The defensive tackle position was a glaring question mark for Penn State football this offseason as Matt Campbell was tasked with the daunting responsibility of roster reconstruction.

Alonzo Ford Jr. and Zane Durant were the two players who occupied the position prior to 2026, veteran talents who anchored one of the nation’s strongest run defenses two years ago.

While Saturday’s stat sheet wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary for the new group of tackles looking to follow in Ford and Durant’s footsteps, Nittany Nation should be excited about a promising showing nonetheless. 

Keanu Williams, Siale Taupaki, De’Andre Cook, Ty Blanding, and Dallas Vakalahi each accounted for a tackle in Penn State’s shutout victory, a testament to a true team effort. Playing as a cohesive unit will ultimately help this room excel down the road as the schedule toughens.

Ikaika Malloe emphasized the importance of his defensive tackles eating blocks, a selfless responsibility that frees up the linebackers and lets them make plays and help stop the run. There is no better proof of the team’s success in this facet than Marshall’s 44 yards on the ground.

“It’s just doing my job,” Williams said. “You know, it may not show up on the stat sheet. It may not show up to the regular fan, but as a football player, like D-Lineman specifically, we’ve got to just sit there and do our job.”

A big part of that job has nothing to do with stats or formations at all. Leadership, especially for a veteran player like Williams, is critical for the sustained success of the defensive tackle room.

Taupaki has been a prominent voice in the group and has meshed well with Williams in that regard. His contagious energy in the locker room and desire to grow have helped motivate his teammates to strive for similar achievements. 

Leading by example after a screw-up is one of the most effective ways to inspire work ethic, and Williams will hope to put it on display this week.

After being called for a facemask that put the Thundering Herd in Penn State territory for the first time all game, Williams took accountability despite being clearly frustrated by the infraction.

“Not gonna lie, that really got me a bit,” he said. “But I mean, it is what it is. It’s part of the game. No intention to do that, of course. But I got to be better.”

Despite playing a relatively clean game all-around, Campbell’s squad will continue to yearn for perfection as it prepares to face Temple, starting with Williams’ goal to play smart and not let what happened last week impact the game.

Cook, a sophomore, is one of the younger members of the group, but his impact could extend well beyond his years.

After facing legal trouble in 2024 following an E-Scooter accident, Cook has rebounded from that, along with an injury, to finally make his collegiate debut. 

“For him to get out there and play alongside him, it’s great to see,” Williams said of his teammate. “I’m just really happy that he’s out there playing and contributing.”

Blanding is another piece that Malloe has to work with in his defensive tackle group, a returning Nittany Lion from last year’s team.

His body type is perhaps atypical when compared to the rest of the guys in the room, coming in at 6-foot-1 and weighing 301 pounds, but his combination of explosiveness and finesse is not to be underestimated.

Williams is 6-foot-5 and said he’s jealous of Blanding’s shiftiness and his ability to use his flexibility to help the team win. 

At the end of the day, playing as one is the ultimate goal for Penn State and the many talents of this new-look defensive tackle room. Saturday proved not just to fans, but to the guys in the blue and white themselves, that that goal is more than feasible. 

Sticking to the basics and not overthinking are two variables in the equation that will ideally translate into more shutout performances for the Nittany Lion defense.

It was treated to a “victory dinner” with steak and potatoes following the win over Marshall. The team is undoubtedly hungry to taste that feeling again.

“Don’t do too much, don’t do too little,” Williams said. “Just do what we’re supposed to do, and do it to the fullest potential.”