PENN STATE NEWS: James Franklin set a big deepest offensive record in Penn State
Penn State’s offense has its flaws, and last season, a lack of playmakers was a significant factor that set the Nittany Lions apart from the other top teams in the Big Ten during the James Franklin era. However, in the 2023 game against Ohio State, it was the struggles of the offensive line that played a major role in Penn State managing just 12 points in an eight-point loss. The line was overwhelmed in Columbus, giving up 23 pressures on Drew Allar and producing only 49 rushing yards. The offseason saw substantial changes to this unit, with Olu Fashanu, Caedan Wallace, and Hunter Nourzad all leaving for the NFL.
While the Nittany Lions may not have the same caliber of NFL-ready talent on the offensive line this season, they boast an impressive depth that few teams in the country can match. Franklin and offensive line coach Phil Trautwein have made the O-line a recruiting priority, particularly ramping up efforts in 2022. This led to commitments from Drew Shelton, now the starting left tackle, Vega Ioane, the starting left guard, and JB Nelson, who competed for the left guard spot with Ioane in the offseason. In 2023, Franklin added five-star tackle J’ven Williams, who will provide depth this season, and four-star Anthony Donkoh, who is competing with 2024 Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci for the right tackle position.
At center, redshirt senior Nick Dawkins, a 2020 recruit, narrowly won the starting job over five-star freshman Cooper Cousins. Sal Wormley, a two-year starter at right guard who joined the team in 2019, is the most experienced player in the group. These eight players make up the core of Penn State’s offensive line, and as Franklin mentioned to StateCollege.com’s Seth Engle, all of them will see playing time.
“I think we’ll have more than two tackles play. I think we’ll have at least three guards play, and I think we’ll have two centers play. So, how much? We’ll see. We’ve still got a ton of work to do between now and then, but I think we have probably a little bit more depth than we’ve had in the past. That’s a good thing.”
Franklin’s statement is actually quite modest. With the transfer portal offering more opportunities for backups to see the field, few teams could withstand three or even four injuries to their offensive line. This challenge is something two-time national championship-winning coach Kirby Smart has referred to as “the deterioration of college football.”
Penn State has focused its NIL resources more on retaining talent than on acquiring it, so while they couldn’t address every roster issue through the transfer portal this offseason, they managed to prevent new problems from emerging. With this season potentially being the longest in college football history for teams that keep winning, Penn State’s offensive line depth could be crucial.