4/3/2024 football Edit

S Zakee Wheatley 'loves' Penn State's new defense, talks safety room

Dylan Callaghan-Croley • Happy Valley Insider

Editor

This spring, Penn State head coach James Franklin has been very complimentary of third-year safety Zakee Wheatley, going as far as saying that the Maryland native has been playing the best football of his career.

On Wednesday morning, Wheatley met with the Penn State media for the first time this spring to discuss his offseason, the Nittany Lions' new look defense, and more.

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"I'll say right now, just coming off that bowl game, I've just been really focused on taking care of my body and doing the little things day in and day out," Wheatley said. "doing that every day has improved my game in a lot of ways, improved how I'm feeling, all types of ways," he said.

"Over the years just learning from older guys and being in the program for many years," he would later say on learning those little things and learning to take care of them," he said. "Just learning how to take care of your body, when to take care of your body and knowing when to come into the building, when to watch film and just knowing how to do the little things and getting the schedule throughout your day."

Last season, Wheatley appeared in all 13 games for the Nittany Lions, recording 24 tackles including 14 solo tackles and half-tackle for loss.

This upcoming fall, Wheatley is expected to see a bigger role in Penn State's defense as the Nittany Lions plan to use three safeties on the field at one time quite a bit thanks to the new "Lion" position that the Nittany Lions will trot out at times. Veteran safety Jaylen Reed is currently the front runner to earn that job, leaving KJ Winston and Wheatley at the traditional safety positions.

"He definitely likes getting guys that are athletic on the field," Wheatley said about defensive coordinator Tom Allen and his defensive system.

"I love his defense. Just the way he puts people in positions, and for me, it's kind of hard to explain but I'm really liking the defense. I'm liking how he's making everybody get put in positions to make plays."

He also apepars to like the potential results of having himself, Jaylen Reed, and KJ Winston on the field at the same time. "I think it can make the defense very, very explosive," he said.

“The energy of all three of us being on the same field together with our relationship on and off the field, it just makes it great," he added about the possbiility. "The communication level, the vibe, we just all communicate every play. Hyping each other up, getting everybody ready. I love how it feels," he added.

On top of Reed, Winston, and Wheatley, a fourth Nittany Lion safety could work his way into the equation quickly in 2024 as well, sophomore King Mack. When asked about his younger counterpart, the redshirt junior raved about Mack's potential.

“I think King Mack can help the defense a lot,” Wheatley said about his teammate. “Me just being an older guy, watching him over the last year, his game is quite different from anyone I’ve seen. Regardless of his size. He’s so fast, knows how to get around blocks, and he’s also a very aggressive player who knows how to make plays,” he said.

Wheatley and the Nittany Lions defense will have an opportunity to showcase a bit of the program's new look defensive scheme on April 13 in the program's annual Blue White spring game.