The 5 defensive players that must breakout for defense to excell

[RickinDayton]

Starters
- DE Zuriah Fisher
- LBer Tony Rojas
- DT Ford ( pick up where he left off because of last seasons injury)
- CB who starts opposite Harris
- Safety Zakee Wheatley

 

[bdroc]

I think we know what to expect from Rojas. I think the key will be if we can get a major contribution from either Campbell or Wylie. I can't imaging a good defense with only 2 LBs.

 

[Sherriff Coffee]

I think we know what to expect from Rojas. I think the key will be if we can get a major contribution from either Campbell or Wylie. I can't imaging a good defense with only 2 LBs.

Rojas, in my mind, was often out of position but, being a great athlete, often made up for it. Knowles played a 2 LB system at tOSU so most speculate we'll move away from a 4-3 to a 4-2-5 base set. The additional DB will be a hybrid: a big fast athlete that plays S/LBer. tOSU has always had a great DL so run-stopping hasn't been a problem against anyone not wearing yellow pants.

 

[bdroc]

Rojas, in my mind, was often out of position but, being a great athlete, often made up for it. Knowles played a 2 LB system at tOSU so most speculate we'll move away from a 4-3 to a 4-2-5 base set. The additional DB will be a hybrid: a big fast athlete that plays S/LBer. tOSU has always had a great DL so run-stopping hasn't been a problem against anyone not wearing yellow pants.

I don't like the idea of playing 4-2-5 all the time but even then it's got to be more than just Deluca & Rojas. Deluca is fundamentally sound but not an elite athlete. IMO we really need 4 LBs we can count on.

 

[GregInPitt]

I think we know what to expect from Rojas. I think the key will be if we can get a major contribution from either Campbell or Wylie. I can't imaging a good defense with only 2 LBs.

I'm in the camp that believes Wheatley and Rojas boke out in the 2nd half of the 2024 season.

I'm looking for Lane to start opposite Wheatley and be a candidate to break out with high level play this Fall. The team will also need at least one of Toure and Belgrave-Shorter to sort of beak out as a reliable 3rd Safety and make some plays in critical times especially if Mack ends up playing mostly as a 5th DB mostly in the slot.

I thought that Rojas played his best football the last 4 games of last season. Losey in his interview praised Rojas without hesitation. Rojas was a RB mainly in H.S. so although he transformed his body pretty quickly it's taken some time for his play as a LB to mature, but I'm looking for a big season from him come Fall. Lots of experience and physical maturity at LB with Rojas, DeLuka, Campbell, and Wylie, and even Nelson and Speca should be ready to make plays. With mostly playing 2 LB's it would seem that the position should be a strength for the team with plenty of depth.

Ford pretty much broke out as well last season and it seems the staff didn't rush him back from injury as they know what they have with him being healthy going into Fall camp.

Fisher on the other hand hasn't seemed to be healthy and gotten enough snaps due to the players in front of him to fully break out during his tenure at PSU. If he plays at a high level in combination with DDS and the young and talented DE's such as Harvey and Kemajou, he can take the DE depth to where it can withstand the bumps and bruises that always seem to occur during a season.

At CB Washington an Tracy seem to be competing to start opposite Harris, and I'm giving the more physical Washington the edge from what little has been said about their performances in the Spring. Smith likes to rotate his CB's to keep them fresh so one or both of Woseley and likely Dixon will be pushed to be ready to be a serious contributor at CB as well.

At DE there seem to be indications that Artis has finally attacked the S&C program and could be ready to break out the way Ford did last season. But who really will be the last couple DT's in the rotation seems to be about the biggest unknown on defense going into Fall. Durant, Ford and Gilliam seem to be the top 3. But after them it could be 2 or 3 of a lot of possibilities. Artis, Blanding, Andrews, Cook, Wafle and Adirika. So DT seems like the position that could produce the biggest surprises.

 

[LMTLion]

I'm in the camp that believes Wheatley and Rojas boke out in the 2nd half of the 2024 season.

