Penn State football is about a month away from opening preseason camp for the 2022 season, and the Nittany Lions will be looking to return to the Big Ten’s upper tier after a combined 11-11 record over the past two years.
Despite the records there was still reason for optimism, but a difficult schedule and a young team in some areas could mean Penn State is still a year or two away. Then again, nobody saw 2016 coming either.
Today we continue our look at each area of the team with a defensive line group that will see a couple of key veterans come back from injury, the return of experienced players who could make their mark, and at least one freshman who could be a factor early on.
The Ones to Miss:
This group manages to not miss too many faces this fall, although the absence of one time Duke transfer Derrick Tangelo leaves some of a void at defensive tackle. The loss of linebacker/defensive end hybrid Jesse Luketa is also not to be overlooked as Luketa had superior speed and athleticism off the edge after making the switch from linebacker to defensive end last season. Tangelo and Luketa both were very good at their respective jobs but Penn State brings back enough talent that in theory the duo won’t be missed as much as it would otherwise. This says more about the players returning than it does the two players who’ve gone off to the next level.
The Ones to Watch:
It seems silly to count returning defensive tackle PJ Mustipher as a player to watch considering how much football he has played at Penn State. All the same coming off a lower body injury suffered against Iowa, Mustipher’s health is at least a slight variable this season even if his play otherwise isn’t. Also on the returning injury front rising star and defensive end Adisa Isaac is also set to make his return after missing all of last season. Isaac is much more of an X Factor than Mustipher, but both look to be a big part of Penn State’s success in the trenches. Elsewhere at tackle Dvon Ellies, Coziah Izzard, Jordan van den Berg and Hakeem Beamon all look capable of leaving their mark throughout the year.
At defensive end the loss of Luketa will be felt, but so too should the return of Isaac. Nick Tarburton should anchor this group as the veteran of the bunch with the likes of highly touted prospect Dani Dennis-Sutton seemingly in a position to make a Week 1 impact. Red shirt junior Smith Vilbert gets an honorable mention here as well.
The New Ones:
As mentioned above, freshman Dani Dennis-Sutton is one of those players who simply looks the part from Day 1. The true freshman will have to settle into the college life and all the things that come with being new on campus, but Dennis-Sutton certainly gives off the vibe of someone who is going to make an impact early and often. He will only thrive being around veterans like Mustipher and Tarburton so he should be in good hands to make meaningful strides early in his career. Zane Durant shouldn’t be overlooked either, but somebody will end up being the odd man out.
The Bottom Line:
Two of your best players being guys who are returning from injury is always a gamble, but this unit has been solid year in and year out. Getting to the quarterback will be key to help out everyone behind them, but that’s true every year.
Previously:
