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If 1994 was Penn State's best Offense ever, which PSU team was the best Defense ever?

Jerademan74

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We had lots of great defenses, and probably any of our teams 1968 to 1972 teams may have been best, but I am curious as to your perspectives?
 
Hard to beat 1986 for clutch defense. That team won a bunch of nailbiters. Most dominant D you'd have to go back to the early 70s teams.
 
...I think the best ever was back in the mid-40s...

...the line was called "the seven mountains"...
 
We had lots of great defenses, and probably any of our teams 1968 to 1972 teams may have been best, but I am curious as to your perspectives?
1969. Three College Football Hall of Fame players....Reid, Onkotz, and Ham. Held 7 of 12 opponents to a touchdown or less. In Orange bowl held a Missouri team that was averaging over 33 points a game to 3, while intercepting 7 passes and recovering 2 fumbles. Missouri had more interceptions than completions (6). It was also the only defense in college football history with a starter who later won a Grammy Award (Mike Reid for writing Stranger in My House, sung by Ronnie Milsap, in 1984).
 
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In my cognizant lifetime, 1986. But, I would venture to guess some of the late 1960's teams/early 1970's teams had better defenses. I was around, but too young to be cognizant.
 
1969. Three College Football Hall of Fame players....Reid, Onkotz, and Ham. Held 7 of 12 opponents to a touchdown or less. In Orange bowl held a Missouri team that was averaging over 33 points a game to 3, while intercepting 7 passes and recovering 2 fumbles. Missouri had more interceptions than completions (6). It was also the only defense in college football history with a starter who later won a Grammy Award (Mike Reid for writing Stranger in My House, sung by Ronnie Milsap, in 1984).

Two shutouts that season and three games where the opposition was held to 3 points.
 
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1968-1969 Defense was the best and the bowl game against Missouri cements it for me.

The 1986 defense is second and the bowl game against Miami cements that for me also. In all honesty, the game had changed in the interval from late 60s to mid 80s and if I consider that, maybe the 86 defense should be considered the best.

I'm old and I saw the 68-69 defense play and it's tough to not go with that group.
 
I think the '69 defense gave up something like 3 touchdown drives of over 35 yards all year. My memories would go back to about '67; they'd have my vote.

SR/BHF
 
We had lots of great defenses, and probably any of our teams 1968 to 1972 teams may have been best, but I am curious as to your perspectives?

The 2005 defense was pretty stacked as well.

Tamba Hali
Paul Posluszny
Calvin Lowery
Anwar Phillips
Justin King
Tony Davis
Alan Zemaitis
Jay Alford
Scott Paxon
Tim Shaw
Dan Connor
Matt Rice
 
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1969 get my vote also....they simply dominated the field of play. Maybe the best linebacker trio in the history of college football.....
 
The '69 defense set up and scored a significant number of points on its own as a result of turnovers.

There was a team I believe in the '40s that set defensive records that still stand.
 
We had lots of great defenses, and probably any of our teams 1968 to 1972 teams may have been best, but I am curious as to your perspectives?
1969 was great, 1986 was great, but don't forget 1971. They gave up 31 points in their only loss, but there was an int. run back, a kickoff run back, and I think a punt was run back. They held Texas to 6 points in the bowl game, a game that really made Penn State's reputation as a national power.
 
From what I've read 1969. Don't be surprised if one of the teams in the next few years joins their ranks. Loaded with defensive talent, minus true DT.
 
1969. Three College Football Hall of Fame players....Reid, Onkotz, and Ham. Held 7 of 12 opponents to a touchdown or less. In Orange bowl held a Missouri team that was averaging over 33 points a game to 3, while intercepting 7 passes and recovering 2 fumbles. Missouri had more interceptions than completions (6). It was also the only defense in college football history with a starter who later won a Grammy Award (Mike Reid for writing Stranger in My House, sung by Ronnie Milsap, in 1984).
Also had one of the greatest names for a football player...Steve Smear. Reid and Smear were monsters at DT and hard to beat Denny Onkotz and Jack Ham at LB. Smear had a nice career in the CFL. Onkotz was one of the best college LB's I've ever seen. Too bad he got hurt pretty early in his NFL career.
 
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