Penn State hoping defense can keep rolling against Utah
Which Penn State defense will show up Jan. 2 when James Franklin's 10-2 Nittany Lions face 10-3 Utah in the Rose Bowl?
Will it be the one that was gouged for 418 rushing yards by unbeaten Michigan in the Wolverines' 41-17 win over PSU in Ann Arbor back on Oct. 15? The one that allowed 452 total yards to Ohio State in a 44-31 home loss a couple of weeks later?
Or will we see the Penn State defense that shut down Auburn on the road in the third game of the season, holding the Tigers to two field goals through three quarters of a 41-12 victory? Or maybe the defense that allowed a total of 40 points in a 4-0 November?
“You all know this in college football because it's such a narrative-based sport, but we reserve the right to improve as a defense,” Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said earlier this month.
Overall, the Lions' key numbers on defense are tremendous. Diaz's unit finished in the top 15 in FBS in the following categories — pass efficiency (second), red zone (sixth), scoring (tied-9th), third-down conversion percentage (12th), rushing (14th) and total (15th).
But Penn State was not tested in November like it will be by a Utah offense that averaged 40 points per game. The Utes also averaged 220 rushing yards per contest and converted 49.7 percent of their third-down chances.
“They're physical up front, they do a really good job of getting knock-back on the defensive line, creating holes for the running backs to find,” Penn State veteran defensive tackle PJ Mustipher said recently when asked about Utah.
“Their running backs, we were watching film, they're not going out of bounds. They're going to try to run right over you. … When you as an offense, get in those third and short, second and medium (situations), you can run the ball and it really puts a defense on their heels.”
Mustipher, a member of Franklin's 2018 recruiting class, produced a major bounce-back season in 2022, returning from a 2021 lowerleg injury that cost him the second half of the year.
A team captain, Mustipher was voted second-team AllBig Ten for the second consecutive season. His work inside is a major reason why the Lions allow an average of just 3.2 yards per rush.
Mustipher has an NFL future ahead of him, but he wanted to come back to show he was healthy again. He also wanted the program to put some distance behind last year's 7-6 season.
“My main thing was to win ballgames and to help this club get back to where it's supposed to be,” Mustipher said.
“I want to finish that thing off, what we started (last) January. As far as me playing in the game, I want to help my team, I want to be out there and I want to lead.”
A younger Lion, defensive end Chop Robinson, was a standout in his first season after transferring from Maryland. A second-year player, Robinson totaled 8.5 tackles for loss (four sacks), two pass breakups, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the fall.
“Everybody's excited for the Rose Bowl,” Robinson said. “We wanted more than that, but this is what we got for right now. Everybody's excited, it's a dream for everybody.”
Mustipher said Diaz's impact during his first year at Penn State has helped transform the Lions into one of the most disruptive defenses in the Big Ten. Penn State registered 37 sacks and 82 pass breakups.
“Huge impact. You see it,” Mustipher said when asked about Diaz, who was Miami's head coach in 2021.