JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
by HawkeyeGameFilm
Penn State Defense
This a pretty good defense that has taken some hits with injuries already this season. Michael Mauti,a starting LB and leader of the defense, was knocked out for the season with a torn ACL. CB D’Anton Lynn left the Eastern Michigan game immobilized on a stretcher and missed the Indiana game. CB Stephon Morris started in his place and he left in the 3rd quarter with a foot or ankle injury. Starting FS Nick Sukay also came out for a bit with a injury in the Indiana game.
PERSONNEL
DEFENSIVE TACKLES: This unit has two very good DT’s inside in #71 Devon Still and #47 Jordan Hill. Both guys are exceptional players and can wreak havoc against both the run and pass. Both get solid penetration against the run and are tough to control. Still is a senior and probably the better of the two and is on the radar of many NFL scouts. I see him as a 3rd round type player right now. He had some issues with leverage last season but he looks to be improved there and is a guy who could rise this season. The DT duo has racked up 13.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks already this season. I expect Still and Hill to give Iowa’s interior guys some trouble.
DEFENSIVE ENDS:The DE’s are a talented group as well with #81 Jack Crawford and #90 Sean Stanley. Crawford is very big DE at 6’5 275, while Stanley is 6’1 247. Crawford has a lot of speed and strength but is a better athlete than football player. He hasn’t really put it all together in his time at PSU and this is last year to make an impact. Stanley is a very active DE and doesn’t stay blocked very long in the run game. He sheds well and plays a lot like a LB. While these two are effective they don’t have the ability to disrupt a game the way their interior counter-parts can.
LINEBACKERS: With the loss of Mauti this unit definitely took a hit, but PSU has some depth at LB. As good as Mauti was as a player he may have been even more valuable as a leader for this defense. The starters for this group have varied a little bit but #6 Gerald Hodges has started every game so far this season, and #40 Glenn Carson and #11 Khari Fortt are battling for a starting spot as well. The 5th year senior Nate Stupar has been leaned on in Mauti’s absence. With Mauti out, Hodges has stepped up and leads this unit in tackles. All 4 of these LB’s are sound tacklers, but I saw Fortt over-pursue the run numerous times in the Indiana game. They play behind a very good DL who eat up blocks in the run game and allow these guys to roam free and make plays. PSU blitzes their LBs a fair amount and both Stupar and Carson have had success disrupting opposing QB’s and getting pressure. Without Mauti this is still a solid group, but was better with him in the line-up.
CORNERBACKS:With a healthy #8 D’Anton Lynn and #2 Chaz Powell PSU has a solid pair of CB’s, and #Stephon Morris is a decent nickel CB. Behind Morris is a true freshman #4 Adrian Amos and he saw quite a bit of action in the Indiana game. Lynn was out for the Indiana game after having big injury scare in the Eastern Michigan game where he left on a back board. Lynn is big for a CB and is a guy who will likely make the transition to safety in the NFL and he looks like he’s a 5th or 6th round guy at this point. Chaz Powell is a former WR who changed positions last year and has turned into a respectable CB. He does have some issues with technique and had a blind luck INT vs Indiana where he actually fell down running vertical with a WR, and had the ball hit him on the ground. Safe to say that having Lynn on the field makes this a much better unit. If Lynn can’t go expect Iowa to after Morris and Amos often.
SAFETY:Nick Sukay and Drew Astorino are the starters at safety for PSU and they’re a very solid pair. Sukay is a smart disciplined football player is is rarely out of position. He had an INT against Iowa last year where he stayed over the top of a post in a Cover 1 drop and showed solid ball skills high pointing the throw. He tore a pectoral muscle last year and missed the last 7 games of the season, but looks pretty healthy so far this year. Astorino is a converted CB who has very solid cover skills and is strong in run support as well. He moves around a lot and is used to cover slot receivers at times. Both of these guys are smart football players who aren’t likely to make a mistake that results in a big play. Expect both of them to be sound in run support as well.
