Penn State Football: Defense poised to be one of best in nation
Defense could lead Penn State football in 2019
Penn State football experienced some roster turnover at some important positions heading into the 2019 season, but the team is still poised to be a contender in the Big Ten Conference. While the offense could get off to a slow start thanks to a new quarterback, the defense appears on paper to be one of the best in the nation.
Despite the losses of several key starters, particularly on the defensive line and in the secondary, the Nittany Lions boast and impressive defense for the 2019 season.
Although two starters will be gone from the line — defensive end Shareef Miller and defensive tackle Kevin Givens — defensive line coach Sean Spencer will have plenty up “Wild Dogs” to provide firepower up front.
Junior defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos enjoyed a breakout season in 2018 with 54 tackles, including 20 for loss and eight sacks. He’s a star in the making and could be a potential first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Joining Gross-Matos up front as an experienced returning player will be senior Robert Windsor. The Wisconsin native also broke out in 2018 and will look for even better results in 2019.
Guys like defensive tackle Antonio Shelton and defensive ends Shaka Toney, Jayson Oweh, and Shane Simmons will help ensure that the Nittany Lions have a very solid defensive line.
Koa Farmer is gone at linebacker, but fortunately for Penn State, sophomore linebacker Micah Parsons will be back. A top recruit last year, Parsons recorded 82 tackles as a freshman and will enter this year as one of the best linebackers in both the conference and the nation.
Senior Jan Johnson, who has carved out a very productive career with the Nittany Lions, will lead the way in the center of the defense. Joining him as a veteran presence will be senior outside linebacker Cam Brown.
Sophomore Jesse Luketa and true freshmen Brandon Smith and Lance Dixon (two of the top recruits at their position) will ensure that Penn State is both deep and talented at linebacker in 2019.
The secondary will be down two starters with the departures of cornerback Amani Oruwariye and safety Nick Scott to the NFL, but again, there is talent and depth still on the roster this season.
At cornerback, veteran John Reid, who had a promising career derailed by an injury in 2017, will be back looking for a productive end to his collegiate career. Promising junior, Tariq Castro-Fields, will slot in at the other starting cornerback position.
Donovan Johnson or true freshman Marquis Wilson will also be in the mix for playing time at cornerback.
At safety, look for junior Lamont Wade to be motivated to live up to his billing as a top receipt when he came out of high school in 2017. At the other safety spot, Garrett Taylor put up fantastic numbers last year with 71 total tackles and will once again be a key part of Penn State’s defensive backfield.
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A lot can change once the play on the field begins, but based no past performances and potential, Penn State enters the 2019 season with a very strong defense. Defensive coordinator Brent Pry has to be excited for what is to come, as the Nittany Lions very well could end the seaosn as one of the top defenses in the nation.