True of False 2024 Best PSU defense in past 20 years

[PSU Soupy]

Hear me out. I thought that the 2023 defense was probably the most talented defense that PSU has had in a number of years, I believe that the 2024 defense can be even better.

Reasons for improvement over 2023.
- More top end talent in front 7 against both the pass and rush. The 2023 defense utilzed sacks and negative plays to get off the field but could be gashed by teams with superior OLs. The key for this year will be the health of the top plays DDS, and Carter, at DE need to stay healthy. For DTs they have most of the talent back with another year in the weight room. DDS and Carter give us a little more heft at the point of the attack especially against running teams.
- Another year in the program for MLB - Kobe King....with Rojas, Robinson, Deluca, and Wylie outside with Elsdon inside. Big hopes for King to be better and for the outside guys to continue on their growth that they showed last year..... DeLucca made a lot of plays last year with the time that he was in there.......Rojas could be a star and Robinson and Wylie have looked good during the time that they have received.
- DBs..... somehow PSU has become a DB powerhouse the last 5 years with that position being one of our more consistent positions. This year there is tremendous depth....not sure about how high the ceiling is with some of the players, but there seems to be talent across the board at CB as well as Safety.

Interested to see the changes that Allen makes versus Diaz. Watching a Diaz defense was really fun. I was mad when we had the ball versus Iowa, as watching Iowa show no ability to score was just fun to watch. I do think that Allen will stay aggressive, but maybe a little bit more conventional than Diaz, which may limit the opportunity for big plays..... If Carter, DDS can get pressure without sending LBS or DBs and we can get pressure with 4 or perhaps at time 5 rushers......we will be better aligned for good teams who can block us and get rid of the ball quickly.

Wanted Diaz to stay, but a great hire in Allen to keep the train rolling. Injuries this year need to be minimized as we do not have the depth that we had last year.

Now if the offense can be good...............

 

[bvillebaron]

Hear me out. I thought that the 2023 defense was probably the most talented defense that PSU has had in a number of years, I believe that the 2024 defense can be even better.

Reasons for improvement over 2023.
- More top end talent in front 7 against both the pass and rush. The 2023 defense utilzed sacks and negative plays to get off the field but could be gashed by teams with superior OLs. The key for this year will be the health of the top plays DDS, and Carter, at DE need to stay healthy. For DTs they have most of the talent back with another year in the weight room. DDS and Carter give us a little more heft at the point of the attack especially against running teams.
- Another year in the program for MLB - Kobe King....with Rojas, Robinson, Deluca, and Wylie outside with Elsdon inside. Big hopes for King to be better and for the outside guys to continue on their growth that they showed last year..... DeLucca made a lot of plays last year with the time that he was in there.......Rojas could be a star and Robinson and Wylie have looked good during the time that they have received.
- DBs..... somehow PSU has become a DB powerhouse the last 5 years with that position being one of our more consistent positions. This year there is tremendous depth....not sure about how high the ceiling is with some of the players, but there seems to be talent across the board at CB as well as Safety.

Interested to see the changes that Allen makes versus Diaz. Watching a Diaz defense was really fun. I was mad when we had the ball versus Iowa, as watching Iowa show no ability to score was just fun to watch. I do think that Allen will stay aggressive, but maybe a little bit more conventional than Diaz, which may limit the opportunity for big plays..... If Carter, DDS can get pressure without sending LBS or DBs and we can get pressure with 4 or perhaps at time 5 rushers......we will be better aligned for good teams who can block us and get rid of the ball quickly.

Wanted Diaz to stay, but a great hire in Allen to keep the train rolling. Injuries this year need to be minimized as we do not have the depth that we had last year.

Now if the offense can be good...............

Let’s see them play first.

 

[RickinDayton]

Hear me out. I thought that the 2023 defense was probably the most talented defense that PSU has had in a number of years, I believe that the 2024 defense can be even better.

Reasons for improvement over 2023.
- More top end talent in front 7 against both the pass and rush. The 2023 defense utilzed sacks and negative plays to get off the field but could be gashed by teams with superior OLs. The key for this year will be the health of the top plays DDS, and Carter, at DE need to stay healthy. For DTs they have most of the talent back with another year in the weight room. DDS and Carter give us a little more heft at the point of the attack especially against running teams.
- Another year in the program for MLB - Kobe King....with Rojas, Robinson, Deluca, and Wylie outside with Elsdon inside. Big hopes for King to be better and for the outside guys to continue on their growth that they showed last year..... DeLucca made a lot of plays last year with the time that he was in there.......Rojas could be a star and Robinson and Wylie have looked good during the time that they have received.
- DBs..... somehow PSU has become a DB powerhouse the last 5 years with that position being one of our more consistent positions. This year there is tremendous depth....not sure about how high the ceiling is with some of the players, but there seems to be talent across the board at CB as well as Safety.

