A BCS Bid for Penn State Depends on the Defense

Against a poor Coastal Carolina team and a mediocre Oregon State team, Penn State's offense was flawless.  They will probably not be flawless against their Big Ten schedule, and although Daryll Clark looks impressive, Pat Devlin still could be the starter, being the better passer.

However, Penn State's defense against these teams has been average at best.  I understand that they had Chris Baker and Phil Taylor kicked off the team, and Maurice Evans has been suspended along with Abe Koroma and Andrew Quarless, but he's on offense.

Penn State has also lost likely All-American linebacker Sean Lee and defensive end Jerome Hayes to season-ending injuries.  The defense has lost nearly all of its first and second string defensive line and their starting middle linebacker.

Those injuries and suspensions will cost Penn State against the strong offensive lines of the Big Ten.  Abe Koroma and Maurice Evans will most likely be back from suspension in a week or two, but that is not a certainty.

The real question on defense, though, is the secondary.  Against Oregon State—who, to Penn State's credit, is a passing team—racked up over 250 passing yards against Penn State.

Throughout the years Penn State's secondary has been questionable.  I don't think it is necessarily all about their skill level...it is also the play calling.

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley calls many zone plays and not much press coverage.  This gives talented wide receivers 20-30 yards of open field against our secondary, leaving them at an unfair disadvantage.

Galen Hall has expanded the offensive playbook and has made more creative plays for the offense to run.  Tom Bradley plays a soft zone all the time, and although he has blitzed more often in the past few years, he could become more creative with his blitzes.  He should blitz safeties and cornerback Lydell Sargent, since both cornerback A.J. Wallace and safety Tony Davis are fast and cover well.

When Penn State blitzes their front seven, more press coverage should be played.  Man coverage blitzes are more effective than zone blitzes when you have a burner like A.J. Wallace.

Penn State's offense this year is more explosive than ever, with Evan Royster and Stephfon Green at running back, the amazing trifecta of seniors at wide receiver, a veteran offensive line, and two great quarterbacks who can both easily be starters.  Penn State's offense should have very little trouble scoring and maintaining drives this year.

However, this defense will need to step up big time—especially the secondary and Tom Bradley—in order to have any shot at going undefeated and/or receiving a BCS bowl bid.