I'm looking for Lane to start opposite Wheatley and be a candidate to break out with high level play this Fall. The team will also need at least one of Toure and Belgrave-Shorter to sort of beak out as a reliable 3rd Safety and make some plays in critical times especially if Mack ends up playing mostly as a 5th DB mostly in the slot.

I thought that Rojas played his best football the last 4 games of last season. Losey in his interview praised Rojas without hesitation. Rojas was a RB mainly in H.S. so although he transformed his body pretty quickly it's taken some time for his play as a LB to mature, but I'm looking for a big season from him come Fall. Lots of experience and physical maturity at LB with Rojas, DeLuka, Campbell, and Wylie, and even Nelson and Speca should be ready to make plays. With mostly playing 2 LB's it would seem that the position should be a strength for the team with plenty of depth.

Ford pretty much broke out as well last season and it seems the staff didn't rush him back from injury as they know what they have with him being healthy going into Fall camp.

Fisher on the other hand hasn't seemed to be healthy and gotten enough snaps due to the players in front of him to fully break out during his tenure at PSU. If he plays at a high level in combination with DDS and the young and talented DE's such as Harvey and Kemajou, he can take the DE depth to where it can withstand the bumps and bruises that always seem to occur during a season.

At CB Washington an Tracy seem to be competing to start opposite Harris, and I'm giving the more physical Washington the edge from what little has been said about their performances in the Spring. Smith likes to rotate his CB's to keep them fresh so one or both of Woseley and likely Dixon will be pushed to be ready to be a serious contributor at CB as well.

At DE there seem to be indications that Artis has finally attacked the S&C program and could be ready to break out the way Ford did last season. But who really will be the last couple DT's in the rotation seems to be about the biggest unknown on defense going into Fall. Durant, Ford and Gilliam seem to be the top 3. But after them it could be 2 or 3 of a lot of possibilities. Artis, Blanding, Andrews, Cook, Wafle and Adirika. So DT seems like the position that could produce the biggest surprises.

I am hoping Artis does break through as he has the valuable size to be a starter one day. There was a post from an insider on the old rivals board last season that indicated his ‘bend’ technique was really holding him back. Hopefully the combination of improved technique and hard work in the S&C program allow him to reach his potential. It is invaluable to have a solid 300 pound DT.

 

[bdroc]

I'm in the camp that believes Wheatley and Rojas boke out in the 2nd half of the 2024 season.

I'm looking for Lane to start opposite Wheatley and be a candidate to break out with high level play this Fall. The team will also need at least one of Toure and Belgrave-Shorter to sort of beak out as a reliable 3rd Safety and make some plays in critical times especially if Mack ends up playing mostly as a 5th DB mostly in the slot.

I thought that Rojas played his best football the last 4 games of last season. Losey in his interview praised Rojas without hesitation. Rojas was a RB mainly in H.S. so although he transformed his body pretty quickly it's taken some time for his play as a LB to mature, but I'm looking for a big season from him come Fall. Lots of experience and physical maturity at LB with Rojas, DeLuka, Campbell, and Wylie, and even Nelson and Speca should be ready to make plays. With mostly playing 2 LB's it would seem that the position should be a strength for the team with plenty of depth.

Ford pretty much broke out as well last season and it seems the staff didn't rush him back from injury as they know what they have with him being healthy going into Fall camp.

Fisher on the other hand hasn't seemed to be healthy and gotten enough snaps due to the players in front of him to fully break out during his tenure at PSU. If he plays at a high level in combination with DDS and the young and talented DE's such as Harvey and Kemajou, he can take the DE depth to where it can withstand the bumps and bruises that always seem to occur during a season.

At CB Washington an Tracy seem to be competing to start opposite Harris, and I'm giving the more physical Washington the edge from what little has been said about their performances in the Spring. Smith likes to rotate his CB's to keep them fresh so one or both of Woseley and likely Dixon will be pushed to be ready to be a serious contributor at CB as well.

