With spring practice in the books, Penn State’s coaching staff and players will continue to meet over the next few days and weeks to map out the future of the program.
And that means tough conversation and practical decisions. It might mean a position change, or in the case of some players, deciding that the grass might be greener somewhere else. It happens in every program in America and it’ll happen at Penn State, too.
But beyond the logistics, there is a new problem that arises as Penn State continues to collect more and more talent on its roster. How exactly do you get all of these players on the field? And how do you find the best place for them to play?
Enter linebacker Jesse Luketa who will find himself playing linebacker – and according to coach James Franklin – possibly somewhere else on the field as well.
“They will both be starters for us at the linebacker position,” Franklin said of Luketa and Ellis Brooks. “Whether it’s Mike linebacker or one of the outside linebacker positions. There’s also some discussions that we’ve had with Jesse about playing some other positions as well that we think he has the ability to play. I think that is not only going to help our defense, but it’s also going to help Jesse and his future at the next level.
“But we see both of those guys [as starters] and having a plan for both of those guys who both experience really good football players that we’re excited about and are going to have significant roles for us.”
Luketa wasn’t available this spring to practice, and while Franklin didn’t mention the actual position, one imagines that his returning starting linebacker might see some time at defensive end.
Elsewhere on the defensive side of the ball the experiments continue. State College product Keaton Ellis found himself playing safety during the final practice of the spring session. Ellis, who has played corner for the past two seasons, spent a good portion of 2020 sidelined with injury. With an abundance of corners returning this year and rise of true freshman Kalen King, coupled with a few more questions in need of answering at safety, Ellis might find himself spending time deeper in the secondary to showcase his athleticism and ball skills.
Franklin wasn’t asked about that potential change, although as Marquis Wilson made the switch from corner to receiver earlier this spring, Franklin and his staff seem content with the corners in the main rotation heading into the summer.
So will Luketa see time at defensive end and Ellis at safety? Time will tell, but with plenty of talent, there is plenty of mixing and matching to make sure the best players hit the field this fall.
