Penn State Football Preseason Camp: Defense Takes Shape

Two weeks into preseason Camp, the Nittany Lions have already seen freshmen burst onto the scene, intense position battles emerge on defense, and new transfer talents reinvigorate the offense. Head coach James Franklin and his staff, including new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, offered a candid mid-camp assessment on Tuesday. They highlighted standout newcomers and pressing areas for improvement as Penn State eyes a title run in 2025.

Penn State’s highly touted freshman class is living up to its billing on defense. True freshman defensive end Chaz Coleman has been the talk of camp, earning the colorful nickname “Chazmanian Devil” from Coach Knowles for his relentless motor (statecollege.com). The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Coleman, a former high school quarterback who switched to defense as a senior, has displayed explosive athleticism and a non-stop work rate. “He’s crazy athletic, explosive, and for a freshman, he plays really hard, like he plays to the echo, chases the ball all over the place,” defensive coordinator Knowles said.

Coaches initially weren’t sure what to expect from Coleman, given his limited experience at defensive end. His physicality and quick development have been a pleasant surprise to a defensive line group that needs to bolster its depth. Coleman has quickly added about 25 pounds of muscle since enrolling in the program. He is already pushing for immediate playing time. In fact, Franklin revealed that in his preseason “green light” meeting, where freshmen self-assess if they’re ready to play, Coleman modestly labeled himself a “yellow” (maybe ready). Everyone in the room knew he was a “green.” Franklin chuckled that teammates told Coleman, “Dude, you ain’t yellow,” underscoring how ready the freshman is (on3.com).

Coleman isn’t the only newcomer turning heads. Fellow freshman Yvan Kemajou, a 6-3, 250-pound four-star defensive end, and freshman cornerback Daryus Dixson have also impressed the staff. Kemajou’s blend of power and burst off the edge earned him significant reps in the spring Blue-White game. He continues to be a name floating around all offseason. Dixson (6-0, 191) flashed playmaking ability in spring ball and brought that momentum into August camp. All three players could be on track to avoid redshirts and contribute right away. If camp is any indication, Penn State’s youth movement on defense could pay immediate dividends this fall.

Depth and competition have been hallmarks of preseason Camp, especially on defense, where multiple positions remain unsettled. Knowles has highlighted a three-way battle for the starting strong safety spot. Dejuan Lane, King Mack, and Antoine Belgrave-Shorter are vying for the job. Lane, a rangy sophomore who played in 16 games last season, has carried over the ball skills and physicality he showed in high school. On tape, he tracks the ball well in the air, competes through the catch point, and delivers firm, balanced tackles that finish plays.

Mack, a junior who began his career at Penn State before a brief transfer detour, has returned and injected experience into the secondary. The wild card is Belgrave-Shorter, a redshirt freshman who has the least game experience but is “on the rise” according to Knowles (profootballnetwork.com). The safety rotation may ultimately be situational in Knowles’ version of the 4-2-5. Multiple players could see time based on down and distance. All three contenders have put themselves in the mix to start. It’s an intriguing battle that underscores Knowles’ larger project of shoring up a secondary that showed cracks late last season. Injury and depth issues, specifically in the playoffs, were part of the problem.

At linebacker, the focus is on communication and leadership. With defensive captains from last year gone, Franklin is determining who will wear the new “green dot” helmet. That is a single defensive player equipped with a headset to relay calls from coaches. The staff is evaluating the three inside linebackers with the most experience, sophomore Tony Rojas, senior Dominic DeLuca, and North Carolina transfer Amare Campbell. It’s notable that Campbell, despite being a newcomer, is already in that conversation. The fifth-year senior started at UNC and seems to have adapted quickly to Knowles’ scheme. Rojas, a former top recruit, and DeLuca, a savvy leader and special teams ace, are also taking charge in practices. Whichever linebacker earns the green dot will be entrusted to be Franklin’s on-field general for a unit undergoing a scheme overhaul under Knowles.

While coaches are encouraged by the talent on defense, Franklin has been frank about the need to clean up execution. Installation of the new defensive system is essentially complete. Now it’s about ironing out mistakes. “We’ve got to play cleaner,” Franklin said, noting “there’s just too many missed assignments and things like that” in mid-camp scrimmages (si.com). “Bad football will get you beat long before good football will win you games,” he warned. He emphasized that even a highly ranked team can be its own worst enemy if it’s sloppy.

Penn State’s season begins with a favorable stretch, facing Nevada, Florida International, and Villanova. These matchups provide the program with a valuable opportunity to fine-tune its schemes, evaluate rotations, and address any early inconsistencies. The lighter early schedule provides a chance to build cohesion across all three phases. It also allows coaches to test younger contributors in live action. The team can make tactical adjustments before the rigors of Big Ten competition begin. For now, the priority in practice is clear. Competition brings energy, but consistency and attention to detail will elevate Penn State from a playoff team to a championship team.

Main Photo: Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK