In Penn State's Mike LB competition, development takes precedence

Even before the start of Penn State’s spring practices, head coach James Franklin acknowledged the stakes.

In losing Ellis Brooks, Penn State would face its first spring without a solidified Mike linebacker since 2018. Playing only sparingly the season prior, that job was earned by walk-on Jan Johnson ahead of the 2018 campaign.

For two seasons, Johnson started every game. Having shared responsibilities with Brooks in 2019, the transition was made easier by his experience. 

But with Brooks having started 20 games at the position over the past two years, then, the Nittany Lions have an entirely new calculus at hand for the position this spring. 

In Tyler Elsdon and Kobe King, Penn State has a true competition on its hands. 

“I think that’s… one of the big question marks in spring ball,” Franklin said last month. “I think the battle between Elsdon and Kobe King at that position. It’ll be interesting to see what they both are able to do.

“They’ll get a ton of reps. There will be a tremendous opportunity for them to be evaluated.”

Penn State’s front-row seat

Through Penn State’s spring practices, Jonathan Sutherland has had a front-row seat to the proceedings.

Moving from his safety spot to linebacker this offseason full-time, Sutherland recently offered his perspective on the ongoing battle between Elsdon and King. 

Echoing the sentiment expressed by Brooks, the environment is one of learning as much as it is competition.

“Those are two guys that, they’re eager to learn the defense. They’re asking questions constantly, making sure they know their assignment, and they truly care about this program, defense, and their roles on this team,” Sutherland said. “I would say those are two guys that are really hungry to get better and help this team.”

Despite his COVID-abbreviated true freshman year in the program, that has been true of the past two years for Elsdon. 

Arriving in the summer of 2020, Elsdon played just once before taking on a consistent special teams role last year. Mixing in as a backup to Brooks, the final tally for Elsdon was 74 game reps on defense, topped by an Outback Bowl in which he appeared for 26 snaps.

King, meanwhile, made an initial splash with the Nittany Lions in his first year on campus last year. 

Spared from burning his redshirt in the bowl, King saw rotational action at linebacker against Ball State, Auburn, Villanova, and Indiana as the Nittany Lions battled injuries positionally. 

And, despite not appearing through the remainder of the season, the learning process has primed King to compete with Elsdon for the role this spring.

“They’re two competitors. Both of them love football. They both want to be the guy. And they’re gonna push each other every single day to get better,” Brooks told BWI at Penn State Pro Day. “I feel like Tyler’s doing a good job of commanding the defense, at least from what I see right now. But, Kobe’s learning how to do that. He’s getting that aspect.”

Sizing up the competition

According to Sutherland, the similarities between the two players are more notable than their differences, though.

At 6-foot-2, 229 pounds for Elsdon, and a 6-foot-1, 242-pound frame for King, both players own one of the ingredients most necessary to the position.

“I’ll say their physicality,” Sutherland said. “They run to the ball, and they try to strike when they get there. I would say that for both of them.”

Grinding through the coming days and weeks of practices leading into Penn State’s April 23 Blue-White Game, Franklin signaled that reps will be plentiful for both players this spring.

“Elsdon and Kobe will get every rep we can get out of them to evaluate them to see where they’re at,” Franklin said. “Then we’ll reconfigure that after spring ball, who needs to be moved around, what’s the best positions for them to play.”

Well into that process, Sutherland described an atmosphere in which the process is just as important as the result.

Understanding that regardless of who wins the starting job, both Elsdon and King will likely see extensive action this season, getting better has taken precedence.

“The linebacker room, we’re all about getting each other better,” Sutherland said. “Obviously, there’s competition, but we need everyone in this room. We need the depth and really, iron sharpens iron.”