Opinion: B1G media get it right by naming Gross-Matos 1st-team DL

Sean Spencer called it earlier this fall.

Speaking to reporters on a teleconference in November, Penn State’s defensive line coach made a comparison between his star sophomore Yetur Gross-Matos and the most productive pass rusher he’s coached in his five seasons with the program.

“He’s as close to Carl Nassib as I’ve had here,” Spencer said, “and Carl Nassib is doing it at the next level. [Gross-Matos] has tremendous motor, unbelievable balance and speed and power. This is the type of guy we want to recruit here moving forward.”

The similarities don’t just start and end with the physical skills between the towering defensive ends, however. On Tuesday, they became even more concrete when Gross-Matos was selected first-team All-Big Ten. He’s the first Penn State DE to earn such honors since, you guessed it, Nassib in 2015. Spencer all but predicted it earlier this month.

Nassib was a unanimous selection, however, by both coaches and media. With Gross-Matos this year, only the latter got it right.

The coaches settled on a third-team selection for the Nittany Lion sophomore and that isn’t the only snub among Penn State’s defensive linemen. That Kevin Givens didn’t get at least an honorable mention from neither coaches nor media is an oversight, but Gross-Matos as a third-team? That’s a total miss.

Although the all-conference roster isn’t segmented by DTs or DEs, instead just four general DL for each team, it’s hard to see how the coaches think there are eight or more DL who had a better all-around year than Gross-Matos. The stats are there to prove it; the film is, too.

Only first-teamer Kenny Willekes of Michigan State finished with more tackles for loss than Gross-Matos’s 20.0, and Willekes finished with just one half more. His total yards negated was 84 compared to Gross-Matos’ 88. Furthermore, Gross-Matos’ 8.0 sacks ranked fifth among Big Ten D-linemen, including Minnesota Carter Coughlin who earned second-team honors at DL despite being listed as a LB on the Gophers' official roster. If those totals don’t secure Gross-Matos at least a spot in the top eight by the coaches, then his overall, less measurable body of work should.

He was rarely out of position, even in his first year as starter, especially in the second half of the season. He chased ball carriers down from the backside; he held strong at the point of attack. He proved to be a five-tool defensive lineman who played the majority of the snaps in all 12 games, which not everyone did in the coaches' first team.

In addition to likening Gross-Matos to Nassib, Spencer has also described Gross-Matos’ athletic abilities as “freakish” and he demonstrated just that on a routine basis.

“His short-area quickness is phenomenal,” Spencer added. “He’s able to go straight, make a turn and get back to balance in a matter of seconds.”

Other coaches must not have noticed. For additional evidence that Gross-Matos should’ve been classified higher by the coaches, let’s go back to the Nassib comparison for a minute. In 2015, he set the school record with 15.5 sacks and added six forced fumbles. It was an outstanding All-American-caliber season, one that should not be diminished, but it was also largely predicated on his ability to pressure the passer.

Gross-Matos proved adequate in that discipline, adding five quarterback hurries in addition to his 8.0 sacks, and he’s only scratching the surface in terms of technique and rush moves. But where his greatest contributions lie – and what seems to be undervalued in this selection process – is his ability to stand strong against the run. Gross-Matos finished with one half more TFL than Nassib in that dream season and eight more tackles. Additionally only Willekes (76) and Michigan’s Chase Winovich (62) totaled more stops this year than Gross-Matos’ 54.

The argument can be made that he’s just as stout in run defense as Nassib was as a fifth-year senior, maybe even more. Certainly he’s farther along than Nassib, a former walk-on, was in his second season of college football. Imagine what another year or two will bring.

“Moving forward, [Gross-Matos] has done a great job of learning the game,” said Spencer. “[As a freshman] he was out there to make plays and running around. See ball, get ball. Now he understands the pre-snap reads. He can look at a formation and have an understanding about what he’s going to get prior to the snap happening. I’m really happy with his progress.”

As he continues on that track, the coaches panel will have another chance to get it right with Gross-Matos next year.