Penn State has spent the first three weeks showing off different parts of its defense. The pass rush has flashed.
Young defensive backs have been asked to grow up fast. But tucked into that bigger picture is a strong start from senior safety Marcus Neal Jr., who has given the Nittany Lions exactly the kind of steady presence they need on the back end.
Through three games, Neal has piled up eight tackles, a fumble recovery and two forced fumbles as Penn State heads into Big Ten play. The box score only hints at how much he has mattered. Pro Football Focus says Neal has logged 94 defensive snaps, with 57 coming in coverage and 36 against the run.
That work has shown up in the grading too. Neal’s 84.6 overall run defense grade ranks second among Penn State defenders, behind only Rojas. He has also been sound as a tackler, earning a 75.0 tackling grade with just one missed tackle on 12 chances.
Even when opponents have completed passes in his direction, Neal has kept things from turning into chunk plays. Quarterbacks are five for five against him in coverage, but those throws have produced only 42 yards, an average of 8.4 yards per completion. He’s done a good job of limiting yards after the catch.
Neal said he feels the defense is settling in.
“I’m feeling very comfortable in this defense,” Neal said. “You know, D-Lynn [D’Anton Lynn] does a great job of just coaching us up on everything, and even our position coaches. So, I feel very comfortable in this defense, and we’ve only got room to keep growing.”
That comfort has translated into impact plays, and the forced fumbles stand out most. Penn State has forced four fumbles as a team in its first three games, and Neal has been responsible for half of them.
That kind of production can flip a drive in an instant.
Neal still sees room for more, though. He isn’t treating the opening stretch like anything close to a finished product.
“Just the way everybody is playing, flying around and everybody’s energy there,” Neal said when asked what he liked through three games. “We could fix the little things, but everybody needs to be playing to our standards. So, I really like that, and you know, you’ve just got to keep doing better every week.”
The timing matters with conference play starting now, and Neal also has a personal angle attached to Penn State’s matchup with Wisconsin.
The game could line him up across from former Iowa State teammate Abu Sama III, a running back who is hoping to play Saturday after missing last week with an undisclosed shoulder injury. The two were close in Ames before their careers took them to different Big Ten programs.
Neal didn’t try to downplay the reunion.
“It’s going to be fun for sure,” Neal said. “You know, that’s my friend.
He’s my brother for life. We built a close relationship while we were at Iowa State, and he’s a great player.”
But once the ball is snapped, the sentiment changes.
“We’re going to have to all go out there and give it our all,” Neal said.
That has been the story of his season so far. Neal hasn’t needed interceptions or splashy highlight moments to make his mark. He has been consistent, physical and assignment-sound, and that has helped him fit into a recent Penn State safety line that includes KJ Winston, Zakee Wheatley, Ji’Ayir Brown, and Jaquan Brisker.
Now the level of competition rises, and Penn State will find out more about what it really has on defense. Through three games, Neal has already made one thing clear: the Nittany Lions may have found a veteran safety they can trust.
In Other News...
Penn State Staffer Faces Serious Off-Field Legal Trouble
A Penn State assistant coach is now dealing with an off-field situation that is drawing attention in State College and around the program. Jordan Lucas, the Nittany Lions assistant cornerbacks coach, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of DUI and three summary traffic violations after police found him asleep in a vehicle downtown with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.
The stop came after officers found the vehicle illegally positioned in a crosswalk, with Lucas also listed as having a suspended drivers license and an expired vehicle registration. Penn State acknowledged the charges and said Lucas remains with the program while the legal matter moves forward, leaving the university to manage both the public fallout and the uncertainty around what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Offensive Line Just Got Thinner At The Worst Time
Penn States offensive line depth took another hit at an unwelcome time, with Will Tompkins ruled out for the season because of injury, according to coach Matt Campbell. Tompkins had played 31 snaps across the first three games after transferring in from Iowa State, giving the Nittany Lions another experienced body in a position group that can never have enough of them.
The setback leaves Penn State without a player it had hoped could help stabilize things as the year unfolded, and it also delays any chance to see how he might have fit into the rotation over a full season. There is still some long-term silver lining: Tompkins is expected to keep four years of eligibility after this season, so his Penn State story is far from over even if this one now pauses before it really got going. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States RB Battle Just Got Tougher To Ignore Entering Big Ten Play
Penn State spent the nonconference slate getting a closer look at four running backs, and the rotation did not make the answer any simpler. Carson Hansen, James Peoples, Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace all got chances to show what they can do, but the way those carries were distributed also made it clear this job is still open as Big Ten play arrives.
Martin stood out most against Buffalo, where his versatility in the passing game added another layer to his case, while Peoples continued to show growth and a knack for finding the end zone. Those two now look like the clearest candidates to head the depth chart, even if the staff has not committed to one lead option yet, and the coming conference games should tell whether Penn State leans toward the more dynamic all-purpose threat or the back who has been quickest to turn touches into points. [Read more 🡒]