UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Though Curtis Jacobs' confidence may have waned throughout his first year on a collegiate stage, the Penn State linebacker has quietly transcended into a multidimensional playmaker.
"Last year, I didn't really believe in myself," Jacobs said after practice Wednesday."I wasn't really confident in my decisions."
Against Iowa in week six, Jacobs showcased the kind of athleticism that made his a highly-talented player coming into the program.
The 6-1, 230-pound sophomore made a few critical tackles for loss (one sack) and a quarterback hit in the Nittany Lions' 23-20 loss to the Hawkeyes.
Last week against a top-ranked Ohio State offense, Jacobs' constant pursuit allowed him to tie for second on the team in total tackles.
Jacobs, a first-year starter, believes that the leap he has taken throughout the first eight weeks of sophomore year is a result of different forms of preparation, such as watching film and buying into Penn State's defensive system.
"It took a minute to adjust," Jacobs said. The main thing is confidence. I had to believe in myself before I could go out and show it."
To put his trajectory in perspective, head coach James Franklin feels that Jacobs' development is reminiscent of Penn State's versatile linebackers of the past.
"He's been on a very similar path that a lot of our guys have gone through," Franklin "They start out on the field maybe as a freshman as a backup, and you're kind of rotating in, then take that as a starting job. Then depending on how your body transforms, moving into the middle linebacker…or mic linebacker."
As for his increase in production, Jacobs views his improvement as a product of the fluidity of his unit.
"I feel like I had a solid eight games, but it's just playing in the framework as a team. My teammates did their job, I did my job and you get shine when you do your job. I'm happy for my teammates helping me out."
This Saturday, the Maryland native will help lead Penn State's team against the Terrapins, a program that recruited him out of high school.
"I love the environment here, it's family oriented," Jacobs said about the Penn State program. "I knew no matter what, they would have my back here. I want to be a sponge and learn as much as I can when I'm here."
Moreover, Jacob's believes that Penn State's defense, which ranks eighth in the country in points allowed per game, can further improve despite being two-thirds through the regular season.
"It's definitely a good feeling, you can't take it for granted. It's great to have that trust in your brothers," Jacobs said about his position as an integral part of the defense. "I feel like when this defense is doing their job and executing, you don't have any mental errors, we're one of the best in the country."
