Penn State Potential: Defense/Special Teams- The Really Good

In part one of the three-part series we previewed how Penn State’s offense could be really good, today it’s the defense and special teams. Right off the bat you notice some guys missing from last year’s unit; Austin Johnson, Carl Nassib, and Anthony Zettel are all off to the NFL as they accounted for 26 of Penn State’s 46 sacks on the season. Nassib having 15.5 of those sacks. The back end of the defense is strong as most starters return including Nyeem Wartman-White who is coming off a torn ACL suffered in the first game of the 2015 season. The secondary loses key pieces in Jordan Lucas and Trevor Williams but they have great, young talent to make up for those two loses. Here is how the defense/special teams can be really good.

We start with the really good:

• Having a dynamic player on defense is almost as important as having a dynamic player on offense. Penn State is looking for that dynamic playmaker and he could be lurking in the secondary at safety. Marcus Allen enters his junior season with considerable hype. It’s not the Saquon Barkley’s hype, but the 6’2”, 205-pound hard-hitting safety, who has drawn comparisons from teammates to Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor, looks to become the leader of a defense that gave up 21.6 PPG a season ago. Joining Allen in the secondary is sophomore John Reid who came on strong last season with 2 interceptions and 3 passes broken up. Opposite Reid will be running back turned corner back, Nick Scott. Scott is a bigger corner at 5’11”, 200-pounds. Grant Haley is another corner who can become a game changer.
• Ideal Situation: Allen turns out an All-Big Ten performance with multiple game-changing plays. Reid is Penn State’s lockdown corner.

• Having to replace three guys who are now in the NFL is hard enough but when they are all from the defensive line it adds to the difficulty. The defensive line as been the teams strong suit for a good part for 15 years but this year could be different. This year might be weakest unit they've had in that 15-year span. You most likely don’t know the names Evan Schwan, Garret Sickels, Torrence Brown, Parker Conthran, or Antoine White, but by seasons end there is a chance one if not two of those names will be well-known. And quite frankly, they’re going to have to be.
• Ideal Situation: One of those names, or someone else, has a breakout season having 8.5 sacks or more and leads the front seven.

• Penn State is ‘Linebacker U’, plain and simple. Other schools will make claims to that but when it comes down to it Penn State wears the crown. With that said, this year they could add another name to the long list of linebackers who have put their stamp on the program. When you have names like Ham, Conlin, Arrington, Posluszny, Connor, Lee, Bowman, Mauti, just to name a few, you need to do something special to be added to that list. Brandon Bell, Nyeeem Wartman-White, and Jason Cabinda are the guys this year who will anchor a linebacking core that doesn’t have experience aside from those three. Wartman-White is coming off a torn ACL suffered against Temple last year so his health will be a topic of discussion. Cabinda led the team in tackles last season with 100 and seems to be the one getting all the attention as the next linebacker at Penn State to be great. But don’t sleep on Bell to make his impact.
• Ideal Situation: One of these guys becomes that Penn State linebacker and has an All-Big Ten/All-American type of season (100+ tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 INT).

• Penn State’s special teams have been anything but special over the years. They haven’t had a punt return for a touchdown since 2007 (Derrick Williams), and haven’t had a kickoff return for a touchdown since 2011 (Chaz Powell). That stat must change. I’m not saying they need a returner who will return every kickoff or punt for a touchdown, but someone who will change field position. For example: if a punt is fielded at the 25-yard line, they need someone who can get it out to the 40-yard line. That's all I ask. DeAndre Thompkins was returning punts for most of the season but had issues with drops. He also had an issue with a 7.74 return average. Koa Farmer, Nick Scott, and Brandon Polk were the guys who returned kickoffs, all with an average of 20 yards or more. But no touchdowns. That’s got to change.
• Ideal Situation: SOMEONE RETURNS A PUNT OR KICKOFF FOR A TOUCHDOWN. PLEASE.

This is a new Penn State defense we're going to be seeing and it's filled with a lot of speed and athleticism. In today's college game you need to have that. Let's hope it can turn out a top defense.  

Penn State Potential: Offense- The Really Good

It’s about that time again, Penn State football is just around the corner, even though we still have 5 weeks, 4 days, and 18 hours (and counting) until kickoff against Kent State, it’s never too early to talk about how the upcoming season might go. Most team’s seasons could go one of two ways, either good or bad. In the case of Penn State this season could be really good or really bad. We discuss both sides.

