ellis brooks

How is Tariq Castro-Fields still at PSU????????? [Patrick Barron]

Previously: PSU Offense 

Yesterday we looked over the PSU offense, which has had trouble running the football. Today we look over the PSU defense, which has had troubles stopping the run, but the picture overall is rather muddled. They've pitched a shutout against a B1G opponent, yet let Illinois run it down their throat to death in a different week. What is the real Nittany Lions defense? Let's investigate. 

 

The Film: We're again sticking with the OSU game for this. I know that Ohio State has a vastly superior offense to Michigan (and to just about everyone in America), but our options were limited because of PJ Mustipher's injury, which occurred against Iowa. That leaves us with only the Illinois, Ohio State, and Maryland games as potential usable options, and even though OSU is a better offense than Michigan, I still think they're a better fit than Maryland (and their supremely weak OL) and Illinois, who refused to throw the football to a comical extent. So we're rolling with the Buckeyes, but are going to remain cognizant about the issues in comparability that pop up. 

Personnel: Seth's chart. 

 

Personnel: PSU's defensive ends are the strength of the defense, with Arnold Ebiketie on one side and Jesse Luketa on the other, both of whom are great players. Nick Taburton and Smith Vilbert (great name) are the reserve pass rushers who rotate in, but the big dogs get most of the attention. On the contrary, it's the interior defensive line that is the weakness of the defense since the injury of PJ Mustipher. The reason the Mustipher loss is so massive is because while Derrick Tangelo can hang in there as a nose tackle, Dvon Ellies and Coziah Izzard are both horrendous tackles and have emerged as a major weak spot. 

At the LB level, PSU runs out returning starters Ellis Brooks and Brandon Smith, pairing them with new starter Curtis Jacobs. Those three rarely rotate, with Charlie Katshir occasionally getting in, but otherwise it's the three LB starters getting almost all of the snaps. 

The secondary is similarly stable, with forever Nittany Lion Tariq Castro-Fields starting at one corner spot for the 17th straight year (not exact numbers), while Joey Porter Jr. starts at the other corner position. Daequan Hardy is the nickel and then Johnny Dixon is the fourth corner who rotates in occasionally when they need extra DB bodies. Jaquan Brisker is another star at the SS position, someone who is getting legitimate NFL Draft hype. Ji'Ayir Brown is the other starting safety, getting the start at the FS position. Jon Sutherland and Keaton Ellis are the third and fourth options on the depth chart, but Brisker and Brown get the most snaps by a considerable margin. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: Good defense? Or bad defense?]

Jack Sanborn (#57) is a big reason that Wisconsin is #1 on this list [Bryan Fuller]

Previously on The Enemy, Ranked: QuarterbackRunning BackReceiverOL, DL

The Enemy series is beginning to near its conclusion, and today we pick up with the LB group. For this section, we had to again set some ground rules that will outline the piece. As a general rule, teams who employ a hybrid safety/LB saw that position included in this piece, including Indiana's "Husky", OSU's "Bullet", and Nebraska's hybrid space player. 3-4 OLB's who are edge rushers were included in the DL piece and are not featured here. With that in mind, let's dive in with #1 on our list and Wisconsin: 

 

1. Wisconsin 

OLB ILB ILB OLB
Noah Burks* Leo Chenal* Jack Sanborn* Nick Herbig*
Aaron Witt Mike Maskalunas Maema Njongmeta CJ Goetz

Much the way that Wisconsin churns out terrific OL's like butter, they do the same at LB, running their patented 3-4. This year may well be a high tide in terms of great Wisconsin LB groups thanks to the return of every starter off last year's group. The unit starts with Jack Sanborn, the team's leading tackler each of the last two years and a likely lock for 1st team All-B1G. He's a classic do-it-all Wisconsin LB, who can run defend, cover, and blitz. Leo Chenal starts next to Sanborn on the inside and he's also really good, a more aggressive LB which can sometimes get him into trouble but it may well take him to the All-B1G team this season in the process. The OLB's have different responsibilities, with Nick Herbig being the one who has to drop into coverage more often. He had his lumps last season as a true freshman starter but he's undeniably talented: Herbig was a composite top 150 recruit out of Hawaii. I'm betting on big time improvement from him. Noah Burks is the OLB who gets to rush a bit more and the game tape tends to be more promising than the stats he's produced up to this point, but he's a two-year starter who's in his sixth year in the program. That's a lot of reason for optimism. 

The back-ups don't have as much to talk about, but they may well not be needed all that much. The starting four are going to play the vast majority of the snaps. Obviously injuries are a possibility, but this starting group will see the majority of the work, and if they're healthy, they'll be really, really good. Wisconsin was the clear #1 on our list. COVID may still be rattling our world, but Wisconsin having elite LB's suggests that Earth is still somewhat normal. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: You will never guess who's #3]

We have no names here. You are Happy. This is a Happy valley. All of these people wearing white are your friends. This is not a cult. [Patrick Barron]

Previously: Offense, Last Year. Resources: My charting, PSU game notes, PSU roster, CFBstats

The Penn State defensive staff has been recruiting as well as any school in the country on defense. The blue-chip talent is evident everywhere, including and especially the spot that had a darkhorse Heisman candidate opt out of the season. That one's because Brent Pry didn't really change the defense's structure when Micah Parsons decided not to play. When the poor guy asked to take Parson's place isn't yelling "Oh COME ON!" at being asked to be on both sides of a blocker, the structure works pretty well. Nebraska has a clever offensive coach and managed to find the pressure points early in the game, but Penn State has a few clever defenders of their own. It would be a good defense if it wasn't put in such crummy situations by its offense. And if they didn't have the kind of record that makes blue chips' thoughts turn to the next thing in their lives. One sympathizes.

The film: Sticking with Scott Frost Day. Penn State gave up two TD drives of 75 and 65 yards, field goal drives of 63, 35, and 10 yards, two 3-and-outs, a 4-and-out, a 7-play drive that petered out after 28 yards, and a late interception, for a total of just 323 yards and 17 first downs on 62 offensive plays (the official 298 counts a bunch of special teams penalties). That's 5.21 YPP; not a bad mark but the Huskers were at 8 YPP while jumping to a 27-6 lead, and steadily fell off as they salted away the game.

Personnel: My diagram:

image

PDF Version, full-size version (or click on the image). McNamara at QB because I have eyes and was conscious last week. Calling Haskins RB1 doesn't mean the rotation's over.

[After THE JUMP: A cult.]

you won't hate this one! might even like it!

Run for your life, Shea. Run. [Bryan Fuller]

Blocking Robert Windsor is recommended.