Penn State’s defense identifies crucial adjustments during the bye week. Here’s the plan.

Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Allen discusses linebacker performance, pressuring opponents, and a new approach to addressing slow starts.

Last Saturday, as USC neared field-goal range with less than 15 seconds left, Penn State safety Jaylen Reed intercepted a pass from Trojans quarterback Miller Moss, preventing a scoring opportunity. This interception ultimately allowed the Nittany Lions to regroup and secure a win in overtime, despite surrendering 409 yards and 30 points.

While the Nittany Lions’ defense has experienced some inconsistencies this season, it has stepped up in critical moments. Although Penn State may not appear as dominant defensively in 2024 as it did under Manny Diaz last year—especially after a few poor halves—the statistics are fairly similar. Currently unbeaten, Penn State ranks eighth in the FBS for total defense, allowing an average of 262.5 yards per game, compared to second place in 2023 with 247.6 yards allowed per game.

As Penn State reaches the midpoint of the 2024 regular season, defensive coordinator Tom Allen addressed the challenges he and his team are focusing on for the second half of the season.

STATE COLLEGE, PA – APRIL 13: Defensive coordinator Tom Allen instructs players before the Penn State Spring Football Game at Beaver Stadium on April 13, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Addressing Slow Starts
The Nittany Lions have struggled with poor starts on both offense and defense, though it’s been more pronounced on the offensive side. For instance, they were down 20-6 at halftime against USC, just weeks after allowing 24 first-half points to Bowling Green. Allen emphasized the need to tackle these negative early-game trends, stating that it’s a “focal point” for improvement.

“We’re exploring all possible avenues,” Allen explained. “We’ve examined it from a sports science angle… At the level we play, we can’t afford to start off slow.”

In their matchups against Bowling Green and USC, the Nittany Lions showcased strong performances in the second half, allowing just 13 points combined after halftime despite giving up 44 points in the first half. However, relying on comebacks isn’t a sustainable strategy, and consistency will be crucial for Penn State moving forward.

“Ensuring our players are mentally and physically prepared, and that everyone is ready to perform at a high level from the start, is our responsibility as coaches,” Allen said. “We are definitely putting in the effort to improve this.”

Pressure Leading to Sacks
Through six games this season, Penn State has recorded 14 sacks, averaging 2.33 sacks per game. In comparison, the defense finished 2023 with a total of 50 sacks over 13 games, averaging 3.85 sacks per game. While the defensive line boasts standout players like Abdul Carter, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and Zane Durant, they haven’t been converting pressure into sacks as frequently as anticipated.

Despite this, the coaching staff isn’t overly worried about the statistics. Head coach James Franklin has previously noted that the style of play and opponents’ strategies to counteract the team’s strong defensive front have contributed to the lower sack numbers, even with consistent pressure being applied. For example, according to Pro Football Focus, Dennis-Sutton leads the nation in quarterback hits.

“There’s more to it than just sacks,” Allen explained. “It’s about whether the quarterback feels our presence. Of course, getting four or five sacks a game is fantastic, and everyone gets excited about that. But is the defensive line impacting the game positively? I would say absolutely.”

Taking on Moss and the USC offense exemplified how opponents try to manage the Nittany Lions’ front-line talent. Allen pointed out that teams are countering Penn State’s pressure by getting the ball out quickly and utilizing skill players as additional blockers.

“Both of those strategies limit what they can do offensively,” Allen said. “[We’re] forcing teams to execute plays they might not want to. … We want to continue improving in those areas, but we’re definitely putting pressure on the quarterbacks.”

Linebacker Depth

With Carter transitioning to defensive end, Penn State’s defense required its linebackers to step up. Junior Kobe King currently leads the group with 30 tackles, while sophomore Tony Rojas follows closely behind with 27. Allen expressed pride in King’s performance this season and highlighted how encouraging it is to see Rojas excel despite being regarded as a “young linebacker.”

“When you have a talented young player like Rojas, he makes some truly elite, high-level plays, but he also has moments where he makes mistakes or gets out of position, like not finishing tackles in the right way,” Allen noted. “That said, I believe his tackling has significantly improved over the past several weeks.”

With Rojas, freshman DaKaari Nelson, and others, the Nittany Lions are well-positioned at linebacker as they head into 2025. However, as the playoff push continues, the younger players have a unique chance to become vital depth contributors for one of the country’s top-ranked teams.

“Getting those younger players plenty of solid reps is crucial—not just in fundamentals and technique, but also in understanding the scheme and running the defense,” Allen said. “They need to build confidence. Overall, I feel the linebackers have performed well as a group, but we need more depth, more players stepping up, and more playmakers.”

Following their bye week, Penn State will prepare to face Wisconsin on October 26, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.