🚨COMMITTED🚨 Penn State picks up Alonzo Ford, fills need at defensive tackle
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Penn State football picked up its first commitment in the spring transfer portal cycle on Wednesday night with former Old Dominion defensive tackle Alonzo Ford. The Nittany Lions had been searching for a player at this position since the end of the 2022 season and finally struck with the 6-2 280-pound defender.
To give you a sense of how he landed with Penn State and what he brings to the roster, film analyst Thomas Frank Carr and publisher Sean Fitz discuss those topics in this Blue White Illustrated video recap.
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Penn State finds quality fit in a tight spot
It’s no secret that Penn State needed to bring a player in at this position. Whenever asked about his team’s portal needs, head coach James Franklin brought up defensive tackle each time. Now, the team has their guy.
“They’ve been looking for competition and depth in the transfer portal for a defensive tackle. [This is] not a very deep portal cycle to begin with. And then when you extrapolate that with the defensive tackles that are in there, not really many options but Penn State was proactive on this one.
Given the choices they had to work with, it seems like a pretty good option for Penn State at this point in the game,” Fitz explains.
But Ford’s true value may show up next season.
“I think he’s a guy that you add to the rotation, and then it helps you in 2024. We’ve talked about that before, how important it was to add not just a guy that can help you out on the field this year but to extend that room because that room has a little bit of a dip in terms of eligibility after the season,” Fitz says.
Meanwhile, T-Frank likes what he sees from Ford as a run defender and thinks he’ll be a standout when he sees the field.
“He’s aggressive. He’s got the great length that we talked about. I really like what he brings to the table as a run defender. And there is that upside in a long-term sense that you mentioned in the Penn State strength and conditioning program. He looks like he has a little bit more room to grow. He can probably get stronger.
And when you have a guy that is good in one-on-one situations and can move and be athletic enough to not get reach blocked, these are all things Penn State and Manny Diaz in his defense are looking for,” T-Frank says.
Penn State is still looking for a cornerback in the transfer portal and has recently offered several prospects. Stay tuned to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube for any breaking news.
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🚨COMMITTED🚨 Alonzo Ford fills need for Penn State at defensive tackle