than people realize. ■

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