Penn State Football: Position grades versus Wisconsin
By Dylan Burd
Defensive Line
The defensive line has been amazing at getting pressure on the quarterback this season, while also being pretty underwhelming when it comes to stopping the run. The same thing happened in this game, as Penn State’s defensive line accounted for all five of the team’s sacks, while allowing Wisconsin to rush for 209 yards.
Defensive tackle Robert Windsor played his best game of the 2018 season, as he had six tackles, and two sacks. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos continue to be a terror for opposing quarterbacks, as he had five tackles including a sack and an additional tackle for loss. He also forced a fumble.
Defensive end Shareef Miller had two sacks on three tackles, and recovered the fumble forced by Yetur Gross-Matos. However, he fumbled the ball running back the fumble he recovered, and that was recovered by Wisconsin. Defensive tackle P.J Mustipher also chipped into the effort, as he had two tackles, and a QB hurry.
Overall, Wisconsin has an NFL offensive line, so allowing rushing yards to Jonathan Taylor, one of the best running backs in the country, was inevitable. That also means that those five sacks by the defensive line were that much more impressive. I’d say it was a good day for the defensive line, a unit that has progressed as the season’s gone on.