Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1486024
3 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M O P I N I O N THOMAS FRANK CARR TFRANK.CARR@ON3.COM S ometimes, it's not the biggest, flashi- est changes that have the most dra- matic effect on a team. The subtle tweaks and adjustments within the exist- ing framework are often the ones that pay off the most. For the Penn State defense, the pres- ence of freshman Abdul Carter did both this season. While his emergence as the team's starting Will linebacker had a massive impact on the quality of play from the front seven, he also had a more subtle effect on the team, particularly on third down. Carter's first significant role was in Penn State's "Prowler" package start- ing in Week 4 against Central Michi- gan. He lined up primarily as an edge rusher, bringing extra length, physical- ity and speed to the pass-rushing unit. As he's done all season, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder delivered immediately, with a sack and batted pass in his first game with a significant role. However, occasionally blitzing and dropping into zone coverage is a limited role that opponents can scheme around. More importantly, in defensive coordi- nator Manny Diaz's zone-blitz system, the outside pressure isn't always the designed man to get to the quarterback. Certain players are there to absorb blocks. While they're expected to win individual matchups, a different pass rusher is given a schematic advantage to go unblocked to the quarterback. Everything changed during Penn State's Week 8 showdown with Ohio State. Diaz moved Carter away from be- ing a pass-rushing specialist into a new role. He began playing over the center in a Mike linebacker-type role on third down. This move changed several schematic facets of the defense. First, it allowed super senior safety Ji'Ayir Brown to play deeper in coverage and not have to take on as many responsibilities near the line of scrimmage, limiting options downfield for the passing attack. It also unlocked some of the most im- pressive plays from Carter we've seen this season. He still blitzed, but he did so from the "A" gap instead of constantly from the outside. While Carter occasionally got match- ups with offensive linemen, Diaz's us- age of defensive linemen meant that he saw more rushes over a running back in pass protection. He delivered in a big way, with 5 more sacks and 13 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. By the end of the regular season, Carter went from being another rusher in the unit to a player with plays designed for him to get a sack. A third schematic advantage that Diaz was able to exploit was Carter's ability to chase down quarterbacks in open space. The sub-4.5 linebacker has breathtak- ing acceleration and can close on players from the opposite side of the field. So, instead of throwing him headlong into the offensive line, Diaz used Carter as a spy. The freshman would wait until the quarterback broke the pocket or was flushed by pressure. Once the passer de- clared his intentions, Carter would spring into action and rush in for a sack or batted pass, or would force a throwaway. This schematic shift solved one of Penn State's biggest problems — quar- terback scrambles. While the defense could shut down passing attacks with great coverage, corralling the quarterback when he broke free from the pocket was a hair-pulling frustration for fans. The Nittany Lions gave up 256 rushing yards on scrambles during the regular season. More frustratingly, a good chunk of those plays resulted in first downs. If you remove the game that third-year sophomore linebacker Curtis Jacobs left with an injury, changing Penn State's third-down defense, the team allowed 27 rushing yards on quarterback scrambles over the season's final five weeks. Even if you include the game against Indiana, that number climbs to only 69 yards. There are plenty of players with the physical tools to perform well as fresh- men, though few are as talented as Carter. Yet what sets him apart is his incredible ability to learn and transform informa- tion into instinct. That skill, coupled with his physical gifts, made him not just a valuable player but the centerpiece of Penn State's de- fense by season's end. With an entire off- season ahead, the sky is the limit for what Carter can become. ■ The tweaks that Penn State has made to its defense have allowed Carter to amass a team-leading 6.5 sacks. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE PSU Finds Ways To Tap Abdul Carter's Vast Potential Upon Further Review