Penn State defender Abdul Carter on hybrid role: 'Wherever I line up at, I'm going to find a way to impact the game"
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State All-Big Ten defender Abdul Carter is ready for his biggest and most unique season as a Nittany Lion. The Philadelphia native enters his third year in the program with a new mission: To be a major disruption to opposing offenses. That’s not to say he wasn’t before, of course. He has 16 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and 104 tackles total over his first two years. It’s earned him all-conference accolades, a second-team All-American spot, and praise from his peers across the conference and country. Now, though, he’s aiming to become one of the game’s top defenders and earn the individual and team praise that comes with it. And, he’ll do so by moving between linebacker and defensive end whenever first-year coordinator Tom Allen needs him to.
“I feel like I can play any position on the field. So, definitely going from linebacker to defensive end wasn’t hard at all for me. I just know I’m a natural football player,” Carter said at the team’s media day on Saturday. And wherever I line up, I’m going to find a way to impact the game.”
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Carter is focusing his time during the early portion of preseason camp, which started this week, working on mastering the tools needed to be an elite pass rusher from the line of scrimmage. Much of his time over the next month will be focused there. There will be some linebacker work, of course. But at the moment, Penn State changed the junior’s position back in February for a reason. Thus, it will make it a priority over the weeks ahead.
“I think the biggest thing for me just making the switch from linebacker to d-end is just the technical stuff,” Carter said. “Learning how to use my hands more, read an offensive tackle, and knowing what I’m going to get. But, the technical stuff is just the biggest for me. It’s repetition.”
Allen does not see the plan to move Carter’s position week to week and even series to series as a problem. Instead, it’s a luxury for the Penn State star and his defense.
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“He’s a difference-maker type of guy,” Allen said. “So, you want him to be able to have multiple skill sets so he can impact the game at different positions. I feel like he is nothing but an asset to us. And, we’ll continue to balance that all out and allow him to be able to be totally prepared for game day in whatever role that might be.”
Carter has never lacked confidence. He wanted to make this move with one goal in mind: Helping his team win.
“I just want to do whatever it takes to win the game,” Carter said. “Regardless of where I line up, I just want to play fast, be disruptive and do whatever it takes to win.”
