Penn State Football: The Point of Defense? Turnovers and Points

EVANSTON, ILL. — Here’s what you need to know about Penn State’s defense in 2017:

“When you watch us,” James Franklin said, “we’re not a suffocating defense where we take away every yard on the field.

“But the most important thing is that we keep people out of the end zone and we create turnovers.”

Do they ever.

The Nittany Lions have given up just 54 points through their first six games of the season, the least by Penn State through the first half-dozen games since 1989 (that squad gave up just 44).

That’s despite surrendering a touchdown in the final 106 seconds of their 31-7 victory over Northwestern here on Saturday. They already have two shutouts in 2017, and you’d have to go back to 1978 to find a Penn State defense that has had more (1978).

Franklin says there are myriad reasons why the Nittany Lion defense, under the direction of second-year coordinator and long-time CJF assistant Brent Pry, is so good.

“We’re very experienced on the defense, especially in the secondary,” Franklin said after Penn State upped its record to 6-0. “We’re faster as a defense. We’re playing with some confidence. And I think we have the best coaching staff in the country; I’m talking about the assistant coaches.”

Franklin means Pry, who also coaches the linebackers; D-line coach Sean Spencer; cornerbacks coach Terry Smith; and safeties coach Tim Banks.

“There’s not one thing that we are overpowering people with,” Franklin added. “It’s not necessarily our D-line, our linebackers, our linebackers, our secondary. It’s a little bit of all those things. They are all fitting correctly and complement each other to play really good sound defense.”

A MARGIN OF VICTORY

Perhaps the biggest compliment you can give the Nittany Lion defense is it is aggressive and, as a result, amassing a large amount of turnovers. Amani Oruwariye had an interception against Northwestern, his third of the year, and Christian Campbell also had a pick. D-lineman Kevin Givens recovered a Wildcats’ fumble.

That gives Penn State’s 17 turnovers — nine interceptions and eight fumble recoveries on 10 forced fumbles — in just six games in 2017. In 14 games last season, Penn State’s defense only had 10 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries (on 22 forced fumbles) to finish with 21 turnovers.

The Nittany Lions, who entered the game ranked No. 3 in the nation in turnover margin, now have a plus-12 turnover margin. For 2016 overall, Penn State had a plus-1 turnover margin. It was a weakness. In big games last season, the Nittany Lions had more turnovers than they gained. In their five contests against Top 25 ranked teams, they lost the turnover battle 15-5. And in their three losses (against Pitt, Michigan and USC), they were minus-2 in each game.

They were determined that turnovers weren’t going to be the margin of defeat in 2017. 

“From the beginning of training camp, we set the standard of what we expect to happen with turnovers,” said defensive end Shareef Miller. “And our chemistry has been really good. We just feed off of each other. Grant can make a play, Shala can make a play, whoever.”

And that breeds confidence. It showed on the field on Saturday. Nine of Northwestern’s offensive drives lasted no more than four plays. Of the other four drives, two ended in interceptions. Pry’s Guys blitz and ballhawk on almost every play. It’s a mindset that begins in practice.

“We have the same approach as last year, but with a lot more experience and confidence,” Oruwariye said. “Last year we didn’t know how good we were until the end of the year. This year, going into it we knew we were going to be good — we just had to play like it.

“The coaches tell us to take chances in practice. So we do, like jumping on routes, trying to make big plays. Then in the game it’s easier to take those chances.”

FAST AND FURIOUS

Penn State’s defense is good from the get-go. The Nittany Lions are the only team in major college football who have not given up a point in the first quarter through six games. That’s 90 opening minutes without so much as yielding a field goal.

And it’s not by accident. 

“We take pride in coming out fast,” Oruwariye said. “We have certain scenarios in practice where it’s 1’s against the 1’s right at the beginning, to simulate the start of a game.

“The coaches game plan all week. They throw in a bunch of blitzes and coverages. We test it in practice, to see how it goes. It gives us a lot of options and lets us just play. A lot of times in the past, we were very static. Now, we get the play and move around a lot.”

It works. And the few times it doesn’t?

“We get mad,” Miller said, “if they score.”