Last week, I went on the record and said Penn State would finish with an 8-4 record. I stand by that statement, but we will certainly find out how good (or bad) this Nittany Lion team is in the coming weeks.
With the start of the 2010 season less than a month away, it’s time to take a closer look at Tom Bradley’s defense. We’ll also have another moment to remember. But let’s start with the D-Line.
Breaking down the Lions: The D-Line
Despite the loss of Jerome Hayes, Penn State will enter the fall six-deep at the two defensive end spots. It certainly appears that Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore have the starting jobs locked up, if the Blue-White Game is any indication. Crawford gets the nod at the strongside defensive end position, while Latimore will be on the weakside.
In 2009, Crawford really began to come into his own. He finished second behind Navorro Bowman with 14 1/2 tackles for 67 yards in losses, as well as 5 1/2 sacks for 44 yards in losses.
Bradley says that Crawford’s work ethic is unmatched.
“I think everybody knows that Jack hasn’t played a lot of football and doesn’t have a lot of experience, but I don’t think anyone works harder than Jack Crawford does at trying to be good,” Bradley said.
Meanwhile, Latimore contributed with six tackles for loss of his own and another 3 1/2 sacks for 18 yards in losses while starting in five games, sharing the weakside spot with Hayes.
Latimore can get better, especially if he adds some consistency to his game and provide a much better outside pass rush, a critical component for the weakside defensive end position.
Both Latimore and Crawford have the excellent size Penn State’s coaches seek because of the spread offenses they face on a regular basis.
With the graduation of Hayes, it will fall on the shoulders of Kevion Latham, Pete Massaro, Sean Stanley and potentially Baublitz, to supply the depth at the two defensive end positions. Considering Penn State assistant coach Larry Johnson always likes to use a four-man rotation, their development will be a key this spring. Stanley will be used as a situational third-down pass rusher. During the 2009 season, he had 11 tackles, 2 1/2 tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks.
Massaro, who is coming off an ACL injury had an outstanding winter/spring and could provide some depth a defensive end.
The challenge for Bradley heading into the season is to replace Odrick, a first-round draft choice of the Miami Dolphins. It appears that Devon Still will be asked to fill Odrick’s big shoes. He’s definitely an unknown at the position because he’s sustained an ACL injury and an ankle injury. In 2009, Still played in all 13 games, racking up 19 tackles, 5 1/2 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.
According to Bradley, this could be a make-or-break season for Still.
“I think this will be a big-time year for Devon. He’s feeling good about himself; he’s healthy. He’s 100 percent healthy and he’s not fighting off any injuries,” Bradley said. “He’s comfortable in what he’s doing. So it’s just the matter of the more and more he plays, the better he’s going to get … we’re expecting a big year from him.”
Ollie Ogbu will also be a starter. His workmanlike attitude helped earn him a starting job. Last season, he made 30 tackles, including 8 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.
If the two remain healthy, they could give Penn State one of the best combinations in the Big Ten. Backing up Ogbu and Still will be Jordan Hill, James Terry and Brandon Ware. All three players have potential, but they also have a long way to go if they’re going to make an impact along the defensive line this season.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson would like to have a four-man rotation along the line, but that will hinge on the development of the aforementioned players. Evan Hailes could be in the mix at defensive tackle if the Lion coaching staff chooses to burn his redshirt.
Moment to Remember No. 6: Women’s Soccer
Our No. 6 Moment to Remember is the Penn State women’s soccer team winning its 12th consecutive Big Ten title.
Penn State has fielded a women’s soccer team since 1994. In the intervening 16 years, the Nittany Lions have proceeded to dominate the Big Ten Conference. Penn State clinched its 12th consecutive Big Ten championship in November, but it wasn’t easy. After starting the season ranked in the Top 10 in national polls, the Nittany Lions stumbled to a 2-4 start.
They bounced back by going 10-1-2 from Sept. 13 on, outscoring opponents 33-8 in those 13 games. Third-year coach Erica Walsh helped keep alive the streak that started in 1998 with the first coach of the program, Patrick Farmer, then kept going by Paula Wilkins, who coached the Nittany Lions from 2001 to 2006.
Chris Morelli is an award-winning writer/editor who lives in Centre County and covers Penn State athletics. He is also a regular on “Sports Central,” which airs on ESPN Radio in Altoona and State College. E-mail him at morellionlion@gmail.com.