How about most underrated defensive player ever at PSU?

[grinagrin]

I gotta say James Boyd. He was a playmaker known to deliver a punishing hit but was also a pretty sure tackler and would also come down with an interception when the ball was around him.

He had so many crushing hits during his time here but one play I remember vividly was in '99 against the Buckeyes, he came underneath the WR during a deep slant which looked like a sure completion, and came up with an acrobatic interception to which Musbereger accurately described as "A slick interception by James Boyd".

I honestly was very surprised he didn't have a solid NFL career. In my top 5 favourite defensive players here.

You guys?

 

[Zone-Blitz]

Phil Yeboah-Kodie. Excellent OLB.

Also, Marlon Forbes. played 4 years in the NFL in the mid 90's

 

[massimoManca II]

Phil Yeboah-Kodie. Excellent OLB.

Also, Marlon Forbes. played 4 years in the NFL in the mid 90's

If "years-in-Pro-football-service" is your barometer - then there's one guy out there that takes the cake... Derek Wake (i never accepted nor do i choose to acknowledge his name-change)

 

[MtNittany]

If "years-in-Pro-football-service" is your barometer - then there's one guy out there that takes the cake... Derek Wake (i never accepted nor do i choose to acknowledge his name-change)

Remember when Purdue used to snap punts to him?

 

[AWS1022]

Carl Nassib...I'm sorry, I have a hard time believing you go from second string as a junior, to All American as a senior. Somebody missed something on this guy for years.

 

[BBrown]

I gotta say James Boyd. He was a playmaker known to deliver a punishing hit but was also a pretty sure tackler and would also come down with an interception when the ball was around him.

He had so many crushing hits during his time here but one play I remember vividly was in '99 against the Buckeyes, he came underneath the WR during a deep slant which looked like a sure completion, and came up with an acrobatic interception to which Musbereger accurately described as "A slick interception by James Boyd".

I honestly was very surprised he didn't have a solid NFL career. In my top 5 favourite defensive players here.

You guys?

Calvin Lowry.
Took a lot of "abuse" for fair catching punts but was really pretty good.

 

[LionJim]

Trey Bauer

 

[ftlpsu]

Who is #2 in that Cam Wake highlight video?

 

[Diego Badman]

I, seriously, always think of Tim Shaw. I thought he was a very good player overshadowed by Posluszny and Conner.

 

[BBrown]

I, seriously, always think of Tim Shaw. I thought he was a very good player overshadowed by Posluszny and Conner.

I'd add mac Morrison to the list as well.

 

[sluggo72]

Duffy Cobbs

 

[massimoManca II]

Trey Bauer

30yrs is a generation ago, so maybe time has settled some dust on those squads of the early/mid eighties, but Underrated?!?!? No way. Trey Bauer is on the same mantel right alongside SC31... he's a big name if you follow PSU FB and you're age 40+

 

[massimoManca II]

I, seriously, always think of Tim Shaw. I thought he was a very good player overshadowed by Posluszny and Conner.

Shaw = Good one... should we put Matt Rice up there , too? I always felt he was a big-timer

 

[massimoManca II]

Who is #2 in that Cam Wake highlight video?

deryck Toles, no?

 

[ftlpsu]

deryck Toles, no?

Oh yeah..Ohio kid didn't he have a health issue too?

 

[sluggo72]

30yrs is a generation ago, so maybe time has settled some dust on those squads of the early/mid eighties, but Underrated?!?!? No way. Trey Bauer is on the same mantel right alongside SC31... he's a big name if you follow PSU FB and you're age 40+

well one would think that someone who was an All-American , it would be hard to call him under rated, yet when talking of PSU greats, PSU greats on D, PSU great DL, the name Randy Sidler is hardly mentioned. And yet he was an AA. For this reason I rate him as a vastly under rated PSU player.

 

[LionJim]

30yrs is a generation ago, so maybe time has settled some dust on those squads of the early/mid eighties, but Underrated?!?!? No way. Trey Bauer is on the same mantel right alongside SC31... he's a big name if you follow PSU FB and you're age 40+

Only because it seems as if everyone was talking about Shane. It seemed to be Shane Shane Shane 24/7 back then. Maybe I was talking from the perspective of non-PSU fans.

 

[dmdpsu]

I gotta say James Boyd. He was a playmaker known to deliver a punishing hit but was also a pretty sure tackler and would also come down with an interception when the ball was around him.

