Ad Disclosure
Greg McElroy tabs key defensive group as Penn State’s MVPs for 2023
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Greg McElroy is gearing up for the start of the 2023 college football season, tackling a variety of topics on his “Always College Football” show. Recently, he broke down the MVP and breakout candidates for multiple programs.
When it comes to Penn State, McElroy deviated from the offensive side of the ball for his MVP. While a lot of attention might be on the dynamic running back duo or former 5-star quarterback Drew Allar, McElroy believes a group of defensive ends need to have MVP-type numbers if Penn State is going to achieve its goals this season.
“This one is a little bit more difficult because what’s Penn State’s goal this year? Their goal is to beat Ohio State, the goal is to beat Michigan, the goal is to get to the B1G Championship, the goal is to get to the College Football Playoff and I think they can get there,” said McElroy. “I really believe that they can get there, but if they’re going to get there the most important players on their team is the defensive ends.
“Adisa Isaac, Chop Robinson, Dani Dennis-Sutton. This is the trio of players that have to play beyond elite in order for Penn State to become the team they want to become… We’re talking about guys that could totally take over the game. Remember: Where is Ohio State vulnerable right now? Their offensive line is a bit of a question mark (for the Buckeyes).”
Looking at last year’s results, it is not hard to see why McElroy would go defensive for the group that needs to play like MVPs. The Nittany Lions finished 10th in the nation in points allowed per game (18.2) but surrendered 40+ points in both defeats.
If the Nittany Lions get big defensive performances against Michigan and Ohio State, James Franklin’s program should have the offensive firepower to upset the balance in the B1G East.
Here’s McElroy’s latest episode with the Penn State discussion beginning around the 13:15 mark:
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.