Inside the Den: Nittany Lion linebackers regain confidence as season nears
We've surveyed the program this offseason for a better understanding of the Nittany Lions' potential at linebacker as preseason camp nears:
Catch up on our series of insider notebooks:
Inside the Den: At quarterback, two themes dominate this offseason
Inside the Den: Penn State running backs, tight ends take steps forward
Inside the Den: Next steps necessary for at least one Penn State receiver
Inside the Den: Experienced OL has opportunity to become a strength
Inside the Den: Penn State DL looks to translate talent to production
Brent Pry said it without saying it as Penn State neared the end of its spring practices in April.
Asked about the depth that his Nittany Lions have at the safety position heading into the 2021 season, Penn State’s defensive coordinator said that the secondary, as well as the unit’s linebackers, boasts the right amount of experience and depth.
“One of the things I've always done is train those guys at multiple spots,” Pry said on April 17. “You got a guy like Brandon Smith, who's played Sam and Will. Curtis Jacobs has played Sam and Will and has dabbled at Mike. Jesse Luketa is a Will and a Mike. Charlie Katshir has played all three. He's like Brandon Bell. He's played Sam, he's played Mike, and he's played Will, and he's gonna continue to do that.
“So I feel good about the depth at linebacker and the competition there. So we're excited. We got a couple of packages that you wouldn't have seen out there today that we're messing with to get our best personnel on the field in the right places.”
That last bit, about putting the best personnel on the field in the right places, is a reflection not limited to Pry’s optimism for his linebackers ahead of the 2021 season.
No longer needing to make a last-minute adjustment to compensate for the sudden loss of an All-American linebacker, here is some of what we’re anticipating at the position as the start of preseason practices gets closer:
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