Blue White Illustrated

area he has to improve dramatically is in the run game. And in the pass game he has to be more re7ned with all his routes and the details. He can really run for a kid who is legitimately 6-7." Along the o8ensive line, there appears to be a real battle between redshirt sophomore Michal Menet and redshirt freshman C.J. Thorpe for Mahon's starting right guard spot. But the big surprise at this position group has been the quick maturation of redshirt fresh- man tackle Des Holmes. It appears that Holmes is in a 7erce battle with Chasz Wright for the backup spot behind Ryan Bates at right tackle. Since his senior year of high school, Holmes has lost 34 pounds, and he began spring practice at 306. At the running back spot, Thompkins indicated to the media earlier this month that junior Miles Sanders has 7lled the role as that group's leader. "He's taken over the role Barkley 7lled the past three years," Thompkins said. On defense, junior tackles Kevin Givens and Robert Windsor appear to have solidified their hold on the start- ing positions. In addition, redshirt sophomore Antonio Shelton has had several solid weeks of practice, while redshirt freshman Fred Hansard has seen work at the one-technique posi- tion and classmates Corey Bolds and Damion Barber at the three-technique spot. Another redshirt freshman, Elli- son Jordan, looks to be capable of play- ing either position at 6-0, 295 pounds, but he isn't participating in contact work in spring practice because of a kneecap injury he suffered in Decem- ber. Elsewhere on the defensive line, Buchholz said he has dropped more than 20 pounds and is looking to play primarily at the strongside defensive end position this fall. The redshirt jun- ior is definitely under 260 pounds this spring, and while he might still see some action at the three-technique de- fensive tackle spot, it would likely be limited to very specific down-and-dis- tance situations such as third- or fourth-and-long. The big news at linebacker is that true freshman Micah Parsons has been moved to the Will OLB position, where he's competing with junior Cam Brown for the starting spot. For now, it looks as though the starting linebackers in Penn State's 4-3-4 defensive scheme are Farmer at the Sam outside line- backer spot, redshirt freshman Ellis Brooks at Mike and either Brown or Parsons at Will. One other surprise on defense at the midpoint of spring practice was when Franklin announced that fifth-year senior Nick Scott and redshirt junior Garrett Taylor were atop the depth chart at the safety positions. Franklin was quick to note that the competition would likely continue in preseason camp, but he said that the two veterans were in the lead. "If we were playing Saturday, right now it's Garrett and Nick," he said. Franklin also had some positive things to say about the development of the team's younger safeties: sophomore La- mont Wade, redshirt freshman Jonathan Sutherland and early enrollee Isaiah Humphries. "I think there is a really good competi- tion with the next group of guys, includ- ing Lamont, Isaiah and Sutherland," he said. "As you know, we've had a man crush on Sutherland since he got here. With his approach and demeanor, every play for him is the Super Bowl. It really is. Walk-throughs, jog-throughs, install periods – he is locked in. And we love him. So I think all those guys are going to play." In addition, he said, redshirt junior John Petrishen "is really coming on for us. He's had a really good winter, has had a really good spring. I know coach [Tim] Banks has a lot of con7dence in him right now." One 7nal comment: It's been reported that redshirt freshman kicker Carson Landis has had some struggles this spring. There's a possibility that junior punter Blake Gillikin will handle kicko8 duties, while Landis battles incoming freshman Jake Pinegar in preseason camp for the 7eld goal job. ■ !"#!" $%&'( !! "#$%&$' &' ()* + ! ,-)) +. /-% #$ !"#"$ %$ &' () " & *& +,-,../01

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