Penn State Football: 2017 position grades vs Rutgers
Linebackers
This unit did much of the run-stuffing throughout the game. Jason Cabinda recorded 11 stops and Brandon Smith recorded 10. Those two played like the experienced seniors that they are. Jan Johnson added four more tackles as well.
When the D-Line couldn’t produce pressure up front, the linebackers scooped up any traffic. The running game did run wild in the first quarter, but it was the lone struggles of the afternoon. When it mattered in the red zone, the linebackers came up big. They delivered key stops and didn’t let Rescigno turn his scrambles into chunk plays.
As it has been all season, this group has filled in well when the defensive line didn’t show up. Those two seniors linebackers have been cornerstones and they proved that on Saturday. As Manny Bowen continues to serve his suspension, this unit will need a lot of role players to step up.