The eighth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions entered their first bye week with a record of two wins and no losses. Their two victories have come against a Power Five opponent in West Virginia, and a MAC team in Bowling Green. While the West Virginia game was a statement victory, the Bowling Green win was too close for comfort. In this second Penn State Bye Week Update, the focus is on the defense.
Head coach James Franklin and defensive coordinator Tom Allen have seen mixed results from the defense so far. As expected, the defense has been led by the veteran presence in the safety position. Allen has shown the ability to make halftime adjustments in both games, but when the Big Ten slate begins, it will be important for the defense to start games strong. Additionally, star Abdul Carter remains a bit of a mystery.
Penn State Defensive Rankings
Total Defense: At 310.5 yards per game, Penn State is ranked #66 in the nation
Yards Per Play: 4.70 yards per play, #59
Rushing Defense: 103 yards per game, #47
Yards Per Rush: 3.27 yards per rush, #54
Passing Defense: 207.5 yards per game, #78
Yards Per Completion: 10.38 yards per completion, #70
Allen Effect: Still Adjusting
Adjusting is the key term when considering the Penn State defense so far this season. It was never going to be easy to replace Manny Diaz as defensive coordinator. However, in Tom Allen, Penn State brought in a well-respected defensive mind coming off of a head coaching stint at Indiana. Allen brought a 4-2-5 alignment with him, which has enabled Jaylen Reed to shine through the first two wins. However, the defense has struggled with the first half time of possessions in both games and needs to get that corrected moving forward. Consequently, those performances put a lot of pressure on the coaches and players to make the correct halftime adjustments. Luckily, they have done that, and the defense has been strong in finishing both games.
Penn State Rushing Defense
Penn State kicked off the 2024 season in Morgantown, facing a Mountaineers team that ranked first in rushing offense among the Power Five last season. West Virginia only ran for 85 yards. Based on the score, and flow of the game, the game plan shifted as Penn State built a bigger lead. Consequently, West Virginia threw more and rushed less.
Fast forward to the Bowling Green game, and the first half saw some of the same concerning trends. For instance, Bowling Green held the ball for 19 minutes compared to Penn State’s 11. Facing a big offensive line that held leverage throughout the first half, in the second half the defense was able to set the tone and produce turnovers. However, the Falcons still amassed 121 yards on the ground.
In flashes, the defense has been stout against the run so far this season. As a testament to that, they even stopped a “tush push” attempt by West Virginia. There have been green shoots, but Allen and the defense must tighten up the first-half performance, and even out the time-of-possession battle in the first half.
Penn State Passing Defense
While the Penn State defense has faced two unranked teams so far this season, they have seen some competent quarterbacks. Garrett Greene of West Virginia is a dual-threat quarterback. Connor Bazelak of Bowling Green has a history with Allen, as he was previously a quarterback at Indiana.
The Mountaineers saw a different and ramped-up defense from Penn State in the second half of their game. Once Penn State took a 27-6 lead early in the third quarter, the dynamics of the game completely changed. Penn State picked up the first sack of the season on the next drive, courtesy of Zane Durant. Later, they forced a Greene fumble (one of four West Virginia fumbles) and were able to recover. The physicality of Penn State, along with a bend but don’t break mentality, worked well for what resulted in a 34-12 victory for the Nittany Lions.
Against Bowling Green, Bazelak controlled the tempo in the first half primarily through a short passing game. It was pitch and catch with tight end Harold Fannin, Jr., which helped neutralize Penn State’s pass rush. In the second half, Penn State was able to pick up their first two interceptions of the year, from Tony Rojas and Zakee Wheatley.
The defensive backfield continues to be a strength of the team. KJ Winston and Reed have led the team in tackles in the first two games. For his week one performance, Winston was rewarded with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Curious Case of Carter
Heading into the 2024 season, Carter was the most intriguing member of the defense. Donning the heralded #11 jersey for the defense, Carter was making the move from linebacker to defensive end. There have been some ups and downs through the early going. Against West Virginia, he produced only one tackle but racked up multiple penalties. One of those penalties was a 15-yard late hit. Facing Bowling Green, he impacted the game much more. He had seven tackles, one for a loss, and a pass defended. Solving Carter’s inconsistency should be at the top of the list for Allen moving forward.
