FINAL CAMP UPDATES: Penn State DT thinks the defensive line will dominate offenses in 2023

At this point in the offseason, the storylines for the 2023 Penn State football season, at least through the early portion of the year, are pretty much solidified. Nittany Lions fans anxiously await the start of a new era at quarterback, but Penn State’s College Football Playoff hopes could really sink or swim based on the development at the wide receiver and defensive line positions. While questions remain as to who will emerge for the Nittany Lions out wide, on the defensive front, the issue is more about whether the unit can elevate its play to that of a Playoff-caliber team. When asked this question earlier in the week, Penn State DT Zane Durant had a very direct, and bold, answer.

Penn State DT Zane Durant believes the defensive line will dominate offenses in 2023

Coming into the 2023 season, there’s little question about the elite talent that Penn State football has at the edge position. Led by veteran Adisa Isaac and potential first-round NFL Draft pick Chop Robinson, the Nittany Lion pass rush is poised to wreak havoc on quarterbacks this fall.

But on the interior of the defensive line, questions remain as to the Nittany Lions’ ability to compete with championship-level talent. After giving up 418 yards on the ground to Michigan last year, the narrative became that the Penn State defensive line was oversized and outmatched. Seemingly the genesis for Penn State’s “bigger, stronger, faster” mantra this offseason, elevating the physicality up front was a priority in Happy Valley this winter.

And according to Penn State DT Zane Durant, Nittany Lions fans should expect to see a massive improvement on the field this fall. “We’re going to be the best defensive line in the nation this year,” Durant said when asked about the ceiling of his unit after practice on Wednesday.

The sophomore explained that the defensive line room has developed an extremely tight bond this offseason, and everyone carries around the chip that they “weren’t big enough or aggressive enough” in 2022. As a result of their offseason efforts, Zane Durant believes that the Penn State defensive linemen are “gonna impose our will on every offensive line this year.”

No dropoff in the room?

The Penn State DT went on to emphasize the defensive line’s depth, believing that there’s “no dropoff” when the front has to rotate during camp. This depth will undoubtedly be tested early this season. The Nittany Lions are already down two defensive linemen heading into 2023. This includes transfer Alonzo Ford, who was brought in to supplement the unit’s depth this fall. Ford and edge Smith Vilbert are both reportedly out for the season due to injury.

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