We start with the really good: 

I try and be optimistic when it comes to Penn State football but recent years have made it tough to do so. I’m going to focus on how Penn State’s season could end up being something fans can be ecstatic about. Let’s start with the offense.

• When you have a player like sophomore running back Saquon Barkley, you need to expose how much of a threat he can be. Barkley is a Le’Veon Bell type-of-back who can not only make plays running the ball but he can catch it out of the backfield. If Barkley can build off his fantastic freshman season then we could be in for a historical season. Get your Heisman ballots ready. There are other names behind Barkley that fans should keep an eye on: redshirt sophomore Mark Allen and true freshman Miles Sanders. Allen is a small, shifty, back who is a threat catching the ball as well. His quickness could also be a factor in the return game. Sanders is a highly-touted recruit who Penn State’s strength coach Dwight Galt says is ready for the college game. Sanders could also be a name you see returning punts/kicks.
• Ideal Situation: Barkley compiles around 1,800 total yards with 15 total touchdowns. Allen and Sanders compile 800 total yards between them.
• For the first time in a long time Penn State has a deep receiving core who can all contribute. You know the names DaeSean Hamilton and Chris Godwin, both All-Big Ten selections in the last two season, but who are the other guys? Saeed Blacknall has had flashes over the last two seasons but with the shaky offensive line and former quarterback Christian Hackenberg not having enough time, the 6’3” junior was never a ‘go-to’ target. Those three will be the top targets for whoever is taking the snaps. Keep an eye on the names, Brandon Polk, DeAndre Thompkins, Juwan Johnson, and Irvin Charles. Johnson and Charles both stand 6’4”, 220-pounds and pose as redzone threats.
• Ideal Situation: One of the first three names I mentioned go over the 1,000-yard mark, OR, the distribution is spread among the 5-6 receivers that could see significant playing time. Polk and Thompson see time at receiver but more time in the return game because of their speed.
• Mike Gesicki is a big target, 6’6”, 252-pounds, and some have said one of the more athletic players on the roster. He had issues with drops last season which he’ll have to eliminate if he wants to be one of the go-to targets for Penn State’s quarterback. Nick Bowers and Jonathan Holland are two other names in the tight end group to keep an eye on.
• Ideal Situation: Gesicki becomes the All-American tight end Penn State hasn’t had since Kyle Brady in the early 90’s. Compiles 800-yards along with 10 touchdowns. 
• Penn State’s offensive line over the last two seasons has been nothing short of pathetic. And I’m being nice when I say that. They’ve given up 83, yes, 83 sacks over since 2014. Including 10 in one game against Temple in 2015. A staggering number I still try and wrap my head around. The offensive line has been a result of guys going from defense to offense, high school football to Big Ten football, or junior college to starting left tackle. The unit must get better, and I mean dramatically better than last year. If they can make the jump from really bad to average, the offense can be a real threat.
• Ideal Situation: The offensive line gives up 20 sacks and opens up massive holes for the running backs. 
• The quarterback situation at Penn State is up in the air according to head coach James Franklin. To be quite honest, whoever is taking snaps for Penn State will have a pretty easy job if you will. The things I’ve previously listed about the offense, if all goes like I’ve spelled it out, will help whoever the quarterback is a significant amount. Trace McSorley came in to replace future second-round pick in the NFL Draft , Christian Hackenberg, in the team’s bowl game against Georgia. The junior threw for 142-yards and 2 touchdowns along with 31 yards on the ground. McSorley seems to be the right fit for new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and the way things will be for Penn State’s new offense. As I mentioned, having the talent at running back and at wide receiver will only help the quarterbacks. Keep an eye on redshirt sophomore Tommy Stevens as well who will compete with McSorley for the starting job. Stevens is the bigger of the two (6’4”, 215 to Trace’s 6’0”, 190) but we have yet to see what he can do on the field. Time will tell.
• Ideal Situation: McSorley is the starter is the dual-threat quarterback that Penn State hasn’t had since Michael Robinson. He throws for 2,300 yards and 20 total touchdowns. Trace has more escapability than Hackenberg so if the offensive line sucks he’ll be able to avoid those unfortunate sacks.

Penn State enters their third year under James Franklin but this is really his first year. It’s his first year with a full roster and the first year he has the type of players he needs at most positions. Fans expect the results to show that and while I don’t believe his job will be in question, fans will get restless.