Things are beginning to take shape around the Lasch Building as Penn State football enters its second full week of training camp. There’s plenty of new on the defensive side of the ball this fall, with Jim Knowles taking over playcalling duties and several of the unit’s most prominent names off to the NFL. Now, another change is coming for a newcomer on the Nittany Lions defense.
Incoming transfer Enai White is moving from the edge to the defensive interior of the line ahead of his first season in Happy Valley. On Thursday evening, James Franklin explained why the position change is a natural progression for the former Texas A&M Aggie.
“We are going to move Enai inside. I think long term, it’s his best position in terms of being able to play the game as long as he can,” he said. “Whenever you move down a position, you increase the athleticism. He has been as big as 275 pounds without even trying anyway.”
White joined the Nittany Lions from the transfer portal in December. A standout at Philadelphia’s Imhotep Institute, White was the No. 38 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle. After a productive start to his career in College Station, his usage dwindled following a season-ending injury as a sophomore.
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While Franklin described White’s move as a long-term decision, he also didn’t rule out the redshirt junior returning to his old position when needed.
“So it’s something that we think can help him and help us, and he’s also smart enough that if we got a game that we want to play with a big end — because he is physical, like you guys know we’ve done in the past with some guys — we could move him out there or use him in a goal line package, too,” he explained. “So just trying to put him in the best position to bring value to us and for himself long term.”
Young Nittany Lions battling to establish themselves on the defensive interior
Penn State returns starting tackle Zane Durant to the defensive interior this fall. Beyond that, there’s still much to be determined over the remaining weeks of fall camp.
It’s widely expected that Alonzo Ford, who is returning from a year-ending injury last November, will join Durant on the first team. The Nittany Lions will then turn to a cadre of young and unproven talent to fill out the rotation – a list that now includes Enai White.
“There’s been a lot of talk and buzz around Xavier [Gilliam]. [Ty] Blanding is as twitchy and as athletic as we have at the position and has really taken a step right now,” Franklin said. “And then there’s a group of like three guys that are battling for those next two spots. I probably should have included [Owen] Wafle, because Wafle is the other one that is doing some really nice things.
“And then there’s that group of three guys that are all battling — Liam [Andrews], [De’Andre] Cook, Randy [Adirika] — are all battling for those next spots. So, we feel good probably about those top four to five guys. And then there’s a battle for that sixth defensive tackle.”
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