Penn State football veterans defend young DBs following Peach Bowl loss

In the last Penn State football game of 2023, we saw the Nittany Lions defense struggle mightly for really the first time all season. The uncharacteristic performance was due, in part, to opt-outs of key Nittany Lion stars, thrusting inexperienced defenders into action against the high-powered Ole Miss offense. But while the play of these young defenders, particularly in the secondary, has been highly scrutinized, Penn State veterans Daequan Hardy, Jaylen Reed, and Kobe King came to the defense of their teammates following Saturday’s Peach Bowl loss.

A difficult end to a dominant season for the Penn State defense

Going into Saturday’s Peach Bowl, there was little doubt that Penn State football boasted the best defense in the nation. But by about midway through the first half, there was little doubt that the Nittany Lions were outmatched by the Ole Miss offense.

Penn State was hit particularly hard in the defensive backfield. Without top CBs Kalen King and Johnny Dixon, sophomore Cam Miller and true freshmen Zion Tracy and Elliot Washinton II were called to step up.

What could have been a coming-out party for the young members of the Penn State secondary ended up being a trial by fire at the hands of the Rebels. Ole Miss passed for 258 yards in the first half, part of a season-high 394 yards allowed by the Nittany Lions. The 540 yards and 38 points put up by Ole Miss were also the most given up by Penn State this year. The Peach Bowl snapped Penn State’s 17-game streak of allowing 24 points or less dating back to the Indiana matchup in 2022.

Now, it’s likely that the Rebels still would have had success passing even if Penn State was at full strength. The Ole Miss WRs are among the best in college football. They proved that Saturday, routinely snagging difficult throws down the sideline. Ole Miss finished the day completing 64% of its passes on throws of 15+ yards.

Nonetheless, the Peach Bowl was a difficult way to end the year for what was otherwise the most dominant defense in recent Penn State football history.

Penn State veterans defend play of young DBs following Peach Bowl loss

It’s still very possible that Cam Miller, Zion Tracy, and Elliot Washington will go on to excel in their time at Penn State. All were highly regarded as recruits and have only seen limited action early in their Nittany Lion careers.

However, that didn’t stop the trio from finding themselves in the crosshairs following Saturday’s loss. But amid the criticism, Penn State football veterans Daequan Hardy, Jaylen Reed, and Kobe King came to the aid of their young teammates.

“I think those guys held their own,” CB Daequan Hardy said of the young secondary after finishing his last game as a Nittany Lion. “They probably gave up maybe two catches on the outside lanes and a couple on slants, which isn’t too bad. It’s definitely a learning experience getting to play in a big-time game. They’ll be good moving forward.”

“They stepped up. We needed them and relied on them,” LB Kobe King echoed. “We try to teach everyone the ‘next play’ mentality, but they got a good taste of what’s ahead of them and what they can work towards to be better for themselves and the team. We’ll expect a lot from them next year.”

S Jaylen Reed also looked ahead to what the young DBs can accomplish heading into next season while explaining the difficult circumstance Miller, Tracy, and Washington faced. Reed encountered a similar situation, getting thrust into action as a true freshman following opt-outs before the Outback Bowl in 2021.

“I feel like Cam and Zion did well. It’s tough for young players to step into situations like that – going into a bowl game without getting as many reps as some of the older guys,” he said. “There are always things that the entire team can improve upon – not just them. Going into next year, they can learn from their mistakes and build going into next year.”

Penn State football now hopes to turn the page on the disappointing loss heading into 2024. The Nittany Lions will look drastically different on defense next year, led by new DC Tom Allen. But at any rate, Miller, Tracy, and Washington will be expected to learn from this Peach Bowl experience and become major contributors next fall. 

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