Penn State has its first defensive touchdown of the 2021 season, and they have Jesse Luketa to thank for it. Luketa’s third-quarter interception of Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt was a big one as it continued to pad Penn State’s lead on the defending MAC champions.
Luketa dropped back in coverage after lining up at defensive end, which he has been doing since halftime after Ellis Brooks returned to the field following his first-half suspension (for a targeting ejection last week). Recognizing the offensive scheme, Luketa dropped back in coverage rather than provide pressure on the edge, and he put himself in the perfect position to make an amazing highlight-worthy pick.
And once he got his hand on the football, there was nothing standing in his way on a short return to the end zone.
Penn State has started to put this game on ice, so we may not see much more of Luketa and other starters on either side of the football.
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