Penn State Q&A: Kalen King talks Auburn prep, season's start, and more
Penn State corner Kalen King was on the line with reporters on Wednesday as the Lions continue preparing for Auburn. The second-year member of the secondary has been on the field for 55 percent of the defense’s snaps so far this season. He has amassed a tackle and a pass breakup so far as Penn State sits at 2-0 after facing two pass-heavy offenses to start the year.
“I feel like the games for me have been really great for me, because I’ve been getting a lot of experience, I’ve getting a lot of reps,” King said.
“I’m getting a lot of situations that I can go over and be aware for. I feel like I always got room to improve my game. Whether I’m playing good or if I’m playing bad, I just feel like there is always something that I can improve on. And, I’m always looking to make improvements in my game no matter what the situation is.”
King is the feature of this week’s Blue-White Illustrated Penn State Q&A.
On the Penn State not having an interception yet despite a focus on turnovers this offseason
“I feel like our group as a whole, we’ve been very good at attacking the ball,” King said. “We make a lot of plays on the ball. We’ve got a lot of [pass breakups] so far. We’re just looking forward to taking that next step to catching them.
“We’re getting our hands on the ball, we’re disrupting a lot of balls, but we got to catch them now. I feel like it’s coming soon enough. I feel like when it comes, it’s gonna keep rolling.”
What’s it like playing opposite Joey Porter Jr.?
“It’s been very good playing with Joey,” King said. “Joey is one of those players who, he’s very talented. He got all the physical stuff. He’s very smart. He’s like what you look for in a corner. He’s getting ready to go to the NFL after the season. It’s very good playing with him. I learn a lot from him. We talk about a lot of things. We go over a lot of stuff. So I feel like having Joey Porter across from me is like a very big benefit for me.”
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What changes about game prep for Penn State with a run-heavy Auburn team on deck?
“This week, we know it’s going to be a lot of run action,” King said. “It’s a big tackling game this week, definitely. We’re still defensive backs, so our first mindset is covered. So, the first thing we worry about is coverage. But, know it’s going to be a big tackling game this game, so we’re also ready for that.”
King later added on Penn State-Auburn:
“I just look at it like it’s just like an opportunity to make more plays. Corners aren’t really known to make a lot of plays in a run game. So, I feel like now that we’re facing a run-heavy team, it’s going to allow us to make a little bit more plays on the ball and stuff like that.”
On what it’s like playing with his brother, Kobe, who is a linebacker for the Lions
“Me and my brother, we’ve been playing football with each other for our whole lives, really, so the only difference I would say in college is like, it’s just on a bigger platform, and more people are watching,” Kalen King said.
“I don’t feel like there’s any added pressure to that. I just feel like it’s on a bigger stage. We’ve been playing with each other our whole lives. So I don’t really look at it as any different than what we’ve already been doing or what we’ve already been involved with.”
