Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/877736
P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> be able to say that I am one, it's definitely a blessing. And it definitely just shows the amount of work that goes into it. Nothing is ever easy, especially in college football. Through the years of grinding everything out, I'm thankful to be here." Penn State head coach James Franklin is thank- ful to have him on hand. The Nittany Lions have been looking to make strides on defense this year, and their hopes depend to a large degree on having expe- rienced, savvy veterans plugging holes in the middle of the field. Highlighting his expectations for the pair before the start of the season, Franklin explained just how much of an asset a strong nose tackle can be. "That guy is double-teamed a lot. Sometimes they're not in the position to make as many plays as a three-technique [tackle], but people who really know foot- ball [know that] Parker Cothren is invalu- able to us," Franklin said. "I think he's had a great off-season. He is as healthy and feeling as good as he's ever felt. He's as big and as strong as he's ever been. "You've got to be strong up the middle. And if you look at Parker at nose and Cur- tis at the three-technique, and Jason Cabinda at Mike linebacker, that's three pretty good guys in the middle." Through the start of the 2017 season, the results might reflect an even better performance than Franklin could have hoped to see. The Nittany Lions shut out Akron in the first week of the season, 52- 0, then followed up that performance by holding Pitt to just one touchdown in a 33-14 win and blanking Georgia State a week later, 56-0. While three games might constitute a small sample size, the Lions were ranked 22nd in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, allow- ing only 273.7 yards per game. They were second in scoring defense and tied for ninth in team sacks at 3.67 per game. A significant component of the team's initial success was the contingent of backup defensive tackles. Another sen- ior, Tyrell Chavis, has been seeing action at the position, but otherwise the Nit- tany Lions are young. Redshirt sopho- mores Kevin Givens and Robert Windsor earned ample time in the Akron and Pitt games, and redshirt freshmen Ellison Jordan and Antonio Shelton were provid- ing third-team depth. The Lions also welcomed true freshmen Corey Bolds and Fred Hansard to the position group this summer, with both likely to redshirt this fall. Unlike recent years in which outstand- ing defensive linemen such as Johnson, Anthony Zettel, DaQuan Jones, Carl Nas- sib, Garrett Sickels and Evan Schwan were setting the example, the responsi- bility now falls to the line's three seniors. Although his experience was substantial coming into the season, it was a new role to which Cothren admittedly needed some time to adjust. "It is weird looking around and not see- ing all the older guys that I'm used to looking up to," he said. "Now that it's me and Curtis as the old guys, we're having to step up and take the leadership role and help the younger guys out, help to mold them to where they can take our spot in a year or two." Acknowledging his own veteran status COMING UP BIG Cothren is com- ing off a junior season in which he started 13 games and claimed honor- able mention All- Big Ten honors. Photo by Bill An- derson