Switching gears to the defensive side of the ball, we will start by looking at Penn State’s defensive line. There will be some new faces that need to step up in this unit, to fill the void left by Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans leaving early.

Talent up front on defense seems to never be a problem for the Nittany Lions under the eye of defensive line coach Larry Johnson Sr. Don’t expect 2009 should be any different.

Senior tackle Jared Odrick will be the leader of a unit that is expected to be one of the best in the Big Ten. He is a great run stuffer and has shown in the past he knows how to make plays in the backfield, whether it is against the QB or RB.

In 2008, he recorded 41 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups. Those numbers landed him with a first team All-Big Ten selection.

Odrick has been named to the preseason watch list of four major awards for the 2009 season. Odrick is on the watch list for the Bednarik Award, presented to the nation’s top defensive player. He is also up for the 2009 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, honoring the nation's best defensive player.

Odrick is also one of 40 players on the Outland Trophy watch list, given to the nation’s top interior lineman and is on the watch list for the Rotary Lumbardi Award, which goes to the nation’s top player on defense that lines up within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

Junior Ollie Ogbu will join Odrick on the inside as a starter. Sophomore Jack Crawford is expected to be a break out player for the defense from the defensive end position. He posses a quick and explosive first step and could become the next great Nittnay Lion pass rusher off the end.

Sophomores, Kevion Latham and Eric Latimore are expected to get a lot of playing time at the other end position with possibly freshman Pete Massaro getting into the action at end as well.

Jerome Hayes, who has had two season ending knee surgeries the last two seasons, will also vie for playing time at end as a fifth-year senior.

Sophomore Devon Still will see a lot of action as a backup to Odrick and Ogbu because senior, Abe Koroma has been suspended for one year due to “personal reasons.” Also expect redshirt freshman Brandon Ware to get some looks in the interior if he has effectively slimmed down his frame enough. Sophomore Chimaeza Okoli could also get some playing time in the interior.

All-in-all the defensive line is left in pretty good shape even with the graduation of Josh Gaines, and Maybin and Evans’s early departures. This unit should by no means be the weakness of the defense.