Why this could be the best Penn State defense of the James Franklin era
Members of the Penn State defense talk about their season goal most days, inside the Lasch Football Building and on the practice fields. They know they’re talented, they know expectations are sky-high — so their goal reflects that.
Their main aim? “Being the best in the country,” said defensive tackle Robert Windsor, a fifth-year senior. “I believe that wholeheartedly, and I know everyone else on our defense does. We have dogs, and this is one of the best defensive units I’ve been around.”
A few minutes later, though, Windsor walked back that last part.
“If I said it’s one of the best units, it was a mistake,” he added. “This is the best unit. This is the fastest, most aggressive defense I’ve been around.”
A year ago, Windsor and his teammates talked about amassing 50 sacks on the season. They came up just short — with 47 — but, between the talent and depth on this unit, the bar has been raised even higher this year.
At every level of the defense, there’s a star in the making. On the line, Jayson Oweh is a 256-pound defensive end who runs a reported 4.33-second 40-yard dash. If he entered the NFL Combine tomorrow, that time would make him the fastest front-seven prospect in at least the last two decades.
Oh, and Oweh’s just a backup. (He’s still a bit raw.) That’s how deep this unit is.
Elsewhere, at linebacker, Micah Parsons is an All-American in waiting who’s already built like an NFL player. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, Parsons is the same height — and three pounds heavier — than Pro-Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly was as a first-round rookie. Kuechly ran a 4.58 at the 2012 NFL Combine; Parsons reportedly runs a 4.43.
The list goes on. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos could be a top-10 NFL draft pick next year. Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields is emerging as an all-conference talent, and fellow corner John Reid should be playing on Sundays next season. Plus, Windsor is one of the nation’s five-best senior DTs, per NFL Hall of Fame exec Gil Brandt.
Add all that together, and it’s difficult to see how this isn’t the most-talented unit Franklin has had.
Granted, when asked, Franklin declined to outright acknowledge this as his best defense, saying it’s difficult to know for sure without playing a game. But, when asked if this is the best defense he’s had up to this point, the head coach answered in the affirmative.
“At this point of the season, going into it, I would say so,” said Franklin, who had the nation’s No. 2 total defense in 2014.
In 2018, the Nittany Lions’ defense fared well enough. It ranked No. 23 nationally in scoring, allowing 20.5 points per game, and it slotted in at No. 34 nationally in total defense by surrendering just under 350 yards per game. But, with eight starters returning, this unit boasts the kind of depth that makes one think even the second-team could hold the season’s first two opponents scoreless.
QB Sean Clifford certainly didn’t try to temper the defense’s lofty expectations.
“If anyone’s going to ask who’s going to be the best defense in the county, the best person to ask is me or Will Levis because we’ve been going against them every single day,” Clifford said earlier this week. “And I can tell you that they are a fast team, they’re going to give you a lot of different looks, and they’re going to come after you with a lot of heat.
“I’m excited to see what they can do this season. I have a lot of confidence in those guys.”
Saturday’s game against Idaho certainly won’t prove the defense’s mettle one way or another — the Vandals are an FCS team, and not a great one, after all — but teammates know there are still some questions to answer. Namely, can this defense maintain the intensity in the fourth quarter?
This unit still needs to show it has a finisher’s mentality, something it lacked at times last season. But with a deeper bench, more experienced stars and game-changing speed, the biggest question isn’t whether everything clicks — but simply when it all comes together.
And, when it does, this unit has the potential to be among the nation’s best.
“We think we can be as good as anybody in the country,” linebacker Jesse Luketa said. “It’s as simple as that.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2019 at 4:51 PM.
