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By Andy Stine
astine@altoonamirror.com
UNIVERSITY PARK -- The Penn State defensive backs were generally effective for most of last season. Cornerbacks Daequan Hardy and Kalen King were both drafted in the late rounds this past April.
But the cornerbacks left a lot of questions going into the offseason after their Peach Bowl performance to end last season. Hardy played in the game, but King and another corner in Johnny Dixon both opted out of the game where Ole Miss torched the Lions for 394 passing yards.
The good news for the Lions is the two starting safeties from last year are both intact in Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr. There were also some additions for the corners through the transfer portal in Jalen Kimber from Florida and A.J. Harris from Georgia. Kimber appeared in every game for the Gators, while Harris appeared in seven games for the Bulldogs.
"That room was one of our question marks and has now turned into possibly one of the strengths on our whole defense," PSU defensive coordinator Tom Allen said.
That has brought a lot of praise to cornerbacks coach Terry Smith.
"Terry just does a really good job in terms of rebuilding and retooling that position," PSU coach James Franklin said. "I don't think it's a position that as coaches we have a ton of concern about.
"We actually feel like that position from top to bottom could be better this year athletically."
Franklin said there are seven corners they feel could play on game day, but somebody is needed to separate themselves from the pack. He mentioned Kimber, Harris, Cam Miller, Audavion Collins, Zion Tracy, and Elliot Washington II all as possibilities.
"I'm a big believer in playing lots of guys," Allen said. "I've been that way my whole career and want to have a good rotation, so you're able to be at your very best at the end of the game. I think the more guys you can play, the more depth you're going to create."
Miller and Tracy saw action in all 13 games last year, while Washington played in 10 games and Collins appeared in five contests. Miller recorded one interception and broke up three passes a year ago.
"They're buying into the culture in the room," Smith said. "It's competitive. We all believe we can contribute to the team. We can find our role, and just compete. There's no weak links and that's what we preach in the room."
Franklin reiterated that the starters at the corners remain unknown.
"Somebody has got to separate themselves and be the guy, or we are going to be rotating a lot of high-quality players that we feel good about," Franklin said.