Penn St Preview: DT Jared Odrick

Jared Odrick (6-5/296) is a playmaker. Much like Glenn Dorsey in his senior season, Odrick faces the double/triple team all day and still manages to make decent numbers (though no where near as good as Dorsey did). 15 Tackles with 26 assists, 10 TFL, and 6 sacks on the year isnt the best stat line in the world, but O-line coaches around the B10 know that he is the man to stop. All this extra blocking has helped the PSU LB's get behind the line, leading to 9 sacks on the year (Might even be more than that. As you would expect, PSU plays alot of LB's) . In defending his selection as B10 Defensive player of the year, BSD had this to say.

He got six sacks, and he repeatedly collapsed the pocket and flushed the quarterback into the arms of Jack Crawford or Eric Latimore or a blitzing linebacker. And most teams didn't even bother trying to run up the middle on Penn State, because Odrick was there to either tackle the ball carrier for a loss or shove the guard back in his face as soon as he got the handoff.

Unfortunately, the best highlight reel I could find is from last year's drubbing of Michigan, but the points remain: Pushing off double and triple teams, getting first contact on runs, if not the stop, and every once in awhile a nice sack. (number 91 in your program.)

All of which makes me suddenly worried about our offense. Our O-line hasn't exactly been the best at protecting JJ. And even though he's gotten better at throwing it away, he still has a tendency to hold on to the ball and take the sack. As for our running game, it looks like Chuck the Truck might be back, but except for a few flashes of brilliance it hasn't been that great. Hopefully some of the new Offensive Grey Matter we've picked up the last few weeks can figure out a way to get something going.

Other Defensive Lineman to Watch: Ollie Ogbu, Eric Latimore, Jack Crawford. As should be expected, this rest of the line is just as good, holding opponents to 2.9 a rush and only 5 rushing TD's. These guys have 11 sacks combined and more than 20 TFL.