Micah freaking Parsons. His long, lanky frame and his comfort while playing in space gives the Nittany Lions exactly what they’re looking for from a out of the box linebacker. An offer was extended in 1990 from the oldest and most storied athletic conference to the iconic Blue & White. After the Fiesta Bowl, the two teams would not meet again until Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. As for the freshmen, I don’t think either Brandon Smith or Lance Dixon will redshirt. 4-5; 3rd in Big Ten - East; Home; Schedule; Statistics; Roster; Capital One Bowl Mania; Tickets; Penn State Nittany Lions Roster. Amount Raised $1,805. Brooks is someone that many fans thought would give Johnson more of a push for the starting middle linebacker spot. Previous Year Next Year. Free Safety: Jaquan Brisker (JR), John Petrishen (RS JR), Tyler Rudolph (FR), Strong Safety: *Garrett Taylor (RS SR), Jonathan Sutherland (RS SO), Drew Hartlaub (RS SO). Penn State isn't short on blue-chip linebackers but assuming that any of them will have as much success as Parsons did would be foolish. He displays everything else — speed, length, tackling ability, rarely out of position — but a few interceptions here or there wouldn’t hurt. CB: *John Reid (RS SR), Donovan Johnson (RS SO), DJ Brown (RS SO), CB: *Tariq Castro-Fields (JR), Trent Gordon (RS FR), Keaton Ellis (FR). Despite playing in a backup role, Parsons led the team in tackles with 82. If you don’t know much about Ellis, just know that cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said that Ellis had the best film of any cornerback in the country. Beyond those three, not sure anyone else will figure into the starting unit conversation. 2019 Penn State football position preview | Linebackers Caleb Wilfinger | The Daily Collegian. The 2019 Penn State Nittany Lions: Middle linebacker. In 2019, Penn State (16.0 ppg) ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense and boasted a stingy rushing defense that allowed just 95.0 yards per game (5th). 11 Micah Parsons (So./So., 6'3, 245 lbs), No. Expect to see both guys get plenty of special teams run too. As for Dixon, he’ll need to add quite a bit of weight, but fortunately with him enrolling early, he should be up to 220-ish pounds by the fall. Les champions de conférence SEC dominent encore dans ce secteur en 2019 au niveau NCAA avec trois représentants dans le dernier carré de notre classement des meilleurs linebackers en 2019. Katshir is the unknown here. Of course his value on the field is great, but with so much attrition on the roster, having a young guy like Luketa who is a natural leader is hugely important too. Penn State linebackers Jesse Luketa and Jan Johnson pull down Buffalo's Jaret Patterson in September 2019. No. After being moved to linebacker from defensive end (though he did attend most recruiting camps as a linebacker during his senior season), the former five-star primarily played as Farmer's backup, even out-snapping the senior on a few occasions. Support our work by purchasing one of our t-shirts. Black Shoe Diaries, a Penn State Nittany Lions community, Way-Too-Early 2019 Penn State Football Depth Chart: Linebackers, Safeties, and Cornerbacks, After One Year on the Job Taylor Stubblefield Has Plenty of People Eating Crow, The hire of Taylor Stubblefield as wide receiver coach was criticized at first, but it’s looking like an A+ hire by James Franklin. I don’t know! The future is bright here, and the linebackers are a big reasons why most say this could be the fastest defense Penn State has ever had. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com That’s a lot to ask of someone who is still far from a finished product. USA TODAY Sports is getting ready for the 2019 college football season by breaking down the best players at each position in the Bowl Subdivision. He’ll face strong competition for that fourth cornerback spot from true freshman (and early enrollee) Keaton Ellis though. As mentioned, Johnson and Brown will be returning starters in their final year on campus, and Parsons will step into a full-time starting role alongside them. 10 Lance Dixon (Fr./Fr., 6'2, 213 lbs), No. After struggling for the first couple games of 2018, Reid got his swagger back during the Ohio State game, and had a strong season thereafter. The backups bring plenty of intrigue and storylines with them, as well. Ohio State leads the series 19–14 through the 2019 season. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Offense. While all three flashed from time to time, they also experienced more than their fair share of lapses, which was to be expected with three new, full-time starters. As opposed to the previous season, Penn State will be as experienced as any position on the roster at linebacker in 2019. From the starting unit to the depth that’s waiting in the wings, this is a unit that is trending upward in a big way. Well, this one has changed a bit, hasn’t it? Not that I thought he couldn’t be a good linebacker, I was just unsure if his ability and value as a linebacker would enough to keep him from playing defensive end full-time. Still, with Parsons expected to be a swiss army knife, Luketa will get plenty of chances to show his skill, and likely at a couple of the linebacker positions. 11 at both outside linebacker spots, as well as defensive end. He’s just going to be too good to keep off the field. Up next: the linebackers. The Penn State football program must replace two starters from its 2019 lineup, as Cam Brown and Jan Johnson are both now hoping for a shot to play at the next level. Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith celebrates his sack of Idaho quarterback Mason Petrino during the third quarter on Aug. 31, 2019. 36 Jan Johnson (Gr./Sr., 6'2, 231 lbs). Micah Parsons, OLB/ILB #11, Penn State. 8 thoughts on “ Penn State Linebackers ” Pingback: College Football Crazy. But another offseason at linebacker with Brent Pry, and I feel rather confident in saying he’s going to be a problem for Big Ten offenses in 2019. Big expectations for the State College High product. For Castro-Fields, it’ll just be a matter of making more impact plays. With redshirt senior Ayron Monroe announcing his transfer, and junior Lamont Wade searching his options too, the competition for the vacant starting free safety took a bit of a hit. Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith tackles Purdue running back King Doerue during a game at Beaver Stadium in State College on Oct. 5, 2019. Should also help on special teams. Follow. The bottom line is they are both too talented to leave completely off of the field. The class of 2021 rundown continues with a big-framed defensive end. Former walk-on Jan Johnson returns having started all 13 games, and to be honest, Johnson is a reliable option. One of the biggest reasons for that? Petrishen was a familiar face on special teams last year, and I would imagine that will be the case in 2019 as well. Think about it: Parsons turned in 8.4 tackles per game in 2019, while zero Penn State linebackers put up more than 6.7 tackles per game this year. Yet, here we are, and the Camp Hill native, who is finally healthy, will get his chance to prove he belongs. With Reid playing more on the outside in 2019, I’d expect to see even more of Johnson on the inside next year. Penn State legends like NaVorro Bowman and Sean Lee were somehow completely ignored by ESPN in these rankings. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. STATE COLLEGE — The longest line for autographs before Penn State's Blue-White Game was for the linebackers, and it wasn't even close. Generally speaking, that’s a pretty good resume for a returning starter. Though he better prove it quickly, because there's some big-time talent waiting in the wings. I'm just sayin'. Would not be surprised if he’s in the two-deep come Idaho. With a nice blend of youth and experience, Penn State’s group of linebackers has a chance to be one of the Big Ten’s best in 2019. The Canadian-born Luketa has been a name to watch since committing to Penn State, and had Parsons not committed in the same class, would be the one lining up on the first snap to start the season. Assuming Clifford is Penn State’s 2021 starter, can Mike Yurcich do more for Sean than Ricky Rahne and Kirk Ciarrocca did in 2019 and 2020? As far as position groups that will see the largest improvement between 2018 and 2019, I think linebacker will make a really strong argument. 2019 – Penn State (Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Assistant) Jan.-Feb. 2019 – Texas Tech (Special Teams Coordinator) 2016-18 – Memphis (Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers) Probably not! proxy server list April 8, 2017 at 2:12 am. Where there could be some competition for a starting spot is the Mike. We’ll keep the discussion about the starting duo short and simple — can’t ask for a better pairing than John Reid and Tariq Castro-Fields. A positive Penn State Wrestling COVID test has postponed the PSU at Rutgers dual meet originally scheduled for Saturday. Revisiting Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons’ breakout 2019 campaign. Per rep $181 Est. 40 Jesse Luketa (So./So., 6'3, 247 lbs), No. The starters, who remained in those roles for the whole season, were Cam Brown, Jan Johnson, and Koa Farmer. Hello,I log on to your new stuff named “Penn State Linebackers | College Football Crazy” like every week.Your story-telling style is witty, keep it up! Parsons is set to build on a very promising true freshman season. 12 Brandon Smith (Fr./Fr., 6'3, 240 lbs). ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. On the opposite side of Parsons will be senior Cam Brown, who all in all, had a solid 2018 season with 63 tackles and 6.5 TFLs. Like I talked about with defensive tackle yesterday, this is a position I think you could see a couple moving pieces when it comes to the starting unit. There will be an adjustment period with him dropping back into space more often than he did in high school, but like Parsons, he’s a terror when he’s attacking the line of scrimmage. Penn State Nittany Lions. Record: 11-2 (10th of 130) (Schedule & Results) Rank: 9th in the Final AP poll. Speaking of Luketa, I’m not sure he’s a starter next year, but he’ll be able to provide depth at both box linebacker spots and will play a pivotal role on special teams. The 2018 season also brought with it the emergence of true freshman Micah Parsons. The sophomore broke out in 2019 to the tune of 109 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 5 passes defended, a fumble recovery, and 4 forced fumbles. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Brisker brings the unique blend of size and athleticism that’s needed to play Penn State’s free safety position. He’s squarely in the yellow light category. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times/TNS) Abby Drey / MCT . Still, there’s some solid options here, even if the depth isn’t what it originally was. Coach: James Franklin (11-2) Points For: 465. While Brooks isn’t the greatest athlete either, he’s a tick or two above Johnson, and displayed the instincts and smarts that could push him to the starting spot in 2019. Smith should bounce between the Mike and Will this spring, and is likely to see at least some snaps wherever he ends up. The 2018 Penn State linebacker group was a bit of a mixed bag when all was said and done. Since 2013, Penn State has produced just two first-team All-Big Ten linebackers — Mike Hull in 2014 and Micah Parsons a season ago. Penn State Lift For Life 2019: Specialists. Luketa is one of the three linebackers who will be stepping into the starting roles left behind by Johnson, Cam Brown, and Micah Parsons. 13 Ellis Brooks (Jr./So., 6'1, 234 lbs), No. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Cam Brown may be the most enigmatic of the group. Défensivement, les Wolverines ont accordé plus de 4.7 yards par jeu à quatre reprises en 2019 (Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State et Alabama) pour autant de défaites. Penn State linebacker Jan Johnson emerged as a steady force in 2018, but he’ll have a challenge to keep the job this season. If they prove capable, they'll see more time, if they need a bit more time to make the adjustment, so be it. As the talent around him continues to improve, don't be surprised if Johnson takes strides as well. As it turns out, Micah Parsons does in fact have All-American upside at linebacker. La défense de UM a perdu les sept derniers matchs dans lesquels la défense a accordé plus de six yards par jeu et est 28-1 lorsqu’elle en accorde mois de quatre. Penn State Lift For Life 2019: Linebackers. And you can look our … Penn State enters the 2019 season with a roster populated with promising linebackers, the result of a hard-target recruiting search the past few seasons. We heard good things about Trent Gordon last year, as he saw play in a game or two while preserving his redshirt. While he isn’t elite in any one area, Taylor is one of the better safeties returning in the Big Ten, and should be someone who pushes for All-Conference honors in 2019. Who starts next to Taylor remains to be seen, but the leader in the clubhouse is JUCO product Jaquan Brisker. No. Taylor, Sutherland, and Brisker all probably fit best as the strong safety (i.e., the safety that supports the run a bit more), so it will be a case of figuring out who fits where once Brisker gets to Happy Valley. Redshirt senior John Petrishen should provide some nice depth, and who knows, maybe now that’s healthy he surprises this offseason. As far as true freshmen, I would expect Tyler Rudolph to make the move from cornerback to safety rather quickly this spring. Per rep $130 Est. Despite being on the receiving end of many fans' vitriol in 2018, Johnson performed admirably in his role at middle linebacker, especially when you consider that the fifth-year senior began his career as a walk-on (he now has a scholarship), wrestled for Cael Sanderson when they were short a starter, and recovered from a 2016 ACL injury before winning the MIKE job in 2019. Per rep $164 Est. Defensive ends and defensive tackles yesterday, now it’s time for the back seven of Penn State’s defense. Penn State Lift For Life 2019: Wide Receivers. Still, while these two likely won't find their way into starting roles as true freshmen, their potential is off the charts. The 2019 Penn State Chapter Lift for Life is coming up and the Linebackers are proud to dedicate our performance in support of Uplifting Athletes and its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope through the power of sport.. He looks to be a good bet to win the third cornerback spot. 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