Shaka Toney makes an impact on the pass rush for Penn State

EVANSTON, Ill. — Shareef Miller knows that Penn State has someone special in defensive end Shaka Toney, and he's doing what he can to help him navigate his first season with the Nittany Lions.

Toney, a redshirt freshman from Imhotep Charter High School, saw his most significant playing time of the season Saturday and made quite an impression, posting a team-high two sacks and forcing a fumble in the fourth-ranked Lions' 31-7 victory over Northwestern.

Miller, the team's starting defensive end from George Washington High, said he's known Toney since high school.

"We pull for each other," said Miller, who had one of Penn State's four sacks. "Shaka and I talk a lot. He'll come over to chill if he's having a bad day or a bad practice. I encourage him and use my experience. We're really tight."

Toney, who started the season at 218 pounds but is now listed at 233, made an impact with his first sack of the game, stripping the ball from Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson in the opening quarter. Defensive end Ryan Buchholz (Great Valley) claimed the fumble.

"I saw his back and I knew I had to put everything into it," Toney said. "When I hit him, Shareef was throwing his guy into him. I went backward, but it just felt good to get around the corner."

Then late in the second quarter, when Northwestern drove into Lions territory, Toney sacked Thorson again, this time for an 8-yard loss.

"I always have confidence," Toney said. "They always remind me that I'm one of the better guys playing, so it's perfectly fine. If I get one snap or two snaps, it's all about taking advantage of the opportunity you get when you go in there, making sure that they feel my presence."

Miller enjoyed watching his fellow Philadelphian.

"The best thing about him is that he's fast," he said. "He's got fresh legs. Guys like me and Buchholz out there, we're taking most of the snaps. Then you go to a guy like him that's real fast and he's got fresh legs, it's just like exploding past everybody."

Penn State head coach James Franklin said Toney is growing into becoming "a first- and second-down player," but for now, he's doing the job on third down.

"He's a disruptive guy," he said. "You look at him and say this guy's really not a D-end in the Big Ten. We probably all need to change our picture of what a Big Ten defensive end is, because he's extremely powerful, he's extremely explosive and he's just got a knack for getting on the edge.

"I think he's got a bright future long-term, and we need that. We need to be able to get pressure on the quarterback more consistently and he's the guy that brings it."

The Nittany Lions have a bye this week with exactly one half of their regular season completed. It has been an educational six games for Toney, and the improvement is continuing.

"I feel like I did what I've had to do," he said of his season so far. "I played my role well. I'm bringing something to the team that they need me to bring. Just making sure I'm dependable so that when my number's called, I'm ready to go."