STATE COLLEGE — In just 27 days, the Penn State Nittany Lions football squad will take the field against Appalachian State.

Expectations are high once again for Penn State after back-to-back top-10 finishes and New Year’s Six bowl game appearances. The preseason Amway Coaches Poll was just recently released, as well, with the Nittany Lions coming in at No. 9.

At Penn State’s Media Day on Saturday, all the big question marks seemed to revolve around the defensive unit, and deservedly so, with the Nittany Lions returning just three starters. That number, however, is skewed a bit, because there’s a ton of players returning that saw plenty of action, just not as starters. In fact, many of those players saw nearly as much time as the starters.

So, let’s take a look at some of the more interesting storylines that were discussed.

DEFENSIVE PRESSURE ... There may be some questions surrounding the defensive unit this season, but defensive end is not one of them. Penn State returns one of the most talented defensive end groups in the country. The Nittany Lions were tied for seventh in the country last season with 42 team sacks — a number that is expected to go up in 2018. Shareef Miller (five sacks) and Ryan Buchholz are expected to be the starters. There’s a host of other players that will see significant playing time, including Shane Simmons, Shaka Toney (four sacks), and Yetur Gross-Matos. Also, incoming freshman Micah Parsons and veteran linebacker Cam Brown are known for their ability to get to the quarterback from their linebacker position.

“I think that’s the great thing about our defensive end group, the depth we have. We all have different skill sets, and we all can get to the quarterback, so we’re all going to be able to stay fresh,” said Miller.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE ... The biggest question that needs to be answered on the defensive side of the ball is who will be starting at middle linebacker (MIKE) for the Nittany Lions this season. Defensive Coordinator Brent Pry mentioned at media day that as many as five players are competing for that position right now. Jan Johnson, Jake Cooper, Ellis Brooks, Cam Brown, and freshman Jesse Luketa look to all have a shot at the spot. Heralded five-star recruit Parsons could also be in the mix, but his speed and size are built more for an outside spot.

It’s anybody’s guess who the staff thinks has a leg up on the position, but a name that was thrown around a lot was Governor Mifflin graduate and former walk-on Johnson. Johnson has received a lot of praise from the Penn State coaches, which could be an indicator where he stands in the competition.

“I think Jan is right there in the battle and he’s had a great summer and has done all the things he needs to do to give himself the best chance to earn that job, and also to give our defense the best chance to be successful,” said Penn State head coach James Franklin.

BOWEN BACK ... Two-year starting linebacker Manny Bowen, who was kicked off the team last season, has been given a third and presumably last chance at playing football for Penn State by Franklin. Bowen was suspended in 2017 right before the Rose Bowl for an unknown reason, and then was released from the team last season right before the Fiesta Bowl for a violation of team rules.

Franklin didn’t make it easy for Bowen to crawl his way back, as he was given a laundry list of things he needed to complete. The question now is, will he be competing on the field for the Nittany Lions in 2018? Both Franklin and Pry were mum on giving out that information, but if Bowen is able to play this season, that will only bolster a talented linebacker group that is missing exactly what Bowen brings to the table — experience. Even after missing four games, Bowen collected 51 tackles last season.

“I can’t tell you what his role on the team is going to be ... to be honest with you. I have no idea. I do think the plan in place was the right thing to do for Manny, and it gave him the best opportunity for him to graduate from Penn State in December,” said Franklin.