Penn State Football: Did James Franklin Reveal New Defensive Wrinkle?

Penn State Football head coach James Franklin met with the media during a pre-spring practice press conference Tuesday at Beaver Stadium. During the press conference, Franklin answered questions regarding player availability, position changes, player development, and Penn State’s three new coordinators, among other topics.

However, one answer in particular may have revealed a key detail about Penn State’s defensive scheme in 2024 under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen.

Penn State Football, Tom Allen — Tom Allen has big plans in his first season as Penn State Football defensive coordinator (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

New ‘Lion’ Position

In discussing safety depth for the upcoming season, Franklin revealed that Penn State Football will use the “Lion” designation for the nickel defensive back this season, a new terminology under defensive coordinator Tom Allen that Penn State did not use under defensive coordinator Manny Diaz over the past two seasons.

According to Franklin, Penn State has “a number of guys that [Penn State’s staff feels] really good about at the safety position.”

Franklin: nickel position will be called the “lion” position in Tom Allen’s defense. Could use S Jaylen Reed there.

— Penn State FB Thoughts (@PSU_FB_Thoughts) March 12, 2024

The new “Lion” position could be a way for Penn State Football to get three safeties on the field together at the same time and to have more players named a “starter” on the Nittany Lions‘ defense in 2024.

In 2023, Penn State’s nickel position was filled almost exclusively by Daequan Hardy, who declared for the 2024 NFL draft after five seasons with the Nittany Lions. With Hardy, along with fellow cornerbacks Johnny Dixon and Kalen King, off to the NFL, the depth at safety on Penn State’s 2024 roster will carry more experienced heading into the 2024 season compared with the cornerback position, which will be replacing three starters.

With both 2023 starting safeties, KJ Winston and Jaylen Reed, returning in 2024, and Zakee Wheatley (who has played the third most snaps at safety over the past two seasons for the Nittany Lions) also in the mix at safety before even discussing younger talent at the position, the Penn State staff is looking for ways to get more players involved without needing to take the starters off of the field.

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Depth at Safety

With Abdul Carter moving to defensive end for the 2024 season, Penn State’s designation of a “Lion” position may signal that the Lions could play more nickel defense this season, sticking with two linebacker sets to allow some of the young linebackers more time to develop.

Franklin noted that flexibility with the new “Lion” position could allow Jaylen Reed to step up in the nickel package as a bigger safety, rather than looking for a cornerback for that position. According to Franklin, both Winston and Reed are “big and strong enough” to step up in run support and move down into the box.

At the moment, Reed is the heaviest safety on Penn State’s 2024 roster, listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds, only 10 pounds lighter than linebackers Dom Deluca and Keon Wylie. Playing Reed at the “Lion” would allow Penn State to get Reed, Winston, and Wheatley on the field at the same time or allow King Mack, Lamont Payne, or Dakari Nelson to play some snaps on the back end. Franklin noted that Penn State feels “really good about that three deep.”

Penn State’s designation of the “Lion” position on defense would seem to suggest that nickel defense will play an important role in Tom Allen’s defensive scheme this fall as Penn State looks to put its best players on the field at the same time.

Having the opportunity to play three safeties on the field and utilizing one in the nickel position will allow Penn State’s younger corners and linebackers time to develop without putting too much pressure on them to start and play a ton of snaps right away. Tom Allen will be putting his own stamp on the Penn State defense in 2024, and this may just be the first change that we see from the 2022, 2023 defenses under Manny Diaz.