Penn State heads into Saturday’s game against Purdue with a defense that needs a difference-maker, and Tony Rojas looks like the player most capable of filling that role.
The junior linebacker has piled up the numbers that get attention fast: tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and interceptions. He’s also been the most productive pass rusher on the roster, with five sacks while the rest of the team has combined for four. That production has put him in the middle of All-America talk, but defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn still thinks there’s another gear.
"He's one of the most athletic inside backers I've seen," said PSU coordinator D'Anton Lynn. "You know, not just talking about Penn State, but just in general.
You watch him do drills. You watch him do anything in space.
You know, he's fluid, he's fast, he's explosive.
"And then, you know, there's still another level that I think he can reach and we're hoping that we can get him to do that the next couple weeks."
That would be a welcome development for a Penn State defense trying to steady itself after late-game slips in losses to Wisconsin, USC and Michigan. Against Purdue, the Lions may need Rojas to be the tone-setter and the closer.
The bigger question on the other side of the ball is whether Penn State’s run game can finally show up. It has been a slog, with the Lions averaging just 2.5 yards per carry and only one tailback topping 100 yards in a game, a mark that came more than a month ago.
Purdue’s defense offers a chance to change that. The Boilermakers rank 95th nationally against the run, allowing 162 yards per game.
If Penn State can get something going early, it could loosen the entire offense and create a better rhythm from the start. Carson Hansen, James Peoples and Quinton Martin, Jr. have each taken turns in the backfield, but none has been able to seize the day.
Hansen has been the lead option, averaging 39.7 rushing yards per game.
Purdue won’t be easy to push around, though, because the Boilermakers can score. Quarterback Ryan Browne threw for 378 yards in a wild loss to UCLA and has been intercepted only three times.
He has capable receivers and a productive back in Fame Ijeboi, who has rushed for 595 yards and nine touchdowns. Nearly 200 of those yards came in Purdue’s best win, a 41-13 victory over Minnesota.
Penn State’s answer starts with Rojas, and it extends to a deep and versatile cornerback group that might be as strong as any in the country. Audavion Collins, Zion Tracy, Daryus Dixson and rookie Josiah Zayas give the Lions a lot to work with, and Tracy has even moved to safety. That group should be asked to do plenty: cover, blitz and help near the line of scrimmage while the front seven tries to hold up.
The question is whether those defenders can force Browne into mistakes that give Penn State an easier path. The pick here says yes, but only just.
Penn State 29, Purdue 24
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Against Purdue in Week 9, Arrington was absent from the availability report, a small but notable development for a defense still managing multiple injuries and a crowded injury list overall. For Penn State, the question is no longer just when Arrington gets back, but how quickly the Nittany Lions need him once he does, given the way the depth chart has been tested at one of the most demanding spots on the field. [Read more 🡒]