At DE there seem to be indications that Artis has finally attacked the S&C program and could be ready to break out the way Ford did last season. But who really will be the last couple DT's in the rotation seems to be about the biggest unknown on defense going into Fall. Durant, Ford and Gilliam seem to be the top 3. But after them it could be 2 or 3 of a lot of possibilities. Artis, Blanding, Andrews, Cook, Wafle and Adirika. So DT seems like the position that could produce the biggest surprises.

Good analysis but remember we these guys have to perform at a very high level to get us past teams like OR & OSU.

 

[AnyNameYouWish]

Rojas will be our next star LB.

Elliott Washington is already a stud (was a top Big Ten CB in PFF's WAA and wasn't even a starter)
Zion Tracy will be very good.

The only thing we need is health on the DL because that unit is extremely talented but thin, given our recent injury history there.

Relax ... this is a great unit and great squad. We don't need anything "special" out of these guys, beyond what we already know they're capable of.

 

[GregInPitt]

Good analysis but remember we these guys have to perform at a very high level to get us past teams like OR & OSU.

It's the nature of college football to replace a good many players every year. Almost every team has a mixture of experience and new starters. Oregon and OSU also have to prepare a good many new starters to play well. OSU has more talent in reserve than about any team in the country but will have more new starters than PSU. Oregon hasn't proven to be sure thing to replace their top talent and not drop off in performance. They lost their 6 year QB, record breaking WR, and the Steelers #1 draft pick DT (DE for the Steelers). And even with a #1 NFL draft pick DT PSU still lit them up for 300 yards rushing.

 

[bdroc]

Rojas will be our next star LB.

Elliott Washington is already a stud (was a top Big Ten CB in PFF's WAA and wasn't even a starter)
Zion Tracy will be very good.

The only thing we need is health on the DL because that unit is extremely talented but thin, given our recent injury history there.

Relax ... this is a great unit and great squad. We don't need anything "special" out of these guys, beyond what we already know they're capable of.

I think Washington is very good. I think Tracy, deJean, etc have good potential. I know Ford played well before getting hurt. The question is if they're going to be as good as the OR & OSU players.

 

[AnyNameYouWish]

I think Washington is very good. I think Tracy, deJean, etc have good potential. I know Ford played well before getting hurt. The question is if they're going to be as good as the OR & OSU players.

We're peachy keen, jelly bean.

You doubted the team at every turn last year. We almost made the Natty. You looked for reasons after the fact why we didn't really "earn" that success, and now you're looking to doubt this monster of a team.

It's not worth it. Enjoy the ride.

 

[bdroc]

You doubted the team at every turn last year.

I predicted 10-2 last year. We finished 11-1 with very narrow wins over USC & Minnesota.

My guess for this year is between 11-1 or 10-2 which is in line with national pundits. The question is if we are a true NC contender. WR is a questionmark and so is depth at LB & DT.

 

[RickinDayton]

Good analysis but remember we these guys have to perform at a very high level to get us past teams like OR & OSU.

Yes, so Rojas and Wheatley must become consistently reliable in their assignments knowing Knowles 4-2-5 is dependent on strong LB & Safety play.

 

[GregInPitt]

I predicted 10-2 last year. We finished 11-1 with very narrow wins over USC & Minnesota.

My guess for this year is between 11-1 or 10-2 which is in line with national pundits. The question is if we are a true NC contender. WR is a questionmark and so is depth at LB & DT.

Why do you believe LB Depth is a question mark? College teams don't have experienced 3rd team players coming into a season and most position's 2nd team players have limited experience going into the season. That's what the OOC games usually are used for - building depth, giving the new backups some game experience. Sorting out the depth chart.

