Penn State Football vs Auburn: Who has the better team?
Front Seven
Penn State’s defensive line is in the process of still trying to figure out what it is.
There are a lot of new faces with this group between older guys returning from injuries, transfers being brought in and fresh recruits. The talent is there, it just hasn’t totally clicked yet.
Penn State’s two sacks against Purdue were both by defensive backs, Penn State’s lone sack against Ohio was also by a defensive back. Defensive end Chop Robinson has gotten consistent pressure, but he’s yet to get home on a sack.
Against the run, Penn State held Purdue to 61 yards and Ohio to 100. These are respectable numbers, but neither team made much of an attempt to run the ball.
The linebackers are led by junior Curtis Jacobs. Jacobs leads the Nittany Lions with 11 tackles this season. The middle linebacker spot has been a question mark, but Tyler Elsdon has nine tackles at the position. Converted safety Johnathan Sutherland has held his own at the SAM spot so far.
Look for youngsters Abdul Carter and Kobe King to push for more playing time.
In terms of recruiting rankings, Penn State has more blue-chip recruits than Auburn in the front seven, but the group is a piece of clay still trying to mold itself.
Auburn plays a 3-4, while Penn State plays a 4-3.
Colby Wooden starts at defensive end for Auburn, while Jayson Jones and Marcus Harris are the tackles.
Most of Auburn’s pass rush comes from its outside linebackers, who would likely be defensive ends in Penn State’s system. Because Auburn has these guys who could be considered defensive linemen or linebackers, we’re going to cover both team’s front sevens as one instead of doing the line and linebackers separately.
The linebacker group is legit. Led by those outside linebackers, Derick Hall and Andrew Leota, this group is one of the better ones in the country. Both already have a sack this year after combining for 16 last year.
The insider backers are strong as well. Owen Pappoe is a former 5-star recruit while Cam Riley leads the team with 20 tackles.
Auburn’s defense has generated four sacks this year and three of them are courtesy of the front seven. Against the run, Auburn has been fantastic, allowing just 60 yards per game. Again, keep the opponents in mind, but great numbers none the less.
Penn State gets more production from its defensive line, but this Auburn linebacker group can be considered amongst the best in the country. Hall and Leota has the ability to play standup or go down to the line and put a hand in the dirt. That versatility makes them dangerous.
Advantage: Auburn