Fresh Faces Bolster Revamped Safety RoomFresh Faces Bolster Revamped Safety Room

Fresh Faces Bolster Revamped Safety Room

by Ryan McKenna, Penn State Strategic Communications

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Spring practice offers new players the opportunity to build chemistry with their position group and within the coach’s system.
 
For the group of safeties, Penn State brings seven new players to Happy Valley, along with a new coach, Deon Broomfield. Broomfield spent the past five seasons with head coach Matt Campbell as a defensive backs coach, a position he will continue at Penn State
 
With seven new players joining the safeties room, it creates the opportunity for players to grow together and bond into one cohesive unit, something that Coach Broomfield is excited to see. 
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“It’s been really interesting because you got a lot of different personalities. The guys are figuring out who’s the outspoken guy as well as who’s going to take charge. The leadership aspect has been really coming into fruition, and it’s been the biggest thing for us.”

Deon BroomfieldSafeties Coach
As Broomfield arrived at Penn State with coach Campbell, he brought over three of his players from Iowa State who have significant playing experience: redshirt senior Jeremiah Cooper, junior Marcus Neal Jr., and senior Jamison Patton.
 
Cooper has been a defensive staple at Iowa State, ranking 10th all-time in career interceptions and tied for sixth among active FBS players with 30 passes defended. As a freshman, he was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and earned an All-Big 12 honorable mention. He followed that with First Team All-Big 12 honors as a sophomore and another honorable mention as a junior. Entering his senior year, the redshirt senior was a Preseason All-Big 12 selection before his season was cut short after four games.
 
Cooper comes to Penn State with his fellow starting safety, Marcus Neal Jr., who started every game for Iowa State last season. Neal Jr. tallied two interceptions, a forced fumble,
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“He’s a kid that nobody will outwork. Whether it’s in the film room or weight room, he's going to set the tone and leave no stone unturned. I always say he was in the middle of our defense, and you put him in a position where teams can’t run away from him.”

Deon Broomfield on Jeremiah CooperSafeties Coach
Penn State was also able to pick up two safeties from the transfer portal in Omarion Davis from Boston College and Ibn McDaniels from Syracuse. 
 
Coach Campbell was additionally able to retain redshirt sophomore Vaboue Toure, as well as two incoming freshmen in Christian Askew and Bryson Williams.
 
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With such a mix of players in the safety room, Broomfield decided to head in a different direction when building connections with his players and with each other.
 

“Different kids have been getting up and telling their life story on Wednesdays. You’re getting to know things about kids that I didn’t know, and it’s been interesting to help bridge that gap of when you know someone. It makes a difference when it gets hard; people are going to stick together because they know what you’re fighting for.”

Deon BroomfieldSafeties Coach
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