Brandon Smith & Penn State Linebacker Corps Ready to Take Next Step

Brandon Smith was one of the first true freshmen to see action for Penn State last season, getting on the field in his very first game, the Nittany Lions’ opener against Idaho. A crowd of 104,527 was on hand to see Penn State demolish the Vandals that afternoon, but nothing about the experience fazed the former four-star prospect from Louisa, Va. Among Smith’s many talents is a gift for compartmentalizing.

“I take the time to have that ‘ahhh’ moment when we’re going into the stadium, right before kickoff,” Smith said in a recent interview with Blue White Illustrated. “That’s my moment to be like, ‘I’m really in this situation,’ to look around at the stands and be like, ‘This is crazy.’ After the coin toss, when I’m on the sideline, that’s when everything comes back down and I’m ready to perform.”

Smith performed quite well for the Lions last fall, forgoing a redshirt by playing in all 13 games. He finished with 14 tackles, including two tackles for loss, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. He also made a position switch prior to the Pitt game in week three, flipping from the Will outside linebacker spot to the Sam position, where he backed up Cam Brown.

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The move was just another new experience that Smith took in stride. He said the Sam spot “really isn’t as difficult as it’s made out to be.”

“We do a lot at the Sam position, but really, it’s not as difficult as it looks,” he said. “We line up in many different positions. We’re out on slots, we have to stem back into the box every once in awhile, down the line blitzing, that type of thing. But really, it’s a fun position, and it’s what you make of it. Everybody has their own style of play, or flavor if you want to call it that.”

By the time of the White Out game against Michigan in October, Smith said he was feeling comfortable and confident at the position. His quick adaptation was an encouraging sign, because he’ll very likely be stepping into a starting role now that Brown is headed off to the NFL. And with spring practice having been canceled, he’s not going to get the off-season practice reps he expected to get in advance of his sophomore season.

Smith has been busy working out the past few months, both at home in Louisa and, since mid-May, with a trainer in Richmond, Va. He’s also been taking part in position meetings with his fellow linebackers and defensive coordinator Brent Pry, and he’s confident that he’ll be able to hit the ground running whenever Penn State resumes practice.

“I’ve had a lot of time at the position and a lot of experience, not only watching Cam, but getting reps in practice [last season],” he said. “So really, the position, for me, is not as difficult as it was when I was first learning it that week when I switched over. Now I’m working on the little things that will make me a better player and a better teammate.”

Penn State’s linebacker corps is expected to be one of the strengths of the defense this fall. Pry said that Smith and classmate Lance Dixon, another four-star prospect in the Class of 2019, still have much to learn, but he sees all three linebacker positions shaping up nicely.

“I think there’s some development that has to happen with Brandon and Lance,” Pry said. “I think Charlie Katshir is ready to open some eyes and show people he can play linebacker at this level. I think we’ve got a heck of a competition with Jesse [Luketa] and Ellis [Brooks] to see who can take that Mike spot, at least initially. And then we’re excited to see what Micah [Parsons] does in year three. So it’s got a chance to be a really, really nice group. More than likely the best I’ve been around as a linebacker guy.”

Pry has been a linebacker guy for a couple of decades, so that’s no small compliment.

And the veteran coach also wants his players to be aware of the school’s history at this position group. He’s told them about some of Linebacker U’s greatest players and the standards they set for those who would follow.

“We’ve got some work to do in that area,” Pry conceded.

Maybe so, but Smith is eager to put in that work. “When we get back on campus, I know the things that I need to work on and improve,” he said. “I will definitely make those strides to become a better football player.”

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