For Kooper Ebel, there has always been belief that he would blossom into one of college football's biggest success stories at the linebacker position. Still, playing for a school like Iowa State didn't give him that much of a platform despite his elite traits and development. Now, as aNittany Lion, Kooper Ebel has been given a unique opportunity to announce himself to a wider audience of college football fans and prove that the hard work has paid off.
Usually, the "green dot" responsibilities fall on the player in the defense who has the most requisite experience with the team to understand the play calls. For many Penn State fans, they believed that Tony Rojas would assume that role especially after his return from injury. However, with a new
look squad with a lot of transfers, Matt Campbell and defensive coordinator D'anton Lynn knew they had to take a gamble. By appointing Ebel the primary playcaller in the offense, they knew he could be exactly what this team needed.
It paid off in last week's huge win over Buffalo when Ebel was the leading tackler on the day for the Nittany Lions and recorded his first ever sack for the team. It was a microcosm not just of Ebel's career, but the journey it tool to get here. Growing up in a small town in Iowa somewhat limited his capacity to be seen by more people who understood his skills. Still, when one coach gives you a chancde, you run with it, and Matt Campbell truly understood what he could be.
As a result, he has earned many preseason accolades, including being on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Awardgiven out to the best linebacker in the nation. By the way he's setting the tone for the Nittany Lions right now, who knows? Maybe he'll even lift it at the end of the season.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State transfer linebacker is embracing responsibility