And with PSU playing mainly 2 LB's that gives the PSU LB lineup 3 players that have started multiple years, so a returning starter will be sitting and rotating is situationally. Rojas, DeLuka and Campbell. With the production that Campbell had a North Carolina I don't know how we can't count him as a returning starter. Additionally, Wylie is a redshirt junior, a 4th year player that has fought some injuries but he had competed to start and has had considerable practice and development time at PSU. Nelson is a 3rd year player that provided depth and got snaps at LB last season after moving from Safety and it seems he'll be in that role again. And redshirt freshmen Speca has gotten praise for his development and seems to be looked at as a future starter. That's a pretty talented and experienced 3 deep for a college team, but additionally Franklin has recruited the position well and it is stocked with young talent in Jackson (RS FR) and the three well regarded true freshmen Arrington, Tatsch and Smith.

There will be teams that are forced to play true freshmen in their 2 deep and build depth as the season goes along, but PSU won't be one of them baring numerous injuries. And with more often than not playing 2 LB's PSU will have more returning starters than LB's on the field. A luxury that no other position on the team seems to have.

The PSU defense will likely have a true freshmen in the 2 deep at DE in Kemajou and a reshirt freshman in the 2 deep at DT in Gilliam. With the need to rotate players more frequently at DE and DT than at LB it's hard for me to see how someone believes both DE and DT don't have more questions regarding depth than LB. Lots of young talent, but with much less experience than at LB.

 

[bdroc]

Why do you believe LB Depth is a question mark? College teams don't have experienced 3rd team players coming into a season and most position's 2nd team players have limited experience going into the season. That's what the OOC games usually are used for - building depth, giving the new backups some game experience. Sorting out the depth chart.

And with PSU playing mainly 2 LB's that gives the PSU LB lineup 3 players that have started multiple years, so a returning starter will be sitting and rotating is situationally. Rojas, DeLuka and Campbell. With the production that Campbell had a North Carolina I don't know how we can't count him as a returning starter. Additionally, Wylie is a redshirt junior, a 4th year player that has fought some injuries but he had competed to start and has had considerable practice and development time at PSU. Nelson is a 3rd year player that provided depth and got snaps at LB last season after moving from Safety and it seems he'll be in that role again. And redshirt freshmen Speca has gotten praise for his development and seems to be looked at as a future starter. That's a pretty talented and experienced 3 deep for a college team, but additionally Franklin has recruited the position well and it is stocked with young talent in Jackson (RS FR) and the three well regarded true freshmen Arrington, Tatsch and Smith.

There will be teams that are forced to play true freshmen in their 2 deep and build depth as the season goes along, but PSU won't be one of them baring numerous injuries. And with more often than not playing 2 LB's PSU will have more returning starters than LB's on the field. A luxury that no other position on the team seems to have.

The PSU defense will likely have a true freshmen in the 2 deep at DE in Kemajou and a reshirt freshman in the 2 deep at DT in Gilliam. With the need to rotate players more frequently at DE and DT than at LB it's hard for me to see how both DE and DT why don't have more questions regarding depth than LB. Lots of young talent, but with much less experience than at LB.

We started with 2 proven LBs which is grossly inadequate. Rojas has potential. Deluca plays hard but isn't a great athlete. Campbell was an important addition but it's not like he was on the all ACC team. That’s the first team, not 3rd team.

I hope Wylie will be good but we can't count on him. You mention players like Speca, Tatsch, and Arrington but they are young and inexperienced. So no, I don't think we have proven quality depth at LB. That could be a problem against top opponents when combined with lack of experienced depth at DT.

I expect the defense to be good but not as good as last year. Carter, King, Reed, & Kimber will be difficult to replace. Remember I'm comparing to what's needed to beat OSU and OR.

 

[GregInPitt]

We started with 2 proven LBs which is grossly inadequate. Rojas has potential. Deluca plays hard but isn't a great athlete. Campbell was an important addition but it's not like he was on the all ACC team. That’s the first team, not 3rd team.

I hope Wylie will be good but we can't count on him. You mention players like Speca, Tatsch, and Arrington but they are young and inexperienced. So no, I don't think we have proven quality depth at LB. That could be a problem against top opponents when combined with lack of experienced depth at DT.

