Pierce and Etta are very, very good. Depth at DT is the problem, and the impact is hard to predict

Posted on September 24, 2026 at 06:55:09 AM by jon

If/when opponents can manage the game to have a lot of long drives, the DT depth issue will hurt us. That is going to happen -- it happened against WMU -- but it won't happen in every game and it's hard to predict.

The positive thing is that you can short-circuit those kinds of drives with one negative play. We have an elite secondary, so if we need to play some ultra-heavy fronts to try to kick an opponent off the field or force them into a passing down, we can do that.

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Thread:

Listening to McQ and Nikos and continue to disagree. Think our front 7 is light, sack happy, and vulnerable to Iowa running. - By ftb September 23, 2026 at 11:14:15 PM
- Definitely my no. 1 fear for this game. If we can contain their run game and force them into passing, that will be an excellent sign*** - By Craig September 24, 2026 at 07:14:08 AM
  - My only fear is the game getting tight and Beck cowering and going to more and more rhino* - By Rich September 24, 2026 at 07:15:43 AM
    - Perhaps the universe has taken care of that with Beigle dinged up*** - By Craig September 24, 2026 at 07:30:17 AM
- Pierce and Etta are very, very good. Depth at DT is the problem, and the impact is hard to predict - By jon September 24, 2026 at 06:55:09 AM
- Iowa @ Michigan, 2019. "After rushing for 351 yards against Middle Tennessee the previous week, Iowa rushed for a total of 1 yard" - By 6p September 23, 2026 at 11:55:56 PM
  - The DE's were 25lbs heavier than this year, the LB's 10+. More talented this year because of pass rush, which I don't think will matter unless our offense makes it matter.* - By ftb September 24, 2026 at 12:00:15 AM
    - we are pound for pound more talented this year. If Iowa had great yardage against ISU (at home), I'd lean your way but they stunk against ISU. Do you think ISU out-talents us?* - By 6p September 24, 2026 at 12:09:08 AM
      - Transitive property doesn't always work. I can see ftb's point. I don't even know if we're proven elite at pass rush yet, given the terrible OLs we've been playing. I'm certainly sly high on the physical talent there, just like everyone, but this is a big step up for the entire front 7. - By jjwalker September 24, 2026 at 01:27:36 AM
        
        Also the DE there were Hutch and Paye. Both first round picks eventually. That might be true of Boney, Meadows and Daley but it might not be* - By Rich September 24, 2026 at 07:14:43 AM
      - No. But if we can get better, Iowa can. And their strength is our weakness (IMO).* - By ftb September 24, 2026 at 12:19:04 AM
    - Neither DT even cracked 290.* - By Bluebuck September 24, 2026 at 12:05:32 AM
      - Yeah, if it's about our starting DT's, we're fine. Don't think Iowa makes that kind of mistake.* - By ftb September 24, 2026 at 12:11:21 AM
  - Kemp was like 280 pounds, right? The Wisconsin game was so damn awful.* - By Bluebuck September 23, 2026 at 11:58:53 PM
    - Yes* - By ameriKa September 24, 2026 at 06:45:45 AM
- Is Iowa rushing all that good though? I know they ran all over N. Illinois and N. Iowa (are they FCS?) but they were not impressive running against Iowa State.* - By mjhollen September 23, 2026 at 11:29:45 PM
  - They were elite last year and were expected to be very good this year. They pounded two extremely shitty teams and looked meh against a (likely bad) rival. Shrug.* - By Bluebuck September 23, 2026 at 11:35:43 PM
    - I know their OL won the Joe Moore award but they were 50 ypc last year. That is anything but elite - By mjhollen September 24, 2026 at 12:21:16 AM
      - You're right. Their running game was mid, but it was good enough despite a nonexistent passing game. That was on their OL. That said, they had a running QB last year. They don't have that now.* - By Bluebuck September 24, 2026 at 07:28:17 AM
  - Iowa typically has a physical line/RBs, even if not that talented. I don't think we can handle it over 4 quarters. (If they have to throw, they're toast.)* - By ftb September 23, 2026 at 11:32:52 PM
- The youth at edge is promising because otherwise the DL is lacking in star power and that might become more apparent against stiffer competition* - By LewisBullox September 23, 2026 at 11:28:52 PM
- JHD has historically been good against the run. Nichols is still a TBD. Honestly we haven’t really had a test on the ground yet, so we will learn for sure this weekend.* - By WOK September 23, 2026 at 11:26:51 PM
- We're steady in the middle though, right? At least the two starters, Le'ea is a question against B10 power for sure. Staehling can play a bigger lb if needed. We'll see at edge though.* - By jjwalker September 23, 2026 at 11:20:19 PM
  - Yes, we start big at DT and rotate big if we want.* - By ftb September 23, 2026 at 11:26:44 PM
- I think Pierce and Etta are solid in the middle, and JHD is a big strong boy at one end. Wasn't Penn State tiny that year?* - By Bluebuck September 23, 2026 at 11:18:09 PM
  - Daley's listed at 252, Nichols 245, we play 220lb LB. PSU was very light, so are we.* - By ftb September 23, 2026 at 11:26:03 PM

The Victors

Pierce and Etta are very, very good. Depth at DT is the problem, and the impact is hard to predict