An integral strength that propelled Michigan (2023) and Ohio State (2024) to national championships the last two seasons was their dominance in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has said, when he became Ohio State’s head coach, what separated the SEC and the Big Ten was the dominance the SEC had in the trenches.
Meyer proceeded to build that in Columbus, as Ryan Days has continued that.
During Jim Harbaugh’s modern renaissance in Ann Arbor, it was highlighted by consecutive Joe Moore Awards in 2021 and 2022 on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, six Wolverines are in the NFL that include two first round picks (Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant), and may have a seventh when EDGE Derrick Moore completes his senior season this year.
Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has said he hopes to have a two-deep filled with Big Ten caliber offensive lineman.
The defensive line has the same high end talent in key places in EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton and defensive tackle Zane Durant.
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Dani Dennis-Sutton
“When your defensive tackles make tackles, right, instead of using up blocks,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said of Durant, “when they’re actually productive it changes the whole way that you plan defense and (Durant’s) that guy. He’s that guy who can do that immediately, who has done it.”
Durant’s peers on the offensive line, who go against him daily in practice, have similar esteem for Durant.
“Zane is the best I’ve played against,” center Nick Dawkins said at Big Ten Media Days.
“He’s the best D-tackle I’ve played against. I got some questions about who’s the best D-tackle I’ve played against, and it’s no shade to the defensive linemen I’ve played in a game … but Zane Durant is the best.”
Between Durant and Clemson’s Peter Woods, those two are the consensus as the best interior defensive lineman in the nation.
Last year, Durant had 14 tackles for a loss or for no gain and 28 pressures, which was Top 25 nationally.
The next in line at the EDGE is Dennis-Sutton.
The lineup before him has been extremely impressive from Yetur Gross-Matos, Odafe Oweh, Adisa Isaac, Arnold Ebiketie, Chop Robinson, and Abdul Carter. Each of those defensive ends were drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, that include three first round selections and Carter who was the top defensive player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dennis-Sutton, was Robin to Carter’s Batman, had his breakout, with 42 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries, 8.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one interception, one fumble recovery.
Entering his senior season, Dennis-Sutton ranks second amongst Power 4 defenders with 75 pressures, with his sacks and tackles for loss numbers ranking sixth in the Big Ten.
“I think being consistent. Both of those guys were consistently good every play,” said Dennis-Sutton comparing his game to Carter and Robinson. “They were gonna win their one on ones, they were gonna get knocked back and they were gonna make a play. So I think just being consistent is what all those guys did.”
The consistency of performing on the field will always be there, but it is being a mentor and helping develop those who follow is key for Dennis-Sutton.
“I think just teaching them what we know, as far as keys, things like that, offensive line, quarterback, keys, tight end, keys, all those sort of things,” Dennis-Sutton said.
“Just when Coach Deion (Barnes) is going over stuff, I add a little input as far as like, hey, also when you see this play, be aware of the tight end, because the tight end might be doing this, you know, I mean little things like that, but just trying to teach the young guys…just competing with them in drills, trying to make them better. They make me better.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Opposite of Dennis-Sutton is a player of perseverance in senior Zuriah Fisher.
Fisher came to Penn State as a four-star prospect from Aliquippa (Aliquippa, PA) who had the complete make up to be a superstar.
After limited appearances in 2021, it seemed Fisher was destined to be the next in line at defensive end in 2022 but a serious leg injury ended his season before it even started.
Fisher then rehabilitated and on spot duty during 2023, he recorded 17 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, and a quarterback hurry. Internally, many felt Fisher solidified himself as a dependable, mature figure who was going to breakout in 2024.
Unfortunately, lightning struck twice on him with another season ending injury.
Throughout the process, Fisher’s work ethic and unwavering belief that he wants to realize his potential has made some strong supporters in his crusade to become a starter.
“Internally within our program, I think there’s a lot of confidence that Fish has got a chance to have a big year,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said in June. “He’s one of those guys that I don’t think anybody is talking about right now outside of the program, based on just not seeing him recently. But there’s a lot of excitement internally with our players, with our staff. Those things are really apparent.”
