Penn State Football: Can defensive line repeat last year’s success?
Penn State had one of the best defensive lines in college football last season. With graduation taking a toll, they hope the new set of players can have the same impact.
With players like Carl Nassib, Anthony Zettel, and Austin Johnson all leaving in 2015, Penn State is in desperate need of some standout players getting their first starting opportunity.
Penn State finished 14th in total defense last season being lead by a group of seniors and eventual draft picks. Now, their only returning starter, Garrett Sickels, will become the head of a defensive line looking to continue its glory.
During an interview with Greg Pickel of Penn Live, Sickels said the defensive line is still looking good. He named players like Kevin Givens and Shareef Miller really becoming a force for the D-line in the fall.
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“Kevin Givens has really improved since the spring time,” Sickels told Pickel. “He did some great things in the spring, and it’s really carried over into the fall. He’s doing a great job being disruptive.”
On Miller, Sickels gave him the praise as the most improved defensive lineman. “Shareef Miller, I’d say, has made the biggest jump from the spring to the fall,” Sickels explained. “Shareef is doing a really, really good job.”
It’s hard to know what to expect from either of these players, as neither has played a NCAA game. All anyone has to go off of is what they’ve seen since spring practice began. But from what they’ve shown thus far, their expectations should be high.
Miller, who will be opposite end of Sickels on the line, is looked at as a hit-or-miss player with loads of potential, but some serious downside as well. However, what he’s shown thus far in camp has been more of the promising side. It’s nearly impossible to replace someone like Carl Nassib, but Miller’s athletic ability and room for growth can provide the advantage Penn State is looking to maintain at defensive end.
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With players like Antoine White and Parker Cothren manning the defensive tackle positions, Penn State adds some size to a very athletic line. At 290 and 286lbs, this tandem brings much-needed size to a group that consists of a lot of players known for their athleticism and speed.
Now, this defensive line clearly isn’t the 2015 Penn State defensive line. They don’t have the experience, and the development of this 2016 squad is nowhere near last season’s team. But that doesn’t mean they can’t perform as well.
As Garrett Sickels takes on the leadership role in Happy Valley, he will look to replace Carl Nassib and take this defense to another top 20 finish. Although this defensive line is taking a different form than last season’s, becoming more of an athletic line then a power line, it could continue its dominance as a powerhouse in college football.
Whether or not this defensive line will reign as supreme as 2015 won’t be answered until the season begins. With the growing success in Penn State, though, continuing the dominance on the defensive line would significantly help the growth of PSU.
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It’s time for this young line to prove to the country it can still compete with the best in college football. If this new style of play works, they could take the achievements of 2015 and turn Penn State football into one of the leading contenders in the Big Ten.
But, only time will tell if this defensive line is ready for the challenge.