Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/83706
considered one of the nation's most ac- curate, and that it was a new group of starters playing their first game in a new system for a new coach… well, there's room for the benefit of the doubt. Things were better against Virginia, but key second-half breakdowns – com- pletions of 26 yards on second-and- 15, 23 yards on third-and-20, and 44 yards on third-and-16 – proved lethal to Penn State's chances of winning in Charlottesville. And as Navy's offense is a tough one against which to gauge a secondary, it's probably fair to grade this group's work as "incomplete." This, at least, is a topic Amos is willing to speak on. "Just like every season, our goal is to be the best unit in the country," he said. "I take pride in our secondary. There can't be any weak links on this defense. That's our mind-set." The confidence is useful for a unit that has arguably faced the biggest challenge of any on the team. Not only have the defensive backs had to adjust to a new position coach, they've had to face up to the most ambitious aspects of a new defensive philosophy. For the corners, at least – guys whose positions demand weighing risk/reward on every down – the change, and the challenge, are welcome. "In years past, we always had to lay back," Morris said. "We couldn't really be aggressive. This year, we can get in people's faces, reroute receivers, stuff like that." The fact that the Lions' two interceptions in their first three games were snagged by a linebacker and a de- fensive tackle doesn't seem to have dis- couraged this group. They are convinced they'll make an impact. Morris jokes – in fact, he's partly serious – about as- piring to Penn State's rep as Linebacker U. "Why not make it DBU?" he asked. If that happens, Morris knows that Amos could be the trailblazer, the first of a new breed of Penn State defensive backs who eschew "bend but don't break" for "shut down" and "make plays." Acknowledging the expectations on his younger teammate, Morris said of Amos, "He's got a tough road, probably the toughest road in the secondary. But as long as he's on the field, we're comfortable." John Beale MARYLAND PIPELINE Amos is one of several Next Level prospects from the Baltimore area on Penn State's roster.