Can We Trust Penn State's Defense To Be Elite In 2023? | Penn State Football 2023

The time is now for Penn State to take the next step and fight for a Big Ten Championship. While the offense replaces quarterback Sean Clifford with Drew Allar and must replace center Juice Scruggs and wide receivers Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, the defense has fewer question marks. However, can we trust this defense to help the Nittany Lions jump from great to elite? Penn State was 10th in scoring defense, 2nd in defensive passing efficiency, and 6th in sacks per game last year. Yet in their biggest games against Michigan and Ohio State, the Lions allowed 85 points, an average of ~500 yards per game, and only forced 3 sacks against those great offensive lines. If James Franklin is going to win Penn State its second Big Ten Title since 2008, the defense has to perform at an elite level against elite offenses. I think defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has the potential to lead the best defense in the nation in 2023. Penn State's defense returns elite players such as cornerback Kalen King, linebacker Abdul Carter, and defensive end Adisa Isaac. They also have great players like Chop Robinson and Dani-Dennis Sutton at defensive end, Curtis Jacobs at linebacker, Johnny Dixon at cornerback, and Keaton Ellis at safety. This defense will have a strong, overwhelming pass rush and their pass defense will be great thanks to secondary players like Kalen King and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith (who could be one of the nation's best defensive recruiters). The questions I have regarding this defense are: 1) Who will step up and replace PJ Mustipher at defensive tackle? 2) How will this defense hold its ground against elite offensive lines, especially in stopping the run? 3) Even with Kalen King, can they replace Ji'Ayir Brown and Joey Porter Jr. in the secondary? I think that while this defense will be great, they won't be elite as they will struggle to hold their ground against elite offenses, especially a strong rushing attack like the one Michigan's offense has. Leave a like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more of the best College Football content! My Merchandise Store: https://cfbwithsam.threadless.com/ Spotify Link: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/A9u1hWG8nyb Penn State Football 2022 Statistics: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/penn-state/2022.html Penn State Football 2023 Depth Chart: https://www.ourlads.com/ncaa-football-depth-charts/depth-chart/penn-state/91671 #pennstatenittanylions #pennstatefootball #bigtenfootball #ohiostatefootball #michiganfootball #michiganstatefootball #collegefootball