2023 Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 99 Coziah Izzard
Going into the 2023 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season.
Next up is a look at one of Penn State’s returning defensive linemen, Coziah Izzard. Izzard missed out on spring practices this year due to injury but is expected to return to the mix when fall camp opens for the Nittany Lions in August. Izzard should be a key p[layer for the defensive line this season, even if he is not a starting player. Here is a snapshot look at Izzard heading into the 2023 college football season.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Columbia, MD
Height: 6-3
Weight: 294
247Sports Composite Ranking
[4-stars] | [No. 11 in Maryland] | [No. 24 overall defensive tackle]
Class of 2020
Class in 2023: Junior
Penn State got in on the recruiting of Coziah Izzard early on. Izzard made an unofficial visit to Penn State way back in October 2016, a month after receiving his first college offer from his in-state program, Maryland. Izzard later gave Penn State coaches a good look when he attended a football camp in the summer of 2017 and again in 2018. His 2018 camp attendance resulted in a scholarship offer. Izzard made more trips to Penn State in the following months as more offers came in.
Following an official visit to Penn State in June 2019, Izzard gave his commitment to the Nittany Lions and followed that up with numerous unofficial visits leading up to his signing in the early signing period for the Class of 2020.
Career Stats
Games | Tackles | Sacks | TFL | FF | |
2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | 13 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
2022 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Izzard missed the first month of the 2022 season for an undisclosed reason that was likely due to some form of in-program punishment given the situation. But he did appear in the final nine games of the season, including the Rose Bowl, and he put up decent numbers in his role in that time. Penn State will expect Izzard to be a consistent contributor once again this fall.
Depth Chart Overview
Penn State’s defensive line does appear to have a starting lineup ready to go with redshirt seniors Hakeem Beamon and Dvon Ellies locking down the starting roles at defensive tackle for the 2023 season. Coziah Izzard would be the likely top backup at defensive tackle behind Ellies.
But even if he is not put in a starting role this fall, Izzard should still play a factor on the defensive line for defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. Izzard will also continue to help tutor younger players at the position like redshirt sophomore Jordan van den Berg and Davon Townley.
