College Football: 5 reasons Penn State wins 2017 National Championship

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 03: Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin holds the Championship trophy during the Big 10 Championship game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and Wisconsin Badgers on December 3, 2016, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 02: Penn State Nittany Lions CB Grant Haley (15) celebrates after an interception during the third quarter of the USC Trojans game versus the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl Game on January 2, 2017, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Defensive Secondary

Grant Haley, John Reid and Marcus Allen. Do those names ring a bell, Nittany Lions fans? As a matter of fact, they should. Despite losing Malik Golden to graduation, Penn State ultimately brings back the nucleus of its secondary.

Although not ranked among the nation’s best, the Penn State secondary was one of the best in the Big Ten. They may have ranked 50th in passing yards allowed (37 in total defense), but all things considered, the Nittany Lions defensive backs made plays when it mattered most.

Take, for instance, senior Grant Haley. Haley was involved in two of the biggest plays of the season for Penn State; the scoop-and-score versus Ohio State and the game-winning, fourth-down stop against Wisconsin. Despite battling injury for the early part of the season, Haley was extremely efficient. He comes back for his senior season and will play alongside junior John Reid. Reid is one of the best coverage corners in the Big Ten and it’s important to note that he is still getting better. Of course, the two are heading into their second season as a starting cornerback duo. Furthermore, the return of the cornerback tandem of Haley and Reid will prove crucial to the Nittany Lions’ success in 2017.

All things considered, the safety position is not as deep as the cornerback spot. There is still a spot up for grabs. However, the position is sure to be filled with one of the many talented athletes on the Nittany Lions roster. Other than Saquon Barkley, the most notable starter returning is safety Marcus Allen. Allen led the team in tackles last season with 110. The experienced senior looks to leave his mark on the program in his final season. Additionally, he takes the load off whoever will start alongside him. James Franklin has yet to hint at his second starting safety, but he has no shortage of options.

The Penn State secondary is among the most physical non-SEC groups in the nation. The Nittany Lions defense can compete with the best of them and they’ll have to get through offensive juggernauts like Ohio State and Michigan to reach the national title. However, the physicality of this unit provides a unique challenge for typical Big Ten offenses.

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