With the Nittany Lions’ season opener against Nevada at Beaver Stadium in about two weeks, Penn State’s preseason sessions are about to come to a conclusion.
The goal of James Franklin’s program going into August was to increase defensive line depth.
Outside, a few true freshmen have surfaced, and defensive tackle Zane Durant, a veteran at Penn State, is thrilled with the development of a third-year lineman who might break into the Lions’ rotation.
Seniors Durant and Alonzo Ford Jr. are anticipated to start, with Xavier Gilliam, a redshirt freshman who is growing quickly, coming off the bench first.
For their August 30 showdown against the Wolfpack, Penn State is highly favored over Nevada, and their -43.5 point spread is priced at -112 over onFanDuelf. Our review of FanDuel Sportsbook offers a comprehensive how-to for their platform.
Then?
Earlier last week, Durant stated, “I really like Ty Blanding.”
A child who sits in the front row of meetings, asks a lot of questions, and is genuinely eager to learn. That guy seems like he’ll be our future partner.
Last season, the 6-1, 292-pound Blanding, a redshirt sophomore, made six appearances.
Durant claims that he has improved in the offseason, and it is beneficial that Gilliam, Blanding, and the other rookie tackles have had the opportunity to practice against a strong offensive line during the preseason.
When asked how practicing against PSU’s O-line had benefited the defensive line’s growth, Durant responded, “It’s helped me tremendously.”
Since I oppose those folks on a daily basis, I can commend them for my career and everything I accomplished. That is the best offensive line we will face all year, and they give our defensive linemen their best effort.
