Penn State Nittany Lions

Coach explains how Penn State's star tackles can get better

Published May. 28, 2015 11:23 a.m. ET

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We already knew Anthony Zettel was an All-Big Ten defensive lineman for Penn State. Now we know he can also tackle a tree.

But how can he get better as a senior?

His position coach offered some ideas to FightOnState.com.

“I think his consistency in his pad level and his technique can be refined,” coach Sean Spencer told the Scout.com affiliate. “He's a guy that's smaller, so his technique has to be flawless. That's how I want him to play, I want him to be flawless in his technique, his strike, his getting off blocks.

“His athleticism a lot of times will make a play for him. Now, when you couple that with great technique and pad level, I think he'll have an even better season.”

Zettel has gotten more headlines, but he is only half of an outstanding tackle tandem for the Nittany Lions.

Austin Johnson outpaced Zettel in total tackles 49-42 last season but did not match Zettel's production as far as making plays. Zettel finished with 17 tackles for loss and eight sacks while Johnson had six and one, respectively.

Numbers, though, are not the focus for Johnson, a 325-pound nose tackle whose job is at least in part to make it easier for Zettel to pile up those gaudy stats.

“(Johnson) had a great year, and in order for our defense to be the way it was, he had to play the way he played," Spencer told FOS. "Playing that 'one technique' in our front is probably the most difficult thing to do because if you lose your gap as a one technique in our front, we're in trouble. He didn't lose his gap very often.”

With new starters needed at both end spots as well as middle linebacker, the dynamic duo in the middle figures to play a key role again this fall.

(H/T Fight On State)

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