He had so many crushing hits during his time here but one play I remember vividly was in '99 against the Buckeyes, he came underneath the WR during a deep slant which looked like a sure completion, and came up with an acrobatic interception to which Musbereger accurately described as "A slick interception by James Boyd".

I honestly was very surprised he didn't have a solid NFL career. In my top 5 favourite defensive players here.

You guys?

Derrick Bonna...sorry for misspelling. This guy started allmost from day one and made a ton of tackles. He was definitely underrated

 

[ILLINOISLION]

IIRC, Gary Brown played very well on defense after playing his first two years as a running back. Of course his biggest play was taking the handoff from the BYU QB to seal that wild Holiday Bowl game!

 

[HazletonLion]

Gary Petercuskie (sp) always around the ball or ball carrier.

 

[We Are . . .]

Jim Kates. Overshadowed by Onkotz and Ham but a very good college LB. Have to agree with previous posts about Petercuskie, Bochna, and Boyd. Throw Mauti and Hull in there from recent years. Oh yeah, how about Ray Isom?

 

[theXbomber]

I'm gonna go with Harry Hamilton. You could always count on him to make the play.

 

[BBrown]

Oh yeah..Ohio kid didn't he have a health issue too?

IIRC he had some kind of enzyme disorder and he couldn't keep on weight
on. He would have excelled in the "star" position.

 

[AWS1022]

IIRC he had some kind of enzyme disorder and he couldn't keep on weight
on. He would have excelled in the "star" position.

He was definitely an underrated player because he could only play a limited number of snaps, but when he was on the field he made plays.

 

[GregInPitt]

Rogers Alexander.

Exceptional LB, at LB-U, but never recognized as one of the best.

Rogers was a little light, but long and quick.

I still remember him stuffing Pickney (ND running back) for no gain on a 4th down play to preserve a win when ND was driving in the closing minutes. One on one in the open field against an All-American RB. No gain!!!

 

[83wuzme]

Justin Kurpeikis was underrated because he mostly played on the other side from Courtney Brown, but he was a very smart, physical amd effective DE.

 

[psuro]

Jim Deter. Just because.

 

[theXbomber]

All great choices

 

[artsandletters]

Mike Hartenstine

Though Mike was an All-American and the 2nd round pick of the Bears, you rarely hear his name mentioned as one of the great PSU defensive linemen. Mike had a long NFL career at DE - about 12 years.

 

[FHSPSU67]

Jim Kates

 

[Rockman27]

Lance Mehl, Derek Bochna

 

[john4psu]

I'd venture to guess Michael Irvin would say from personal experience Duffy Cobbs and Ray Isom.

 

[Uh Clem]

Gary Gray...MLB in 71 and 72. He was small and not too fast, but he was always at the ball. Led the team in tackles both years even though Jack Ham played next to him in 71.

Now an adjunct finance professor at PSU after a successful career in the bond (I believe) market.

 

[razpsu]

I would think it has to be someone that was ok or less at psu but either was an all pro or a long defensive career probably first team in the pros.

Now One player that still shocks me is Millen how he transformed himself from an all American Dt that couldn't run for paterno in practice but was an all pro linebacker for 4 super bowl winners. That is for you sluggo!

 

[bison13]

Derrick Bonna...sorry for misspelling. This guy started allmost from day one and made a ton of tackles. He was definitely underrated

From tiny Mapletown HS in Greene County Bochna was also a starter on the baseball team at PSU.

I would also say Brian Gelzheiser with Yoboah Kodie as the LB's on that 94 team. Brian Miller and Kim Herring as DB's. Was not a great defensive team but was not bad, just never got the press with that offense.

 

[PSUCYCLING]

I would think it has to be someone that was ok or less at psu but either was an all pro or a long defensive career probably first team in the pros.

One player that still shocks me is Millen. Dt that couldn't run for paterno in practice but was an all pro linebacker for 4 super bowl winners.

Kim Herring.

 

[Option Bob]

Dave Graf, a DE at Penn State but a LB in the NFL.

Perhaps add LB Doug Allen, as well.

 

[Agoodnap]

Brad Scioli was one of my favorites that never seemed to get much respect.

 

[RussianEagle]

If "years-in-Pro-football-service" is your barometer - then there's one guy out there that takes the cake... Derek Wake (i never accepted nor do i choose to acknowledge his name-change)

Wake just took a long time to recover from his Injuries. He was being called the "next Lavar" as a freshman.

 

[RussianEagle]

Anthony Adams was another very good player who was overshadowed by Michael Haynes and Jimmy Kennedy. Then ended up having a better NFL career than both.