Blue White Illustrated

O F F - S E A S O N R E P O R T recognition, 10 starts, 49 tackles, and maybe most important, eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Acknowledging that ascent, defensive coordinator Brent Pry offered effusive praise for not just the on-field perform- ances Givens turned in throughout spring practice, but also for the way in which the versatile defensive lineman has carried himself off of the field. "Very deserved," Pry said of the honor. "You talk about a guy who was kind of thrown into it. He was a little bit raw when he got here, and now you've got a guy that can play defensive end, he can play nose tackle, he can play three-tech- nique, he can go into three-down and play the end spot. He can play the zero. And he makes plays. "He doesn't say a word. He works, he works, he works. Some of the guys, we've taken reps off them, but we've soaked him out there and he doesn't complain. He just works. He wants to be great. I can't say enough good things about him right now." Givens appreciates the props. Citing the work he's put in watching film in the past year, the 6-foot-1, 275-pounder is developing a better grasp of the game's nuances and a comfort level with the ap- proach of both Pry and defensive line coach Sean Spencer. He's more relaxed in the defensive line room, asking ques- tions and taking in the details, and as a result, he's become a more mature con- tributor. Now, having shown that maturity throughout the spring, Givens is being asked to back it up on the field. And as Pry is quick to note, the expectations could not be more clear. "I think he needs to go out there consis- tently, week in and week out, and be a first-team All-Conference-caliber de- fensive tackle," Pry said. "That's what we're looking for, and if we've got to put him out there at end in some situations because of the opponent we're playing, he's ready to do that." The implication embedded in Pry's as- sessment was that maybe the same could not have been said last season. Pry de- scribed his redshirt sophomore year as "a little bit of a roller coaster," which is why the staff is looking for more consistency. So far, the coaches have liked what they've seen. "That's the way he practiced this spring, and that's why he won that award," Pry said. "He was very consis- tent in his efforts, in his technique, in his production. You want to feel really good about what you're putting out there at each of those 11 spots, and now I feel like with Kevin we know what we're going to get putting him out there. There's not going to be a lapse in his play. He's in a good place and he's got to go out there and do it this fall. That will be an important piece for us defensively for him to play that way week in and week out." Givens shares that objective, noting that his aspirations are every bit as high as those of his coaches. He's a veteran presence on a defensive line that is loaded with younger players, and he has set the right example, as exemplified by the O'Hora award. Now it looks as though his strong off-season may be only the begin- ning. "I came out this spring with a mindset that I was going to get better," he said. "I wanted to work, and that's what happened. I'm happy the coaches noticed it." ■ One of the biggest questions for the Nittany Lion defense heading into the 2018 season is right at the point of at- tack. Parker Cothren and Curtis Cothran, who combined to make 47 starts at Penn State, are off pursuing NFL ca- reers. In their stead, the Nittany Lions are expected to start Kevin Givens and Robert Windsor. They both played in all 13 games last sea- son, and Givens started five. Windsor dressed but did not play in the Blue-White Game, and he was limited throughout spring practice. But Givens continued his develop- ment into a player the Nittany Lions will call upon to be an anchor of the defense next season. Behind Givens and Windsor, a group of less-experienced players are being counted upon to step up this coming season. Penn State's system is predicated on having anywhere from four to six players in a rotation at de- fensive tackle, and coordinator Brent Pry said he is hopeful that all of the candidates for playing time will be ready to go in the fall. "I think there's a good group right there," Pry said. "Fred Hansard is a twitched-up guy, good movements, good rush ability. Antonio Shelton has been maybe one of our more im- proved players on defense, big and strong. He's one of our stronger guys. He's learning the position, he's more and more accountable. Of course, El- lison Jordan wasn't out there this spring [due to an injury] but we're ex- cited about him, his movement and the way he plays the game. Damion Barber is a guy who is still kind of scratching the surface, but he's grown tremendously with his size and strength. His whole body just took off. He looks like a Big Ten de- fensive tackle now. So there's a good group there." Further, said Pry, the likes of true freshmen Judge Culpepper, P.J. Mustipher and Aeneas Hawkins will all be called upon to come in and compete for playing time this sum- mer. Finding a combination of players that will fill those roles and extend Penn State's consistently strong presence in the middle is something Pry believes will come to fruition this fall. –N.B. Pry: Nittany Lions developing depth in defensive tackle rotation

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