Tyler Elsdon described his Penn State football career as unique and himself as stronger and more resilient. He started at middle linebacker two seasons ago, underwent shoulder surgery and then lost his job to Kobe King last season. Although he’s still playing behind King, Elsdon believes he’s a better player and a better leader in what could be his final season with the Nittany Lions. “I’ve always looked at myself as a mature player,” Elsdon said Wednesday. “I think I have that strength and resiliency to be in the spotlight and maybe take a step back. It’s a lot. It’s an emotional game. “My expectation is always to be a starter so losing that was difficult, but I feel like I’m more of a complete football player.” The former North Schuylkill star made three tackles in Penn State’s 34-27 win over Bowling Green on Sept. 7, the Lions’ previous game. “It (being a starter) is not everything to me,” Elsdon said. “It’s really not everything on our team. It’s who’s going to answer the call. That’s my main mission.” Elsdon broke up a second-down pass to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in the second quarter against Bowling Green. It was the only time in the first half that the Falcons didn’t score in building a 24-20 lead and piling up 288 total yards. Penn State’s defense responded in the second half and limited Bowling Green to a last-minute field goal and 87 yards. Elsdon made two stops when the Falcons were backed up in their own territory. “We weren’t happy with the first half,” Elsdon said. “I was happy with the performance in the second half. We were able to actually play as one. All the things (mistakes) in the first half were controllable things.” The 10th-ranked Lions (2-0) hope to fine-tune their defense against 49-point underdog Kent State (0-3) Saturday at 3:30 (TV-BTN) at Beaver Stadium. The Golden Flashes rank last among 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense (201.3 yards per game), 131st in rushing (54.3), 127th in scoring (13.7) and 123rd in passing (147.0). “We’re a very confident defense,” Elsdon said. “We know exactly what our identity is. We know what’s expected of us. Moving forward, we’d love to eliminate some of the problems that we had in the first half against Bowling Green. We have a great opportunity this weekend to do that.” Elsdon was rated one of the top 10 high school players in his 2020 recruiting class after leading North Schuylkill to a pair of league titles and a District 11 championship. He played in one game as a freshman, saw action in 12 games on defense and special teams in 2021 and earned a starting job in 2022. He made six tackles in the Rose Bowl win over Utah before undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason. King beat out Elsdon for the starting position before last season and finished as Penn State’s second-leading tackler. “Kobe’s been playing great,” Elsdon said. “He’s a spectacular player. Adjusting to that (reserve) role was difficult at times. At the end of the day, I’m a Penn State guy through and through. I’m a team guy through and through.” In the first two games, new Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen has mostly used sets with two linebackers but also has had three and four on the field. Elsdon and Dominic DeLuca are behind King and Tony Rojas. “We’ve all bought into Coach Allen,” Elsdon said. “We love what he does. We love his messages on a consistent basis. He loves being with us. Our defense is mainly about chemistry and culture, being on the field and playing as one unit. We definitely have that with him.” No matter how much playing time he gets, Elsdon will try to give his best. “Whatever that role is, I’m going to pour all my energy and all my heart into it,” he said. “Whenever I have an opportunity to step on that field, I try to take advantage of my opportunities and make the most out of them. I want to put my team in the best position to win, whether that’s on defense, special teams or whatever that may be.”