Penn State defense putting up wall

STATE COLLEGE - The first thing Penn State coach James Franklin does when evaluating an opponent is to try and find that one guy, that one defensive player who can wreck a game.

Be it a defensive lineman, linebacker, cornerback or safety, who can change the complexity of a game?

That's going to be quite the challenge for Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.

With a stable of defensive playmakers from the front four to the safeties over the top, the Nittany Lions' defense has turned heads through four games, leading the team to an undefeated mark. And it's not a product of just one player.

Sure, defensive tackle Anthony Zettel has been singled out as a force in the trenches and Mike Hull has been noticeably sturdy at middle linebacker. But all 11 starters - and more - have propelled this unit into the nation's elite.

From the looks of it, it's not shaping up to be a fun game for the Northwestern offense tomorrow at Beaver Stadium.

One-third of the way through the season, the Lions' defense has done something that's often elusive: As good as it looks on paper, it has earned its upper-echelon status on the field.

Penn State is ranked No. 1 nationally against the run, allowing opposing ball carriers just 49.5 yards per game. The unit also ranks No. 10 in the country in pass defense, surrendering 271 yards in the air per contest.

So opposing offenses haven't been able to run or pass effectively against them. The result? The Lions rank No. 6 in scoring defense as teams average a lowly 11 points per game.

It starts at the point of attack, where the defensive line has blown its opponents off the line of scrimmage seemingly without effort. Zettel has stood out with seven tackles for loss and three sacks, but fellow defensive tackle Austin Johnson deserves recognition.

The 6-4, 315-pound force demands double-teams, not only opening up lanes for Zettel, but also the linebackers behind him.

Franklin thinks those difficulties up front has given opposing offenses fits, facilitating easier plays for the defense.

"I think the fact that our defensive line has been so disruptive, or guys like Austin that have had to be double-teamed, it makes it difficult to come off on those linebackers," Franklin said.

Hull and the starters outside, Nyeem Wartman and Brandon Bell, have done their share, being active around the football and sure with their tackling. Hull leads the team with 37 tackles, followed by Wartman's 20; Bell has 2 1/2 tackles for loss, which leads all Penn State linebackers.

The second level - an area of expertise over the years for Penn State - was widely considered a defect prior to the season. But as Fitzgerald has seen, that simply hasn't been the case.

"The three linebackers, we offered [scholarships to] all three of them. Not one of them took a visit here," Fitzgerald said. "So I think that'll tell you how good they are."

In the secondary, communication has filled out the defense, as cornerbacks and safeties alike have kept tabs on receivers and limited big plays. Massachusetts' long touchdown pass against the Lions' second team last week excluded, Penn State's true defense has allowed only one passing touchdown all season.

Redshirt senior safety Jesse Della Valle said chatter back and forth on the field has limited breakdowns - a focal point entering the season for defensive coordinator Bob Shoop.

"Come Saturday it's something that's really important for us to be able to communicate different calls across the secondary and really to the whole defense to make sure we're on the same page," Della Valle said.

Of course, it's only four games into a 12-contest slate, and, historically, Northwestern has produced an effective offense.

Though, Northwestern's offense isn't the same as it has been in recent years; ranking No. 106 nationally in rushing yards and mustering just 21 points per game, the Wildcats' up-tempo offense has lost a lot of bite.

Franklin is still wary of Fitzgerald's self-assured squad. The first-year coach said the Wildcats know who they are and what they want to do offensively.

But Franklin also knows his defense.

And that is a unit that knows not just what it wants to do, but how it's going to do it: with building blocks from each player, creating an impenetrable wall.

"To me they all should take a lot of credit in what's been going on with our defense overall and any individual attention people have been getting," Franklin said. "It's about the greater good. It's about the greater cause."