Remember I'm comparing to what's needed to beat OSU and OR.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

Many "experts" predict that Rojas will end up All B10 this season. Deluka is a good enough athlete to have been a key reserve in 2023 and a starter in 2024 on defenses that finished top 10 in the country and it seems to me that just because he was a former walk on that it's easy to criticize his athleticism. DeLuka is almost always in the correct postition and is pretty athletic enough to be a big asset to the PSU defense going forward, as he was in the playoff games last season, the most important games that PSU has played in a long time.

Just like Rojas, ALL League teams give the benefit of the doubt to returning players that had better resumes going into the season. At this point we'll just have to wait and see what Campbell does for the PSU defense, but he was a starting LB on a good P5 team and put up numbers that show he is a good starting LB. And when a team can have a player like him as a backup that speaks for the depth at that position.

Any player can get injured. Wylie is reportedly healthy now so why wouldn't he be counted on to contribute. DT Ford was hurt and missed a good bit of the 2024 season but it seems that Franklin is counting on him. The same with Fisher at DE. If all of Wylie, Ford and Fisher aren't counted on DT and DE will be in a whole lot worse shape experience wise than LB will.

Speca has been recognized by the staff as an up and coming LB that will be a contributor in 2025 and beyond.

And I only mentioned Tatsch, Arrington and Smith as additional talent at the postition that will more than likely redshirt at PSU but might have been on the field for teams with lesser experience and talent at LB than what PSU has. With the 6 LB's that seem to be ahead of them they will likely be competing for the 4th team in the 2 LB sets that PSU looks to be in more than half of the defensive snaps.

Yep, we don't know if PSU will field a top 3 B10 LB unit, or if the PSU LB's will end up with higher post season recognition individually. But I don't believe at this point looking forward that the PSU LB unit has a depth problem, especially compared to DE and DT.

Maybe there will be a ranking of the B10 teams LB units for each team. It will be interesting to see what those "experts" think.....

 

[ryoder1]

We started with 2 proven LBs which is grossly inadequate. Rojas has potential. Deluca plays hard but isn't a great athlete. Campbell was an important addition but it's not like he was on the all ACC team. That’s the first team, not 3rd team.

I hope Wylie will be good but we can't count on him. You mention players like Speca, Tatsch, and Arrington but they are young and inexperienced. So no, I don't think we have proven quality depth at LB. That could be a problem against top opponents when combined with lack of experienced depth at DT.

I expect the defense to be good but not as good as last year. Carter, King, Reed, & Kimber will be difficult to replace. Remember I'm comparing to what's needed to beat OSU and OR.

Wylie and Campbell have to step up and produce at LB. Otherwise that will be a weakness for us where we will get exposed. I think Cambbell will be solid and hopefully as good as Kobe King. I don't know about Wylie coming off injury and completely unproven. Specca and other young guys? Not sure they will contribute much this season.

 

[ryoder1]

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

Many "experts" predict that Rojas will end up All B10 this season. Deluka is a good enough athlete to have been a key reserve in 2023 and a starter in 2024 on defenses that finished top 10 in the country and it seems to me that just because he was a former walk on that it's easy to criticize his athleticism. DeLuka is almost always in the correct postition and is pretty athletic enough to be a big asset to the PSU defense going forward, as he was in the playoff games last season, the most important games that PSU has played in a long time.

Just like Rojas, ALL League teams give the benefit of the doubt to returning players that had better resumes going into the season. At this point we'll just have to wait and see what Campbell does for the PSU defense, but he was a starting LB on a good P5 team and put up numbers that show he is a good starting LB. And when a team can have a player like him as a backup that speaks for the depth at that position.

Any player can get injured. Wylie is reportedly healthy now so why wouldn't he be counted on to contribute. DT Ford was hurt and missed a good bit of the 2024 season but it seems that Franklin is counting on him. The same with Fisher at DE. If all of Wylie, Ford and Fisher aren't counted on DT and DE will be in a whole lot worse shape experience wise than LB will.

Speca has been recognized by the staff as an up and coming LB that will be a contributor in 2025 and beyond.

