Currently listed among the five most favored teams to win the National Championship by the oddsmakers in Vegas, big things are expected of James Franklin’s Nittany Lions this season. While Franklin once again boasts a tremendous amount of talent on his roster, this season’s Nittany Lions lack the game-time experience the team has had in recent years.

Young players across the roster will be asked to step up and fill the voids left behind by others who have moved on this offseason. Luckily for Penn State fans, Franklin has recruited exceptionally since arriving in Happy Valley.

Last week we took a look at the offense. This week, we’re looking at how Franklin’s defense should shape up this season.

Defensive Line

The Nittany Lions are chock full at defensive end with returners Torrence Brown, Shareef Miller, Shane Simmons, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Ryan Buchholz.

Defensive coordinator Bryant Pry also has the option of using highly-touted freshman Micah Parsons at defensive end occasionally next season, as well, as we’ll likely see the five-star talent line up all over the field.

At defensive tackle, Penn State must find a way to adequately replace departed seniors Parker Cothren and Curtis Cothran. Robert Windsor and Kevin Givens are Franklin’s most experienced options heading into next season, and Franklin has said they’re leading the competition for those spots.

Sophomores and former four-star recruits Fred Hansard and Ellison Jordan could factor into the tackle rotation, too. The pair played sparingly last season, but will have the opportunity to step up and help fill the void left behind by Cothren and Cothran.

Linebacker

Penn State said goodbye to two starters from last season’s linebacker unit — it lost Jason Cabinda to graduation and Manny Bowen was dismissed from the team.

Koa Farmer is the lone returning starter from last season and will be asked to take a leading role in the defense this time around, coaching up the younger linebackers along the way. Who will end up playing beside him is still a looming question.

Micah Parsons made the switch from defensive end to linebacker earlier this offseason. Parsons is still grappling with the techniques of playing linebacker at the collegiate level, but it’s hard to imagine him not starting given what he brings to the table. Jake Cooper, Jarvis Miller, Cameron Brown, and Jan Johnson should all compete for time alongside Parsons and Farmer this fall.

Cornerback

Despite losing starters Grant Haley and Christian Campbell, the Nittany Lions should be just fine at cornerback this season. With junior John Reid returning from an ACL injury suffered last spring, Penn State will be bringing back the most talented corner on its roster.

Had Reid remained healthy and been able to play last season, he very well may have been a candidate to leave early for the NFL Draft. Returning a player of Reid’s caliber and experience will be a huge boost to the defense as a whole.

Opposite Reid will most likely be senior Amani Oruwariye. Oruwariye was a core member of last season’s cornerback rotation and will also bring plenty of experience to the Penn State secondary.

Sophomores Donovan Johnson, Tariq Castro-Fields, and Zechariah McPhearson should all compete for rotational time alongside Reid and Oruwariye.

Safety

Another position that the Nittany Lions must replace two starters at, another position where the Nittany Lions should be just fine next season.

Fifth-year senior Nick Scott is primed to finally earn a starting role on the field. Despite mostly featuring on special teams during his Penn State career, Scott is a dynamic athlete whose experience makes him a perfect replacement for Marcus Allen.

The competition for who will play alongside Scott and fill the void left by Troy Apke is still up in the air, although Franklin said Garrett Taylor would be Penn State’s starter alongside Scott if they were to play this weekend. Taylor is a former cornerback who will be compete with another former cornerback in Lamont Wade for that second safety spot. Expect some of the younger talent like Jonathan Sutherland and Isaiah Humphries to make cases for playing time of their own.

For now, the plan at safety appears to be to deploy Scott in Allen’s role closer to the line of scrimmage as more of a run stopper. Whoever wins the battle alongside him will most likely play farther back and focus mostly guarding the middle of the field against the passing attack.