In their words: Defensive line
Between Penn State's Pro Day Tuesday and Wednesday's media availability last week, early impressions out of spring practice have been plentiful.
Wednesday, we looked at Penn State's quarterbacks. Thursday, we tackled the running backposition. Friday, we moved on to the receivers. Monday, we examined the offensive line. Today, we’ll move on to the defensive side of the trenches.
If Shareef Miller won’t be the Nittany Lion making bold predictions for the program’s defensive line next season, the end opting to pursue a career in the NFL this winter, who will?
At present, it’s a question unanswered as the remaining Nittany Lions progress through spring practice in advance of the Blue-White Game on April 13.
In Miller’s absence, along with that of defensive tackle Kevin Givens, another veteran Nittany Lion defensive lineman who opted to forgo his final season of eligibility in favor of his NFL opportunity, the likes of Yetur Gross-Matos, Shaka Toney, Antonio Shelton, and Robert Windsor remain.
And at least for the time being, Miller can continue to be the one making the bold predictions, as he did following his Pro Day performance last week. Asked to name the next face of Penn State’s defensive line, Miller did not hesitate.
“Yetur. He’s just a great player. The season he had, since he came in as a freshman, he worked hard, he listened to the older guys, listened to coach Spencer, and he applied himself,” said Miller. “I talked to him a lot. He really wants to take his game to the next level.”
If Penn State’s front hopes to help match or exceed the defense’s record-tying 47 sacks for the program last season, Gross-Matos will certainly have to be a big contributor. Starting all 13 games last season, Gross-Matos produced team-highs with 20.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks during his sophomore campaign.
None of which is to say that contributions can’t come from the other names that emerge at the position.
At Penn State’s partially open practice last Wednesday, rising redshirt junior Shaka Toney ran with the ones opposite Gross-Matos, backed up by Daniel Joseph, while winter workout warrior Jayson Oweh backed up Gross-Matos.
Asked specifically about Oweh and the potential he’s shown following a true freshman season that included 2.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles in four games played, Miller backed up the program’s optimism. Said Oweh, “I think if he puts it all together, he’s still learning with the playbook, he’s just got to listen to coach Spencer, follow coach Spencer like I did, the sky’s going to be the limit for him.”
The interior, minus Givens, is not without its own returning veterans.
At practice Wednesday, the tackle spots were manned by 12-game starter Rob Windsor and third-man Antonio Shelton at practice, backed up by Damion Barber and P.J. Mustipher, respectively.
Himself tasked with lining up against the Lions’ defensive interior on a daily basis, veteran guard Steven Gonzalez offered his own assessment of the position after practice.
“Antonio Shelton has improved a lot. He’s very quick off the ball, very explosive, and strong,” said Gonzalez. “P.J. Mustipher is a guy who is improving all the time and has shown all types of promise.”
Having already been through the process himself, working from a backup into a starter’s role and, now, onto the NFL, Givens expressed his own confidence in Penn State’s defensive front as it moves on without him.
“Still got Yetur, Shaka, Rob and Antonio, so I don’t think that’s going to be a problem at all,” said Givens. “Like the year before and the year before, people step up all the time on the offensive line.”