Already an All-American, Parsons Shows Promise of Next 'Significant Step'
Starting 12 games as a sophomore last season, playing in all 13, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons was named a Consensus All-American and helped send the Nittany Lions to a Cotton Bowl win with an MVP performance.
Right there in line with some of the program’s most dominant seasons for a linebacker, finishing the year with 109 tackles, 14 TFL, five sacks, five passes defended, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
He also didn’t think he played very well until the midpoint of the schedule.
“It took me up until week six to feel my way out,” Parsons said. “I wasn't having bad games, but I wasn't having great games. I was kind of just struggling a little bit. So I was like, ‘I’m going to turn it up one,’ and that's what I did.”
Did he ever.
After making one tackle in the Nittany Lions’ season opener against Idaho, Parsons notched 10, 9, 2, 5, and 4 tackles in wins against Buffalo, Pitt, at Maryland, Purdue, and at Iowa, respectively.
Flipping the switch in Penn State’s White Out home win against Michigan Oct. 19, Parsons put up a career-high 14 tackles in the 28-21 decision. It began a streak of performances that saw him notch double-digit tackle totals in six of the Nittany Lions’ final seven games of the season, including another 14-tackle afternoon in the 53-39 Cotton Bowl win against Memphis.
Evaluating the progression he experienced through the course of the year, Parsons explained the nuances of how and why his success came to fruition.
“It's not really about the plays. It's about the mistakes you made. You want to play completely. So you want to have a good game with limited mistakes,” Parsons said. “I had good games, but a lot of mistakes, and once I started eliminating those mistakes, it turned even better. It's just the little things that people don't see to enhance your game and enhance your play.”
Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry and head coach James Franklin are counting on that next level of Parson’s development to blossom in the season ahead.
Now, with that next significant step looming in Parsons’ career, the big, game-changing splash plays Penn State wants to rely upon are within reach.
Already included in Mel Kiper’s top five NFL Draft prospects ahead of the 2020 season, the table is set for even bigger, and more frequent, splash plays this year.
“I think that's a comfort level. The more comfortable you are at your spot, the easier things become. You see things quicker. You can react quicker. You're mastering your craft where you are comfortable out there. I know for sure that happened with Micah,” Pry said. “As we got into year two, he just became more and more comfortable. It was easier for him.
“A lot of times guys are trying to figure out how they're lining up and what their leverage or technique is all the way to when the ball is turned over. And as guys settle down and mature in their position, they're ready to go and they're seeing other things long before the ball is snapped. They're able to digest more and anticipate more. And when you can anticipate, you got a chance to make splash plays.”
Insisting that the intricacies of the position were, are, and will continue to be the areas in which Parsons grows, Franklin’s confidence matches that of his star linebacker.
“Yeah, I think he's lightyears ahead because everybody forgets, he's only played linebacker for two years. So year three, he's very confident. You're able to use him a lot more ways. There's a lot more flexibility because of his confidence and his understanding of what we do and how we do it. His fundamentals. All of it,” Franklin said. “We need him to be more of a leader for us out there in terms of running the defense and those types of things. But he's got a chance to take a significant step.
“I say this all the time and I think people think I'm crazy, but I don't even think Micah is anywhere close to reaching his ceiling. I think he's just scratching the surface of where he can go.”
*******
• Talk about this article inside The Lions Den
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue-White Illustrated
• Follow us on Twitter: @BWIonRivals, @NateBauerBWI, @RivalsSnyder, @DavidEckert98
• Like us on Facebook