Penn State defense 'found our identity' in win over Auburn; here's what it is
Auburn, Ala. — Penn State found its identity on defense during a 41-12 win over Auburn. The Lions had season-highs in turnovers, sacks, quarterback hurries, and tackles for loss on a dominating day inside of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
First-year Lions defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and his players talked all offseason about being fast, physical, and disruptive. They want to cause havoc. However, partially due to the opponents’ schemes and partially due to their own play, that wasn’t always on display throughout the first two weeks.
However, here, in front of an ‘Orange Out’ crowd that left long before the Penn State program celebrated with fans and the Blue Band in the north end zone, all of it was.
“Like I said, the past two games, they were kind of limiting us in what we do,” senior safety Ji’Ayir Brown said. “And, I think today was the day we were like, ‘OK, this is what we’re really capable of. We got after the quarterback a lot. A lot of pressures, and forced him into a lot of bad throws, and we capitalized on it.”
All told, Penn State intercepted two passes and forced three fumbles while recovering two. It had 11 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries, and three pass breakups. It held the Tigers’ vaunted rushing attack to just 119 yards overall. And, through three quarters, the host had just 309 total yards.
What is the identity of the Penn State defense?
Penn State, and any team, can win a lot of games when a defense turns in a performance like this one. Auburn did have 16 chunk plays. But, that’s about the only way it could move the ball against a stout Lions front seven and strong secondary. And, we shouldn’t go too much further without noting the key stops in the first half that turned two Tigers’ chances for touchdowns into field goals. Both series were tone setters for how this contest would ultimately play out.
Diaz is a firey coach. He is active on the practice field and the sideline. It’s the same energy he wants from his players. They had it on this night.
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“It’s the Manny Diaz identity,” Brown said. “Tackles for losses, interceptions, a lot of turnovers, a lot of havoc,” Brown said. “We found that today.”
The most exciting part for Penn State fans should be that this wasn’t even a perfect game. There were too many penalties and third down conversions allowed to say that. But, when you put it all together, it was almost exactly what Diaz wants. And the Lions will be very successful moving forward if he continues to get it.
“We were able to make them one dimensional to a degree,” head coach James Franklin said. “Now, obviously, there’s some things that we got to get cleaned up in the passing game. But overall, that was the plan. We wanted this quarterback put in the position to have to beat us. And I think we did that.
“They got two [running backs] that are challenging. The game really played out the way we hoped it would have played out offensively, defensively, and special teams. Really, all three phases.”