ALIGNMENTS & SCHEMES:
Penn State sticks to a 4-3 look most of the time. They did show a 3 man front several times against Indiana but only 3 or 4 snaps of this set were used. They showed a lot of different blitz looks including several zone blitzes where their DT’s dropped into underneath zones and DB’s and LB’s came. After Morris came out of the game they were down to 2 corners and Astorino started playing the nickel back spot with backup safety #10 Malcom Willis taking his spot at safety. Astorino was very effective down over the slot in their nickel look. PSU showed a lot of Cover 2 shell and played a pretty even balance of man and zone underneath it. They also showed a fair amount of Cover 1 looks where Sukay plays the single high and Astorino matched up with a WR or TE underneath. They did show a little 3 shell, but very little, probably partly due to the fact Indiana wasn’t a real big vertical threat. They played quite a bit of press coverage on the outside. Powell was fairly effective disrupting Indiana WR Demarlo Belcher trying to get off the line on the outside and it made the Indiana QB hold the ball longer letting the rush get to him several times.
Overall I’d say PSU’s defensive scheme is a more aggressive and more varied version of what Iowa does. They definitely blitz more often and play more man coverage. They also show more zone blitz variations and try to keep teams guessing. I didn’t see much Cover 4 against Indiana but I’d expect to see it when Iowa is in run tendency formations. They also didn’t seem to be negatively effected by Indiana’s no huddle attack. They were getting lined up quickly after each play and will likely be prepared to defend Iowa’s no huddle attack as well.
SUMMARY
This is the best defensive unit Iowa will have seen so far this season. They have play makers at all three position groups and play disciplined smart football. However, as good as they have been against the pass their first 4 games, James Vandenberg is the best QB they have faced thus far and by a wide margin. I feel like the run game will be a wash for both sides. Iowa will have some success there, but this game will likely turn on Iowa’s ability to throw the ball. For PSU to have success stopping Iowa they’re going to have to get a lot of pressure in James Vandenberg’s face when he drops back.
If he's got time he’s going to put balls into spots against their zone coverages that previous opponents just couldn’t. They’re going to have to try and close the the throwing lanes and bring some aggressive blitz packages to disrupt Vandenberg and force some poor throws. If Vandenberg gets into a rhythm it could be a tough day for PSU. I wouldn't be surprised to see Iowa put up as many points on PSU as Alabama did, which was 27.
Penn State Defense
This a pretty good defense that has taken some hits with injuries already this season. Michael Mauti,a starting LB and leader of the defense, was knocked out for the season with a torn ACL. CB D’Anton Lynn left the Eastern Michigan game immobilized on a stretcher and missed the Indiana game. CB Stephon Morris started in his place and he left in the 3rd quarter with a foot or ankle injury. Starting FS Nick Sukay also came out for a bit with a injury in the Indiana game.
PERSONNEL
DEFENSIVE TACKLES: This unit has two very good DT’s inside in #71 Devon Still and #47 Jordan Hill. Both guys are exceptional players and can wreak havoc against both the run and pass. Both get solid penetration against the run and are tough to control. Still is a senior and probably the better of the two and is on the radar of many NFL scouts. I see him as a 3rd round type player right now. He had some issues with leverage last season but he looks to be improved there and is a guy who could rise this season. The DT duo has racked up 13.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks already this season. I expect Still and Hill to give Iowa’s interior guys some trouble.
DEFENSIVE ENDS:The DE’s are a talented group as well with #81 Jack Crawford and #90 Sean Stanley. Crawford is very big DE at 6’5 275, while Stanley is 6’1 247. Crawford has a lot of speed and strength but is a better athlete than football player. He hasn’t really put it all together in his time at PSU and this is last year to make an impact. Stanley is a very active DE and doesn’t stay blocked very long in the run game. He sheds well and plays a lot like a LB. While these two are effective they don’t have the ability to disrupt a game the way their interior counter-parts can.
LINEBACKERS: With the loss of Mauti this unit definitely took a hit, but PSU has some depth at LB. As good as Mauti was as a player he may have been even more valuable as a leader for this defense. The starters for this group have varied a little bit but #6 Gerald Hodges has started every game so far this season, and #40 Glenn Carson and #11 Khari Fortt are battling for a starting spot as well. The 5th year senior Nate Stupar has been leaned on in Mauti’s absence. With Mauti out, Hodges has stepped up and leads this unit in tackles. All 4 of these LB’s are sound tacklers, but I saw Fortt over-pursue the run numerous times in the Indiana game. They play behind a very good DL who eat up blocks in the run game and allow these guys to roam free and make plays. PSU blitzes their LBs a fair amount and both Stupar and Carson have had success disrupting opposing QB’s and getting pressure. Without Mauti this is still a solid group, but was better with him in the line-up.