“I think Zuriah is gonna have a great year. I ain’t gonna say too much,” Dennis-Sutton said at Penn State’s annual media day. “But during the summer, he’s been looking great. And in training camp, he’s been looking great. So I think he’ll have a huge year.”
While many are hesitant putting all their eggs into Fisher’s basket, especially after the long-term injury suffered by Max Granville and Fisher’s injury history, it is understandable considering the circumstances.
But for Fisher, his journey is what has built him for this moment to contribute when Penn State needs him the most.
“Just understanding college football more, understanding how to rush, understanding how to stop the run and everything,” said Fisher. “So I feel like I’m definitely – I’m not gonna say my highest, because there’s always know the level I could go to – but I feel like I understand the game way more.”
“It feels great to be in this position, because I waited a long time to get here. I put the work in. I had some things that were out of my control. But now I’m feeling good, and I’m just ready to go.”
The immediate freshman impact of players like LaVar Arrington II and Daryus Dixson are top of many fans minds, an insider said another impact freshman may have some say in the EDGE mix.
Former four-star recruit from Warren G. Harding (Warren, Ohio) Chaz Coleman has been a pleasant surprise and many feel is 2025’s version of Granville.
The 6’4” defensive end is already at 240 pounds with more room available in his frame to grow. Coaches have marveled at his ability to bend the corner on pass rush and feel it is more seasoned than what a typical incoming freshman has.
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 16: Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Alonzo Ford Jr. (50) rushes into the backfield during the college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Penn State Nittany Lions on November 16, 2024, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)
While it seems the defensive end unit may be in good hands, the question marks lie at defensive tackle with lack of experience.
Beyond Durant, only Alonzo Ford participated in more than 150 snaps last season.
Durant is excited to have Ford back, he feels the chemistry he had developed with him will only grow through 2025.
Ford did not waver in getting in his reps and being a steward in developing the young athletes.
“I mean, honestly, just getting reps in a practice and things like that, and beyond, getting physical reps, getting mental reps when they’re watching the other reps, like we get in film. And we might talk about three different scenarios within one play that they have,” Ford said. “So it’s just really preparing them, preparing them mentally, physically. They’re all there. They are gifted guys already.”
A name Durant gave me who has been stepping up is redshirt junior Kaleb Artis.
Durant indicated Artis is a player who has been asking a lot of question during film and practice, perfecting his technique, with improvement jumping from his sophomore season that he saw action in three games registering four tackles.
Franklin’s comment from Big Ten Media Days in regards to the necessary depth at defensive tackle, “I always felt like you needed to have at least two and a half deep at every position,” he said. “So if it’s D-tackle, [and] you got two tackles, you better have five that you feel like you can win, right?”
Barnes wouldn’t say if he had five ready defensive tackles but did go over what development he has had for his unit throughout the spring and summer workouts.
“Identifying the things that they got to get better at, as far as the total, as far as the group pouring into them, as far as their confidence and then giving them, you know, things to work on, as far as the things that we already had to fix,” Barnes said. “Again, it’s a day by day process so they can continue to build. But from spring to now. It’s been working on your footwork, working on your hands. It’s been an individualized thing from player to player. So you can see it from the first two days, of things that these guys already improved on.”
Recently, Texas A&M transfer and Philadelphia native Enai White shifted from defensive end to defensive tackle.
If you believe in the assessment of Coleman and Fisher staying healthy, then the reps could be limited for White on the EDGE. The inexperience on the inside beyond Durant and Ford, coupled with White’s 6’5” 275 pound frame make him a candidate to have more of an instant impact on the interior which he has the body for.
While many still have question marks about the passing game, especially with the three new imports, that is the easy question to look at.
The defensive line is a critical component to Penn State succeeding, as it was core reasons for the majority of national championships since the SEC ascension and the Big Ten returning to the top.
If Penn State wants to meet the expectation of being a national champion this year, the defensive line has to be elite or else it simply won’t be able to realize this lofty goal.