And I only mentioned Tatsch, Arrington and Smith as additional talent at the postition that will more than likely redshirt at PSU but might have been on the field for teams with lesser experience and talent at LB than what PSU has. With the 6 LB's that seem to be ahead of them they will likely be competing for the 4th team in the 2 LB sets that PSU looks to be in more than half of the defensive snaps.

Yep, we don't know if PSU will field a top 3 B10 LB unit, or if the PSU LB's will end up with higher post season recognition individually. But I don't believe at this point looking forward that the PSU LB unit has a depth problem, especially compared to DE and DT.

Did Speca play in the Blue White game? Maybe he is a wildcard that really can help us. Who on the staff has been touting him?

 

[GregInPitt]

Did Speca play in the Blue White game? Maybe he is a wildcard that really can help us. Who on the staff has been touting him?

I didn't see the B/W game as it wasn't televised to I don't know if he played or not.

And don't really remember who exactly praised him as a true freshman last season. But didn't Allen play him in the 4 games he was allowed to still redshirt?

Here is a link to an unofficial November 2024 depth chart (Franklin wouldn't announce a depth chart publicly). It shows Speca as 3rd team LB at both Will and Sam. And that was at a true freshman so taking into account what a great old coach used to say, "the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores...) it's pretty reasonable to believe that Speca will be in a much better place in his development this coming Fall and that he will be more than ready to contribute. Either as a backup/2nd team player or in a more reserve role with the depth that Campbell and Wylie will provide behind Rojas and DeLuka.

Penn State football depth chart: The Lions247 updated Minnesota game projection

Lions247 gives you an idea of where things stand with the No. 4 Nittany Lions as they prepare to face the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis

247sports.com

 

[Lazy Dave]

I think we are less proven at S than we are at LB.

-Rojas, returning starter. Played with a dinged up shoulder last year. Really started to play better late in the year. Fully healed, 3rd year, he could have a huge year.
-DeLuca, most experienced LB. Gradually grown from a tweener to a LB. Think he is overlooked because he's a former walk on. Smart, leader, he'd be a 1st rounder in Rojas body.
-Campbell, returning starter. Checks off the box many had after Kobe declared and Robinson transferred. High end talent coming from a bad defense. Outside of getting a starter from Bama or UGA, there just isn't much better to be found in the portal (I don't think any of them entered either)
-Speca, got the Rojas-level Freshman year snaps. I suspect he'll be the 4th guy in the rotation and he appears to have taken well to the Losey training (looks like Mauti). Probably our most true inside type LB.
-Wylie, I can't comment much. He's been beaten out by better athletes (Carter, then Rojas) for reps and been injured. I respect him not leaving as he's probably got a much better chance to play elsewhere, but maybe he surprises.
-Nelson, unless the light comes on, probably a STs guy mostly, but he's a bigger DeLuca type (S to LB) who could thrive under Knowles.

As for safety...

-Wheatley, probably the best returning player in the back 7. Will man his spot unquestionably and hopefully is our next 1st/2nd rd draft pick from the secondary.
-Lane, played more than Speca (I think), but wasn't exactly a starter. No doubt he should develop nicely, but for our likely #2 S he has far less experience than our top 3 LBs.
-Mack, our 2nd most experienced S, but didn't arrive at Bama after leaving here as a freshman who got quite a bit of playing time.
-Toure, seemed to come along towards the end of the year and rivaled Lane for snaps. Still, he is far from a known entity and we fully expect Knowles to play 3 Safetys.
-Belgrave-Shorter, converted from CB where he was a 3rd string rotation. I liken this to the Keaton Ellis move. Seems like a fit for the 3rd S spot as he can play on the line or back depending on formation defended.

Wildcard here is Zion Tracy. Is he a Corner who could be the 5th DB or is he a Safety? He would greatly increase S experience, but until he's listed as such, to me, he's a CB.

At the very least, we addressed both positions in the portal. However, I'm currently less concerned with LB than I am S, but I feel like Knowles may surprise us.