As coordinator, Anthony Poindexter aims to keep Penn State D consistent
Penn State head coach James Franklin clarified Friday the Nittany Lions’ situation defensively for the Outback Bowl.
Anthony Poindexter will be Penn State’s defensive coordinator for the showdown with No. 23 Arkansas.
A final game to round out the 2021 season, the Nittany Lions’ safeties coach will call it as new DC Manny Diaz acclimates to the program. And, played an active role in Penn State’s No. 7-ranked scoring defense this season, Poindexter isn’t looking to deviate from the plan already in place.
“I don’t think my philosophy comes into play right now,” Poindexter told reporters Friday. “I think the philosophy of what we do here at Penn State is in play. I’m not here to switch our whole playbook in a month and try to get ready for a bowl game.
“We played great defense this year and Coach Pry was an excellent leader, so I gathered all the knowledge from him. Our staff has a lot of knowledge of this system. We’re just going to play the defense we’ve been playing all year.”
Penn State will need to do so against an Arkansas offense that will bring strength against strength.
Ranked 12th nationally for rushing offense at 217.3 yards per game, the Razorbacks had two backs with more than 100 carries and, in quarterback K.J. Jefferson, another. Adjusted for sacks, the trio picked up 1,821 yards on the ground, all on top of sophomore back Dominique Johnson’s team-leading seven rushing touchdowns and 498 yards on 86 carries.
And, even without the services of leading receiver Treylon Burks, who opted out of the bowl for the NFL following his 66 receptions for 1,104 yards and 11 scores during the regular season, the Razorbacks still present what Penn State is expecting to be a formidable challenge.
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“They’re very well-coached. Great personnel, excellent quarterback, excellent receivers, really good running backs,” Poindexter said. “They can throw multiple running backs at you. A really good offensive line. I think they’re the 12th ranked rushing offense in the country. In that league, that’s saying a lot. So we’re gonna have our challenges.
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“But I think they’re really driven by their quarterback. He’s an excellent player. He can throw the ball, he can make all the throws, he can use his legs in the run game. So we have our work cut out for us, but I think our kids will be up for the challenge.”
So too, Poindexter said, would the defensive coaching staff.
Taking the input of Penn State defensive line coach John Scott Jr., cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, and linebackers coach Joe Lorig, Poindexter said all would continue to provide assistance. Keeping in line with the set-up that had already been in place before Brent Pry’s departure to Virginia Tech, the Nittany Lions will aim to not miss a beat.
“Coach Pry, he wanted a lot of input from us as a staff,” Poindexter said. “I’m not gonna go off the rails and turn us into a whole different defense. Coach Pry did an excellent job of creating the culture and creating the system that we run here and we’ll just try to make the best plan for Arkansas which fits what we do and try to go execute.”
Poindexter said he has not yet decided whether to coach the game from the press box or on the field.
