Penn State running back James Peoples has spent the offseason working on a skill that doesn’t always grab headlines, but absolutely decides whether a back stays on the field: pass protection.
That work got a public nod last week when Matt Campbell pointed to Peoples’ blocking after he helped extend a couple of plays that turned into touchdown passes.
“I thought (Peoples) had a really all-around great day,” Campbell said.
Peoples, who transferred in from Ohio State, has been trending well throughout the offseason and looks positioned to back up Carson Hansen as the No. 2 option. But Campbell has also made the standard clear for every back in the room: if you can’t help keep quarterback Rocco Becht clean, you won’t see much of the field.
For Peoples, that challenge has been front and center for months.
“It’s really been something that I’ve worked on in preseason, the summer, to now,” Peoples said Thursday.
“It’s really starting to pay off. Pass pro is huge, to stay on the field and be a three-down back.”
“There is no such thing as 100 percent (in) protection, so I’m working on that,” Peoples continued.
“I’m always stressing (it) before practice, after practice, film study, whatever the case is, to make sure I’m keeping Rocco safe.”
He also broke down the different kinds of pressure Penn State’s defenders can bring in practice, naming linebackers Tony Rojas and Cael Brezina, along with safety Marcus Neal Jr.
“All the linebackers are different,” Peoples said.
“Tony (Rojas), he’s like a finesse guy, he’s real smooth with it. Cael (Brezina) is like a bull rusher.
“Marcus (Neal), he’s like a heavy-coming guy, from safety depth. They all blitz differently; they’re all good at it, too.”
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Penn State Still Faces A Big Ono Lineup Decision
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The open debate is whether Ono lands at 133 or 141 pounds, two spots that would each ask something a little different of him in Penn States lineup puzzle. Ono said he is willing to wrestle wherever the coaches place him, though 157 pounds does not appear to be in play, leaving the staff with a decision that could shape the lower end of the lineup once the season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]
Former Penn State Fan Favorite Is Rejoining James Franklin In Virginia
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Penn State Fans Suddenly Have A New Jaylen Reed Question
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Reed had appeared in seven games as a rookie for Houston, but now he is on the move again just as teams close in on the 53-man roster deadline. For Penn State backers, the immediate question is less about where Reed has been and more about where this latest change leaves his path in the NFL, especially with the Patriots adding him at a moment when roster spots are anything but secure. [Read more 🡒]