Interested to see the changes that Allen makes versus Diaz. Watching a Diaz defense was really fun. I was mad when we had the ball versus Iowa, as watching Iowa show no ability to score was just fun to watch. I do think that Allen will stay aggressive, but maybe a little bit more conventional than Diaz, which may limit the opportunity for big plays..... If Carter, DDS can get pressure without sending LBS or DBs and we can get pressure with 4 or perhaps at time 5 rushers......we will be better aligned for good teams who can block us and get rid of the ball quickly.

Wanted Diaz to stay, but a great hire in Allen to keep the train rolling. Injuries this year need to be minimized as we do not have the depth that we had last year.

Now if the offense can be good...............

I want to see how the quickly the players grasp and execute under Allen's defense. I would expect @ a minimum equal results but hoping the defense is more stout from the middle of the DL against the run and applying pass pressure.

 

[PSU Soupy]

Diaz also was a great motivator, the defense really liked playing his style.

Tom Allen maybe more of a teacher.

Need to see development in young outside backers and DBs.

 

[PSUNYGNYY]

I’m actually going to agree we should be a little better. As good as Isaac was and Chop was a first round pick, DDS will be a first round pick as will Carter. DDS is up to 270 so he’ll be strong vs. the run as well as the pass. Carter might be going for Nassib’s sack record. Chop missed a lot of time and honestly wasn’t very productive. This will probably be our deepest Dline in a long time. Winston and Reed are studs at safety. AJ is a stud and an upgrade over King. Kimber was a two year starter for UF so no drop off there either. Kobe King is a big dude and probably underrated at Mike. Rojas will be a stud at the Will so the only question will be at the Sam which I guess it’ll be Dom’s to lose. Not crazy about number 0 starting, but hopefully they’re working in some of the young LBs. Allen plays an attacking D so it should still be an active D piling up sacks and TFLs.

 

[LionFan87b]

Let’s see them play first.

It's fun to speculate. If we see them play first, then it won't be speculation.

 

[lazydave841]

Corners are honestly a mystery. We have depth, but very little starting experience. Nobody knows who is starting, who is in rotation.

LB will be a decline on day 1, but you can't lose Carter from that room and expect improvement instantly, but Rojas could be a better LB eventually and King has steadily improved.

DE has a load of talent, but now they are the primary guys, not depth pieces. Carter could shine here and DDS is primed to be the #1 we recruited him to be. Lyons growth will be necessary with Fisher now hurt. Vanover rounds out the rotation and he'll need to be ready for 1a/1b type of snaps instead of 2nd/3rd string.

DT should be a strength. As old of a DT room as we've ever had. Multiple big guys 310+ now. Loads of experience. Hopefully we can rotate 6 guys + instead of 4.

Safety group is our studs on paper. Playing 3 a lot though weakens the depth there, but you gotta play your best guys. Need to make plays here like Brisker and Tig did to cover for any deficiencies we may have in coverage or run support.

The good news is, Allen had good defenses with maybe 1 or 2 players like this. How good can he be with this bunch?

 

[lazydave841]

AJ is a stud and an upgrade over King. Kimber was a two year starter for UF so no drop off there either

King was a great #2 Corner, and didn't shine as the #1, but it's a touch premature to say AJ IS an upgrade until we see it.

Kimber brings experience, but would he have started last year? Can he progress enough to start this year AND hold down a side?

I love the tools we have, but it just feels premature to expect them to out produce 2 draft picks and the guy who went undrafted arguably played better than the other two.

 

[PSU Soupy]

King was a great #2 Corner, and didn't shine as the #1, but it's a touch premature to say AJ IS an upgrade until we see it.

Kimber brings experience, but would he have started last year? Can he progress enough to start this year AND hold down a side?

I love the tools we have, but it just feels premature to expect them to out produce 2 draft picks and the guy who went undrafted arguably played better than the other two.

I am betting on the improvement of some of the younger players with another year in the program: Safties, DTs are going to be better than last year. DEs, I think can be as good.....possibly better than a stacked DE Room last year. Losing Zuriah hurts as he was coming on last year.

King at MLB should be better with the extra year in the program and the improved DT play to keep him clean...... with Rojas destined to become a star on that defense. I do think that we will see a lot of nickle coverage with Rojas and King or Rojas and Delucca in on passing downs....they can rush the QB and are great in space against the pass.

We may go backwards with CB play....but there are pieces there to step up......depth of the DB room is insane, but not yet proven. I am intrigued by what Allen does with these pieces. Potentially we could have two DEs drafted next year in Round 1.....maybe even top half of round 1. If we can get pressure with 4.....with strong DB play and speed at LB.....we should be very good.

 

[PSUWrestlingFanSince2011]

2023 was better so....

 

[lazydave841]

I do think that we will see a lot of nickle coverage with Rojas and King or Rojas and Delucca in on passing downs.

Most reports/notes/tidbits indicate that we're going to run 4-2-5 as our base defense.