Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/797655
S P R I N G P R A C T I C E P R E V I E W for most of his freshman season, are other redshirts who will be aiming to make a leap into the rotation this spring. Castagna, a walk-on transfer, saw action in seven games last year, and if he grows more comfortable this spring, he, too, could see regular snaps next fall. Will linebacker DEPARTURE Brandon Bell CANDIDATES Manny Bowen, Cam Brown, Jake Cooper, Brelin Faison- Walden, Brandon Smith VACANCY Bell amassed 224 career tack- les and had a penchant for being in the right place at the right time (i.e., his third-quarter interception in the Rose Bowl). But what Penn State will probably miss most is his leadership. Bell wasn't the fastest or most explosive linebacker, but he routinely displayed veteran savvy, even as a freshman. When he was on the field, his presence alone helped Penn State maintain its defensive composure. It was an inherent trait that very few can duplicate because there are few with Bell's personality. Penn State will also miss his versatility, as he played both the field linebacker po- sition and the box OLB spot. There's a chance that whoever fills his spot will fol- low his lead by shifting from one line- backer spot to another. OUTLOOK Jason Cabinda returns in the middle as the leading tackler among the linebackers, while a few options exist at the field LB spot. Without Bell, Penn State needs somebody to step into its Will LB spot, and the coaches are set to exper- iment with a few different options this spring to find out what works best. As with all five positions that are open this spring, it might take some reconfig- uration among the LBs in order to deter- mine who is best suited to take this spot. Bowen and Brown, for instance, are prob- ably more fit for the field linebacker po- sition, but with more depth at that spot than in the box, they'll at least try their hand this spring at Bell's former post. It won't be foreign to them, as both played there before. Bowen was thrust into action at Mike in the first half of the year and filled in at the other box spot when the team's injury problems were at their worst. Brown also played extensively last year as a true freshman. After shedding his redshirt in week two, he played in the team's final 13 games, making two starts when Bell was out and going on to lead all freshmen with 33 tackles. If he's able to add weight to his 6-foot-5 frame, he could be ready to han- dle a heavier load when healthy. But it's Cooper and Smith who might be most naturally built to see extensive reps here while also splitting time with Cabinda at Mike. Bowen and Brown have the athletic advantage, but it might be Cooper and Smith who have more of the thumping style. One other option involves Faison- Walden. An early enrollee, he will have to adjust to the speed of the college game, but if he can show in spring practice that he can fight through traffic, weave be- tween blockers and find the ball carrier, he could be a factor here. Right now, the candidate who appears best equipped to do all that is Smith. And those are the qualities that will ultimately determine who will fill this vacancy. Strong safety DEPARTURE Malik Golden CANDIDATES Troy Apke, Nick Scott, Ayron Monroe, Lamont Wade VACANCY Not a full-time starter until his fifth year at Penn State, Golden en- tered last season without the fanfare and expectations that greeted some of his teammates, and it stayed that way even though he had a better year than many might have given him credit for. He fin- ished with only three pass breakups but was very effective in run support and was able to identify the short or quick-hit screen passes. That's a skill that in many cases only experience can teach. Golden tied with Marcus Allen among all defen- sive backs with six tackles for loss. While Penn State's next strong safety might have a better skill set in coverage, it takes a few years of experience to be able OFFENSE WR DeAndre Thompkins Juwan Johnson/Dae'lun Darien WR Saeed Blacknall/Irvin Charles WR DaeSean Hamilton DeAndre Thompkins/Brandon Polk RT Andrew Nelson* Chasz Wright/Alex Gellerstedt RG Connor McGovern Steven Gonzalez/Chasz Wright C Michal Menet/Mike Miranda/ Ryan Bates/Zach Simpson Brian Gaia/Connor McGovern LG Ryan Bates Steven Gonzalez/Brendan Brosnan LT Brendan Mahon* Will Fries/Alex Gellerstedt TE Mike Gesicki Nick Bowers*/Jonathan Holland Danny Dalton/Tom Pancoast RB Saquon Barkley Andre Robinson/Miles Sanders/ Mark Allen QB Trace McSorley Tommy Stevens/Jake Zembiec DEFENSE DE Torrence Brown Ryan Buchholz/Daniel Joseph/ Colin Castagna DT Parker Cothren Robert Windsor/Antonio Shelton DT Curtis Cothran Kevin Givens/Tyrell Chavis/ Ellison Jordan DE Shareef Miller Ryan Buchholz/Shane Simmons/ Shaka Toney OLB Manny Bowen/Cam Brown Jake Cooper MLB Jason Cabinda Brandon Smith/Jake Cooper OLB Manny Bowen/Koa Farmer Cam Brown/Brelin Faison-Walden/ Jarvis Miller CB Grant Haley Amani Oruwariye/Z. McPhearson FS Marcus Allen Nick Scott/Garrett Taylor SS Troy Apke/Ayron Monroe/ Nick Scott/Lamont Wade CB John Reid Christian Campbell Zech McPhearson/T.J. Johnson PHIL GROSZ'S PROJECTED SPRING DEPTH CHART * Denotes injury; player's availability uncertain for spring practice