This is the third part of an ongoing series, looking at position battles heading into the 2009 season.

One doesn’t have to be a genius to understand the similarities between cornerbacks and safeties.  However, at Penn State, there is even more of a link between the two positions.  Just like at cornerback, the Nittany Lions graduate both starters from the safety position, but have one of the slots filled with a returning player.  In this case, it’s Drew Astorino, who had, quite frankly, an awesome season last year as a redshirt freshman.  However, as we saw at cornerback, the other spot besides Astorino is completely up for grabs.  Let’s take a look at the competition, but first, a reminder about the unorthodox system Penn State uses.

Most teams will line up two safeties in the backfield, with the free safety patrolling “center field” and the strong safety assigned to watch over the strong side of the offense.  However, Penn State relies on a “safety,” who fills the role of the free safety, and a “hero” who plays closer to the line, and often is positioned “in the box” as a fourth linebacker to provide run support.  Mark Rubin, of course, played the position last year, and his positioning at the line was evident in his stuff and fumble of Terrelle Pryor last year in Columbus.

The players:

Drew Astorino had a great year last year.  As the nickel-back and frequent safety, Astorino simply had a knack for being around the ball.  His 2 interceptions tied him with full-time starters Rubin and Anthony Scirrotto, and put him behind just Lydell Sargeant for second on the team.  Furthermore, depite his small stature (he’s listed at a very generous 5’10, 193), Astorino wasn’t afraid to use his body and come up to make a tackle, and his 39 ranked 9th on the team.  Not bad for a kid who decommitted from football powerhouse Kent State to come to the Lions.  Astorino certainly has a lot to live up to in his first season as a full-time starter with the Lions, as he’ll be expected to anchor not just the safety position, but also a very young secondary.

Nick Sukay just can’t buy a break.  He came to Penn State with much hoopla, ranked in the top 10 at his position by the major recruiting servtrices.  Since then, however, it’s been tough sledding for the redshirt sophomore.  He redshirted the 2007 season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot, and may have earned himself a medical redshirt last season, when the same foot required season-ending surgery to remove an infection.  Now, despite his continuous setbacks, Sukay is probably the leader in this competition, despite being more of a “center field” safety than a 8th in the box type guy.  He’s been here for 2 and a half years (was an early enrollee back in ’07) and certainly knows the playbook.  Whether he can stay healthy and finally get a chance to run out onto that field is another question.

Gerald Hodges enrolled in January, and will be expected to make an immediate impact.  He fits the Hero position almost to a “t,” as he’s really a safety-linebacker hybrid, with tremendous size (6’3, 220) and good speed.  Though many prognosticators suggested that Gerald might have to “drop down” to outside linebacker in college, the Penn State system would allow him to thrive as a hybrid.  Hodges was one of a handful of recruits who decommitted from Rutgers to join the Lions, and he fills a position of much need.  It’s unlikely that Paterno will start the true freshman, but he will have an extra six months under his belt.  If none of the other options distinguish themselves, don’t be surprised to see Hodges burn the redshirt and jump right into the fray.  He’s certainly got the talent (4 stars from Scout and Rivals), and the polish to his game (per ESPN) to succeed there.

Andrew Dailey takes linebacker-safety to a whole nother level, having been recruited as a linebacker (a really good one at that), and having practiced as linebacker for the past couple years, but switched to safety this offseason.  It’s a smart move for Dailey, who will have the chance to distinguish himself among a much smaller pool of athletes.  Interestingly enough, Dailey made the move that many suggested Hodges would, as he played safety in high school before moving down to linebacker.  Dailey played sparingly last year, making just five tackles.  He’ll have to impress, as Dailey faces an uphill battle in gaining playing time.  Still, if Sukay can’t stay healthy, he’s arguably the most experienced of the alternatives.

Cedric Jeffries has bounced around the field in an effort to gain some significant playing time, as he’s gone from wide receiver to safety to outside linebacker and now, it seems, back to safety, where he was listed as a back-up in the spring depth chart.  Jeffries is entering his senior season and really isn’t an option to be starting next year.  He did make 16 tackles last year (8 solo), which makes you scratch your head and try and remember a #29 on the field last year.

The Verdict: It’ll be Astorino and Sukay patrolling the defensive backfield next year, in all likelihood.  Though neither fits the traditional “hero” mold, it’s not like Rubin did either, having moved from wide receiver to fill that spot.  Then again, that might not be the best comparison to make.  I’m sure Penn State is hoping to get a better performance out of it’s safeties this year than Rubin gave last year, at least during the Rose Bowl.

Still, this is one of those positions to be on the watch for come Saturday.  With a good showing by Hodges or Dailey, or a poor showing by Sukay, this position would be wide open.  Sukay needs to prove that he is healthy and can make plays before anything gets handed to him.

Next up on Position Profiles: Defensive Ends, as we’ll take a look at just who fills the spots vacated by Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans’s early departures.

Releated Posts:

1. Position Profile: Defensive Backs
2. Spring Position Profile: Defensive Backs
3. Spring Position Profile: Tight Ends
4. Position Profile: Receivers
5. Position Profile: Running Backs

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