Opponent Preview:Penn State Defense

[toddc 13,194]

Auburn opponent preview: Penn State defense

ByJASON CALDWELL 21 minutes ago

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2 Minute Drill: Early thoughts for Auburn offense at Penn State

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most consistent defenses in the country under coordinator Brent Pry, Penn State enters Saturday night’s football game against Auburn with one of the most experienced units in the country. Pry has helped the programs he has coached to Top 25 finishes in total defense in eight of his last 11 seasons, including four  at Penn State. 

Over the last seven seasons PSU sits second nationally in sacks  per game (3.14,  trailing only Clemson), third in QB hurries  (882), fourth in total pressures generated (1,306), fourth in  fewest passing touchdowns allowed per game (0.98), sixth in tackles  for loss percentage (10.85), 10th in fewest rushing yards per  attempt (3.55) and 11th in fewest passing yards per attempt  (6.32). Penn State’s 242 sacks over the last seven years (2015-21) rank  third behind Clemson (291) and Alabama (256). 

In two games this season the Nittany Lions have caused four turnovers and are allowing 11.5 points per game in wins over Wisconsin and Ball State. Against the Badgers, Penn State allowed 29 first downs and 174 yards rushing on 58 attempts. Wisconsin ran 95 total plays, but managed just 359 yards of total offense with two big turnovers in the red zone. That has been a big key through two games for the Nittany Lions, allowing just two touchdowns in eight red zone opportunities.

Everything starts with the linebacker group for the Nittany Lions. Known as ‘Linebacker U’ for the large number of players coming out of Penn State over the years at that position, this year’s team resembles that remark with redshirt senior Ellis Brooks (6-1, 241), senior Jesse Luketa (6-3, 247), junior Brandon Smith (6-3, 241) and sophomore Curtis Jacobs (6-1, 230) all capable of making plays in the front seven. Last season Brooks led the team with 60 tackles with both Luketa and Smith finishing among the top five tacklers in 2020.

Up front redshirt senior Arnold Ebeketie (6-3, 256) leads the way for the Nittany Lions with a sack and three tackles for a loss this season. A transfer from Temple, he led the Owls with four and a half sacks and eight tackles for a loss in 2020.

He’s joined up front by redshirt junior Nick Tarburton (6-3, 255) on the other end while the Nittany Lions have plenty of size and experience inside in super senior and Duke transfer Derrick Tangelo (6-2, 308) and senior PJ Mustipher (6-4, 326). Tangelo played in 45 career games with 27 starts for the Blue Devils. A player who should also see action is 6-1, 303 redshirt sophomore Dvon Ellies. 

In the secondary the Nittany Lions feature a pair of super seniors in safety Jonathan Brisker (6-1, 200) and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields (6-0, 194). Brisker was third on the team in tackles last season with 57 and has one of the team’s four interceptions this season. Rounding out the starting lineup for Penn State in the secondary are senior Ji’Ayir Brown and junior cornerback Joey Porter, Jr. (6-0, 192, RSo.). Brown has one interception and leads the team with a pair of passes broken up. A top reserve in the secondary is redshirt senior Jonathan Sutherland. The 5-11, 201-pounder is fourth on the team with 11 tackles in two games. 

Penn State's Projected Starters:

DE Nick Tarburton, 6-3, 255, RJr.

DT Derrick Tangelo, 6-2, 308, Sr.+

DT PJ Mustipher, 6-4, 326, Sr.

DE Arnold Ebeketie, 6-3, 256, RSr.

LB Curtis Jacobs, 6-1, 230, So.

LB Brandon Smith, 6-3, 241, Jr.

LB Ellis Brooks 6-1, 241, RSr./Jesse Luketa, 6-3, 247, Sr.

CB Tariq Castro-Fields, 6-0, 194, Sr.+

S Jonathan Brisker, 6-1, 200, Sr+

S Ji’Ayir Brown, 5-11, 205, Sr.

CB Joey Porter Jr., 6-0, 192, RSo.

Edited September 14, 2021 by toddc

[TigerHorn 1,354]

They don't lack for size. Do they have the speed to back it up? 

[bigbird 60,603]

1 hour ago, toddc said:

LB Curtis Jacobs, 6-1, 230, So.

LB Brandon Smith, 6-3, 241, Jr.

LB Ellis Brooks 6-1, 241, RSr./Jesse Luketa, 6-3, 247, Sr.

Big LBs, I wonder how their speed is and if we will get them mismatched with Johnson or Smith.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Not much length on the edges or in the secondary, either. 

We've got nine scholarship pass catchers 6'2 or taller. We've got seven 6'4 or taller. We've got a 6'3 QB who's awfully mobile. 

Not a huge deal but perhaps some more mismatches in there. 

