Perhaps the biggest strength of the 2023 Penn State football team is their defense. It has been one of the best units in college football all year long, and the Nittany Lions were able to hang around in their biggest games because of it. Unfortunately for Penn State, their defense took a bit of hit recently as defensive coordinator Manny Diaz took the head coaching job at Duke football. The Nittany Lions have another coordinator position to fill.

Manny Diaz did a terrific job with the Penn State football defense this year, and he will be missed by the entire team and fan base. While it is sad to see him go, head coach James Franklin is thankful for what he was able to do for the program.

“We truly appreciate everything Manny and his family contributed to Penn State the past two seasons,” Franklin said in a tweet. “Our team and staff have nothing but respect for Manny and the leadership he brought to our program. He was a tremendous teacher, mentor, and friend while in Happy Valley. We wish him and his family all the best at Duke!”

This season, the Penn State defense ranks among the best in the nation in just about every category, and they are ranked #1 in the most important one: total defense. The Nittany Lions have had the best defense in the entire country this season, and Diaz deserves a lot of credit for making that happen.

The Penn State defense played a huge role in the success that this team found this year. Nittany Lions fans were extremely disappointed because of the fact that the team lost to Michigan and Ohio State again, but at the end of the day, those are two of the best teams in the country, and had they not played each other in week 13, they would probably both be College Football Playoff teams. Penn State wants to get over the hump, but there is no shame in losing to those two teams, especially when they were both tight games.

Penn State finished the regular season 10-2 and they are once again going to play in a New Year's Six bowl. The Nittany Lions will take on Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl on December 30th. They are hoping for a second straight 11-2 season. 99% of college football teams would be thrilled with that season. It was impressive, and Diaz and the defense are a big reason for that success.