A Defensive Onslaught Keeps No. 6 Penn State Undefeated

Evanston, Ill. – A dominating defensive showing by No. 6 Penn State over Northwestern kept the Nittany Lions’ undefeated streak alive going into the bye week.

The blue and white shared the wealth when it came to pressuring the Wildcats. In all, 23 Nittany Lions posted tackles, with Kevin Winston Jr. leading the roster with five. Eight Nittany Lions contributed to seven sacks for 47 yards.

Freshman defensive tackle Zane Durant led the attack with a season-high three tackles for loss for 16 yards. Head coach James Franklin admitted the difficulty of the position for a true freshman and admired his discipline.

“We talk about being high production and low maintenance – he’s that,” Franklin said in his postgame press conference.

Durant attributed his steady production to his “front seven brothers,” referring to the linebacking core and defensive lineman who created pathways to Northwestern quarterbacks Ben Bryant and Brendan Sullivan.

Bryant and Sullivan felt the heat with the defensive snuffing the run game. Northwestern was forced to scramble for a play with only 45 yards earned on the ground.

A gradual start from the Nittany Lions offense prompted the defense to show their support on and off the field.

“We got your back.” safety Jaylen Reed said regarding the defense’s mentality to keep the advance going on both sides of the ball.

Going into halftime tied at 10 apiece, Franklin’s message was clear: The first half is over – let’s focus on second-half play.

The Nittany Lions held Northwestern to just three points in the second half and made key stops on fourth down to put the game away.

Franklin discussed the possibility of a sudden trick play with Penn State leading up to the game. This came to fruition late in the third quarter with a fake punt by Northwestern tight end Charlie Mangieri.

Freshman cornerback Zion Tracy shut down Mangieri a yard short of a first down and electrified the Penn State sideline over the special teams’ play.

“Zion is a true freshman that has shown some really good flashes and has played a decent amount of football for us up to this stage,” Franklin said.

It takes an elite level of coaching to produce an elite level of defense on the field, which is something Franklin praised defensive line coach Deion Barnes for when guiding his defensive line.

Barnes, a former Nittany Lion defensive end and Big Ten freshman of the year in 2012, returned to the team in 2020 as a graduate assistant.

His emphasis on technique and building foundational skills made him a favorite amongst players and a top candidate for the defensive line coaching position this summer. Since his hiring, recruiting depth, team comradery, and defensive prowess have all made crucial strides.

“It’s about developing them both on and off the field,” Franklin said. “I think Deion has a very bright future. I’m glad he’s with us.”

Emma Holtz is a senior majoring in public relations. To contact her, email emma.holtz01@gmail.com