With so many of Penn State’s star defensive players from the 2021 season departing, the Nittany Lions are going to need some guys to step up. Junior Keaton Ellis is one hoping to fill the void in the secondary this fall.

Ellis, who played in 11 games last season and made 1 start, is working hard to provide the security the Nittany Lions need in the secondary after the departure of Jaquan Brisker. Because of the way he’s working, the junior safety thinks 2022 could be special.

“I feel like it could be a big year for me,” Ellis told reporters Tuesday, per The Athletic. “(I’m excited) to be fighting for a starting spot.”

In those 11 contests last year, Ellis had 18 tackles and broke up a pass. He’s always played a rotational role during his first three years with the program, appearing in 30 career games, but this could be the year he finally becomes a permanent starter on the defense.

While he battles for a starting job, Ellis said that he’s also putting some of the things he learned from All-B1G defensive back Jaquan Brisker to good use this spring.

“His mentality, the way he went about things,” Ellis said. “That was probably the biggest takeaway from playing with him, being with him.”

Penn State is losing a ton from a defense that allowed just 17.3 points per game, the second-best average in the B1G. Along with Brisker, the Nittany Lions are also losing defensive linemen Arnold Ebiketie and Jesse Luketa, linebackers Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields.

That’s a lot of production.

Through most of spring, though, Ellis says that a lot of different guys have stepped up.

“Almost everybody is playing really well,” Ellis said. “I am excited for all the guys to have an opportunity. We are definitely getting better as a defense.”