No. 7 Penn State Looks to Smother No. 24 Iowa in an Avalanche of Sound

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Fresh from an impressive defensive showing versus Illinois, No. 7 Penn State prepares to welcome the No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes to The Greatest Show in College Sports – the White Out – on Sept. 23.

Penn State head coach James Franklin acknowledged that the level of competition that Iowa brings to the table will be an uphill battle throughout the game.

“This is probably going to be another one of those games where we’re going to have to grind it out,” Franklin said.

Scouting the Nittany Lions

The Nittany Lions secondary shined with five takeaways versus Illinois, keeping the Nittany Lions undefeated over the last two seasons when forcing multiple takeaways in a game.

Cornerbacks Daequan Hardy, Johnny Dixon and Cam Miller each bagged a trio of interceptions along with linebacker Abdul Carter’s interception for 18 yards. Linebackers Dominic DeLuca and Kobe King put on a clinic with a forced fumble and fumble recovery, respectively.

Now, putting a microscope on the defense this week, expect explosiveness off the snap to be a major point versus an Iowa offense with depth at the running back position.

Defensive tackle Coziah Izzard roared in his season debut with two solo tackles, two tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

“He gives us another legitimate defensive tackle inside, which is a position that is challenging to develop depth at,” Franklin said.

He saw Izzard as having “a chance to be special” with more practice reps and game-time experience as the season progresses.

“He’s very good competition,” redshirt freshman offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane said. “He comes off the ball hard, and he’s a very technical guy.”

Penn State’s defense has yet to give up a point in the third quarter. It is a similar story for quarterback Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions offense, who did not turn the ball over versus Illinois.

Redshirt junior Nick Dawkins and junior tackle Olumuyiwa “Olu” Fashanu lead the line into challenging play this Saturday.

For Ioane, having Fashanu return for another season “makes everything easier” when it comes to learning how to mesh raw athleticism with flexibility and balance. Pro Football Focus ranked Fashanu the No. 1 offensive tackle on the board in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The passing game will face Iowa’s zone defense. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kaden Saunders broke down zone defense as being “all about timing and spacing within concepts” for the Nittany Lions.

The offense will ensure that Allar is confident in his receivers’ plans before the huddle breaks and knows how to adapt to unexpected spacing from the Hawkeyes.

Franklin praised wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith for his awareness and ability to read the field the way an NFL scout or general manager expects from a player gunning for a professional football career.

“KeAndre has gotten to a point where he is mature enough to understand how it all fits together and putting the team first,” Franklin said.

Penn State leads the country with a scoring streak of at least 30 points in the last 10 consecutive games.

Scouting the Hawkeyes

Let’s start with a stat line: The defense ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring and sixth in total defense.

Defensive back Cooper DeJean has been a hot topic on tape for the Nittany Lions. He recorded 10 total tackles, six of which were unassisted, versus Iowa State on Sept. 9. He could be incredibly disruptive against Allar and the Nittany Lions offense, who will look to make a statement early.

Linebacker Jay Higgins ranks ninth in the nation in solo tackles per game (6.0) and leads the Hawkeyes roster with 32 tackles.

Special teams are an area that Iowa prides itself on. Punter Tory Taylor has a 46.1 punt average, placing him ninth in the country. His punting style compares nicely to Penn State punter Riley Thompson. His 47-yard punt versus Delaware was a season-high for the Melbourne, Australia native.

For the Hawkeyes, depth is a major asset on the offensive side.

On the ground, two pieces are missing with running backs Jaziun Patterson and Kaleb Johnson, leaving veteran Leshon Williams to emerge as the go-to back for quarterback Cade McNamara.

With an average of 54.7 rushing yards per game, Williams took a step in his Hawkeye career with 12 carries for 145 yards versus Western Michigan. Expect him to share carries with star freshman backs Terrell Washington Jr. and Kamari Moulton.

“They take tremendous pride in their identity and doing it well,” Franklin said regarding Iowa’s program identity. “You know what you’re going to get from them.”

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