CORNERBACKS:With a healthy #8 D’Anton Lynn and #2 Chaz Powell PSU has a solid pair of CB’s, and #Stephon Morris is a decent nickel CB. Behind Morris is a true freshman #4 Adrian Amos and he saw quite a bit of action in the Indiana game. Lynn was out for the Indiana game after having big injury scare in the Eastern Michigan game where he left on a back board. Lynn is big for a CB and is a guy who will likely make the transition to safety in the NFL and he looks like he’s a 5th or 6th round guy at this point. Chaz Powell is a former WR who changed positions last year and has turned into a respectable CB. He does have some issues with technique and had a blind luck INT vs Indiana where he actually fell down running vertical with a WR, and had the ball hit him on the ground. Safe to say that having Lynn on the field makes this a much better unit. If Lynn can’t go expect Iowa to after Morris and Amos often.
SAFETY:Nick Sukay and Drew Astorino are the starters at safety for PSU and they’re a very solid pair. Sukay is a smart disciplined football player is is rarely out of position. He had an INT against Iowa last year where he stayed over the top of a post in a Cover 1 drop and showed solid ball skills high pointing the throw. He tore a pectoral muscle last year and missed the last 7 games of the season, but looks pretty healthy so far this year. Astorino is a converted CB who has very solid cover skills and is strong in run support as well. He moves around a lot and is used to cover slot receivers at times. Both of these guys are smart football players who aren’t likely to make a mistake that results in a big play. Expect both of them to be sound in run support as well.
ALIGNMENTS & SCHEMES:
Penn State sticks to a 4-3 look most of the time. They did show a 3 man front several times against Indiana but only 3 or 4 snaps of this set were used. They showed a lot of different blitz looks including several zone blitzes where their DT’s dropped into underneath zones and DB’s and LB’s came. After Morris came out of the game they were down to 2 corners and Astorino started playing the nickel back spot with backup safety #10 Malcom Willis taking his spot at safety. Astorino was very effective down over the slot in their nickel look. PSU showed a lot of Cover 2 shell and played a pretty even balance of man and zone underneath it. They also showed a fair amount of Cover 1 looks where Sukay plays the single high and Astorino matched up with a WR or TE underneath. They did show a little 3 shell, but very little, probably partly due to the fact Indiana wasn’t a real big vertical threat. They played quite a bit of press coverage on the outside. Powell was fairly effective disrupting Indiana WR Demarlo Belcher trying to get off the line on the outside and it made the Indiana QB hold the ball longer letting the rush get to him several times.
Overall I’d say PSU’s defensive scheme is a more aggressive and more varied version of what Iowa does. They definitely blitz more often and play more man coverage. They also show more zone blitz variations and try to keep teams guessing. I didn’t see much Cover 4 against Indiana but I’d expect to see it when Iowa is in run tendency formations. They also didn’t seem to be negatively effected by Indiana’s no huddle attack. They were getting lined up quickly after each play and will likely be prepared to defend Iowa’s no huddle attack as well.
SUMMARY
This is the best defensive unit Iowa will have seen so far this season. They have play makers at all three position groups and play disciplined smart football. However, as good as they have been against the pass their first 4 games, James Vandenberg is the best QB they have faced thus far and by a wide margin. I feel like the run game will be a wash for both sides. Iowa will have some success there, but this game will likely turn on Iowa’s ability to throw the ball. For PSU to have success stopping Iowa they’re going to have to get a lot of pressure in James Vandenberg’s face when he drops back.
If he's got time he’s going to put balls into spots against their zone coverages that previous opponents just couldn’t. They’re going to have to try and close the the throwing lanes and bring some aggressive blitz packages to disrupt Vandenberg and force some poor throws. If Vandenberg gets into a rhythm it could be a tough day for PSU. I wouldn't be surprised to see Iowa put up as many points on PSU as Alabama did, which was 27.
