2015 secondary: Best ever at PSU?

[uppermaclion]

Can't get back into work mode yet after the long weekend. This will get answered by the end of the year, but we have 3 legitimate all big 10 type of players back there in lucas, williams, and Allen. Then you have haley which allowed lucas to move. This is the most talent I have ever seen in the secondary at PSU. Plus you got a guy like campbell who showed he can play. I would imagine at least 1 or 2 other guys step up as well. This is something we aren't really accustomed to at PSU.

I can only go back to the late 80's but I can't think of any PSU secondary that was as good as this unit has the potential to be.

 

[sluggo72]

we'll see and we can hope, that said, but before your time, in 1982 Harry Hamilton, Mark Robinson, Roger Jackson, and Dan Biondi were all very good. The first 3 played in the pros, the first 2 for a long time. I think Roger played for Denver for a while, I don't know about Dan

 

[Option Bob]

As a moldy oldie here, I offer 2 secondaries that deserve mention with the best ever at PSU: 1969 and 1978.

The 1969 secondary intercepted 24 passes in just 10 games, then added 7 more (no, I am not using hyperbole, SEVEN interceptions) in the Orange Bowl vs. Mizzou to give them 31 in 12 games. Heck, Neal Smith had 10 (+2) all by himself. And that was in an era of option offenses rather than the pass-happy modern style.

The 1978 secondary had 28 interceptions, then added 2 more against Alabama's Wishbone offense in the Sugar Bowl ... a total of 30 in 12 games.

Now if I were to offer my admittedly non-expert opinion about those 2 secondaries, I would state that the pass rush of Mike Reid, Steve Smear, John Ebersole, Dennis Onkotz, and Jack Ham (1969) and Bruce Clark, Matt Millen, Larry Kubin, Lance Mehl (1978) might have been more of a factor in all those interceptions that the coverage skills of the DBs. Nonetheless, those secondaries picked off more passes than any modern PSU defense.

But ... I am with you that this 2015 secondary very likely possesses more speed and athleticism than either of those 2 secondaries I mentioned above. Now let's see them pick off passes at a far greater clip than we've seen in the past 30-40 years.

 

[BBrown]

Can't get back into work mode yet after the long weekend. This will get answered by the end of the year, but we have 3 legitimate all big 10 type of players back there in lucas, williams, and Allen. Then you have haley which allowed lucas to move. This is the most talent I have ever seen in the secondary at PSU. Plus you got a guy like campbell who showed he can play. I would imagine at least 1 or 2 other guys step up as well. This is something we aren't really accustomed to at PSU.

I can only go back to the late 80's but I can't think of any PSU secondary that was as good as this unit has the potential to be.

I agree we have the potential to have an excellent secondary the best I've seen in a long time.
I would say the '78 team I think Pete Harris would have been on that was very good and then both the '82 and '86 secondary's were great.
Mark Robinson and Harry Hamilton are probably 2 of my all time favorite players.

 

[bmw199]

2005 was underrated with Zemaitis-Lowry-Harrell-Phillips with Academic All American Nolan McCready being the nickleback. None of them had stellar NFL careers, but as good as they were in 05,I think the 15ers are way more talented and project much better to pro careers. Should be exciting to watch them make teams one dimensional all year.

 

[MontereyLion]

Can't get back into work mode yet after the long weekend. This will get answered by the end of the year, but we have 3 legitimate all big 10 type of players back there in lucas, williams, and Allen. Then you have haley which allowed lucas to move. This is the most talent I have ever seen in the secondary at PSU. Plus you got a guy like campbell who showed he can play. I would imagine at least 1 or 2 other guys step up as well. This is something we aren't really accustomed to at PSU.

I can only go back to the late 80's but I can't think of any PSU secondary that was as good as this unit has the potential to be.

As good as this year secondary might be, I think the secondaries in the 2 years after this one, will even be better.

 

[Achowalogan]

Ray Isom vs Miami...a thing of beauty..

 

[uppermaclion]

As good as this year secondary might be, I think the secondaries in the 2 years after this one, will even be better.

I think you are right. In 2 years this secondary should be off the charts compared to what we have typically had at PSU(with some exceptions obviously).

 

[bmw199]

I think you are right. In 2 years this secondary should be off the charts compared to what we have typically had at PSU(with some exceptions obviously).

And results / high draft selections beget even better recruits. That's why I think we'll pull Hamlin and (2017) Ford. How could they not want to be a part of it.

 

[dawgduice]

Well, I think the DL will be really hard to run on so the secondary will get it's chance to shine. Hopefully we will get a few more pics than last year. And hopefully our punting will not put us in poor position too often.

 

[BBrown]

Well, I think the DL will be really hard to run on so the secondary will get it's chance to shine. Hopefully we will get a few more pics than last year. And hopefully our punting will not put us in poor position too often.

+100. As good as last years defense was I just didn't think they got enough TO's, especially INT's. I think that changes this year.
As you know from my other posts I have more concerns over Special Teams than I do the O-line. 2 possibly 3 losses alone were on the punt and kick return units. That has to change.
Punting has to improve distance wise and maybe more importantly consistency wise.
We absolutely have to start getting some positive yards out of the Kick return and punt return units. Hell I would be happy if they just downed it the end zone rather than starting from our 17.

 

[NapaNit]

Ray Isom vs Miami...a thing of beauty..

Give Duffy Cobbs an Honee as well. They were small but ferocious!