 

[lost 452]

My post on another thread spoke about this. Maybe I am dead wrong. I definitely am not dissing this Penn State team or their talent. 
But I think it is the typical big10 defense. The sec is just faster. Always has been. Only the Buckeyes have been able to recruit like the sec as far as speed

[Auhud08 596]

First 3 plays for Auburn should be: Jet sweep, PA Pass, Hb zone-Tank

[AUpreacherman22 3,899]

Lots of size and lots of experience!!!!   Well  coached and well  disciplined.   Yards and points will likely be hard to come by.   Hopefully, our coaches will be able to find a mismatch or two to exploit.   Maybe they do lack team speed and we can get to the edge for some big plays.  We’ll find out Saturday night.   Either way, this is a good test for our team.  We’ll learn from it and get better before we start our league gauntlet!!!

[PSUPat 126]

PSU hasn't lacked for speed in quite some time.  

Regarding our defense, the secondary is top notch.  Best group I've seen in quite some time.  LB's are "good", which is average for us.  We came into the season thinking the DL was the weakness of the defense, it's not as good a group or as deep on paper as we've come to expect.  That said, they played excellent vs. Wisconsin, so it remains unknown whether our DL is better than we feared, or if Wisconsin's OL is worse or just hadn't put things together being that we faced them in game 1.  

I don't think much can be gleamed from Ball St, just like your 2 games.  

Overall the defense is good.  The offense has more question marks, starting at QB who has had his ups and downs just like you're guy, they're carbon copies of each other really.  And frankly I think our RB's are overblown.  We have 3 or 4 who are solid and everyone gets carried away with that and says what a great RB room it is.  But, 3 or 4 "solid" RB's means that not any of them are better than "solid".  Not sure we have a Tank.  We've got a grinder, a speed guy, etc.  But not all in 1 package.  The recievers are good, and the OL, well, we'll see.  

[lost 452]

12 minutes ago, PSUPat said:

PSU hasn't lacked for speed in quite some time.  

Regarding our defense, the secondary is top notch.  Best group I've seen in quite some time.  LB's are "good", which is average for us.  We came into the season thinking the DL was the weakness of the defense, it's not as good a group or as deep on paper as we've come to expect.  That said, they played excellent vs. Wisconsin, so it remains unknown whether our DL is better than we feared, or if Wisconsin's OL is worse or just hadn't put things together being that we faced them in game 1.  

I don't think much can be gleamed from Ball St, just like your 2 games.  

Overall the defense is good.  The offense has more question marks, starting at QB who has had his ups and downs just like you're guy, they're carbon copies of each other really.  And frankly I think our RB's are overblown.  We have 3 or 4 who are solid and everyone gets carried away with that and says what a great RB room it is.  But, 3 or 4 "solid" RB's means that not any of them are better than "solid".  Not sure we have a Tank.  We've got a grinder, a speed guy, etc.  But not all in 1 package.  The recievers are good, and the OL, well, we'll see.  

Tell Ohio State that

[PSUPat 126]

Just now, lost said:

Tell Ohio State that

Why?  What we found out last weekend is that OSU's defense isn't very good this year.  Remember, in their first game, Minnesota scored 30+ on them too.  

[CoachHypesHypeMan 58]

9 hours ago, bigbird said:

Big LBs, I wonder how their speed is and if we will get them mismatched with Johnson or Smith.

Brooks is the slowest of the LB’s, Jacob’s and Smith are both crazy athletes and Smith has started to have a knack for always being around the ball for tackles. Luketa is technically the backup MLB but he’s now getting way more snaps as a DE and has an explosive quick pass rush. He had a pick 6 last week from the DE spot where he made a great play 

[tbone4jc 2,242]

Good to see some Penn St fans posting here. Welcome and post often!

Looking forward to a hard fought battle between our pretty evenly matched teams! Should be a great game. War Eagle!

[McLoofus 35,182]

11 hours ago, tbone4jc said:

Good to see some Penn St fans posting here. Welcome and post often!

Looking forward to a hard fought battle between our pretty evenly matched teams! Should be a great game. War Eagle!

They've been one of the more pleasant fan bases to "host" this week. Even with the one clown.

[ValleyTiger 2,894]

13 hours ago, CoachHypesHypeMan said:

Brooks is the slowest of the LB’s, Jacob’s and Smith are both crazy athletes and Smith has started to have a knack for always being around the ball for tackles. Luketa is technically the backup MLB but he’s now getting way more snaps as a DE and has an explosive quick pass rush. He had a pick 6 last week from the DE spot where he made a great play 

Yup, # 17 and #12 jump out to me in your front 7.

A key in the game for us is how our center, Nick Brahms, can hold up against the PSU interior guys, especially Mustipher.