Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Nittany Lions preparing as uncertain future reins supreme
Michal Menet bides his time at home in Birdsboro these days, working out, mowing the lawn and hoping that there will be a 2020 college football season.
He and Will Fries, also an offensive lineman at Penn State, announced shortly after the 2019 regular season that they would return for their senior year, seeking to improve their skills and their NFL draft stock.
Even though the 2020 season remains in jeopardy because of the coronavirus pandemic, they both said Wednesday that they have no regret about their choice to return.
“I’m definitely not secondguessing it,” said Menet, the former Exeter star. “I put a lot of time into my decision. It really was kind of an easy decision for me.
“There are definitely things I know I needed to work on to become a better player. I’ve been really addressing those since the season ended, so it’s been a positive for me.”
Fries said he’s been checking with many teammates to make sure no one’s mental health is suffering while being away frotym their teammates and coaches.
But how about guys like he and Menet with so much riding on their senior season? How do they cope with the uncertainty of it all? Who knows, but they might have played their final game for Penn State.
“There’s nothing I can do about it,” Fries said. “It’s out of my control. I can’t worry about it. All I can do is get myself better every day. All I can do is keep preparing for whatever the next opportunity is.
“At some point, with the guidance of health and safety officials, people will be able to get back. I’m looking forward to when that is.”
So, Menet and Fries continue their own strength and conditioning workouts at home, some with improvised equipment that show ingenuity.
Fries uses a contraption that his father built for him several years ago, which they call the “Slosh Bar.” Menet and his father, Brian, stole the idea and made their version of it.
“It’s a six-foot long PVC pipe about six inches around that can be filled halfway with water,” Menet said. “It’s an unstable apparatus, so it really helps with stabilizing your core and your balance.”
Menet and Fries are using different types of heavy bags to help them with their punches in pass protection. Menet’s also borrowing sleds, kettlebells, dumbbells and resistance bands from one of his cousins.
They admit they’re lucky to have such equipment available to use. Penn State coach James Franklin said last week that one unnamed player has been using two large buckets of his mother’s frying grease to curl.
With the spring semester over, they have more time for strength and conditioning and for perfecting their football techniques.
“I really don’t think I’m skipping a beat as far as the workouts go,” Menet said, “or the amount of time I’m putting into it.”
He and Fries said they’re maintaining their playing weight with careful dietary assistance from their parents. The 6-4 Menet said he weighs 307 pounds, very close to where he was last season.
“My parents have been making sure I’m eating high-protein meals, whole carbs, that kind of stuff,” he said. “There’s always a bunch of chicken and at least three dozen eggs in my house. It’s all been really good.”
Except for pondering the unknown. Fries, now a right tackle, has started 33 games in his career. Menet, a center, has started 25 of the last 26 games. They’re the most experienced players on the roster and hoping to play their final college season and further impress NFL scouts.
“We’ve discussed all the possibilities, but I’m really trying not to think about it much,” Menet said. “My opinion really doesn’t matter. People who do this stuff for a living are going to be the ones to tell us when it’s the safest for everybody to get back.
“At the end of the day, we all just want to play football and we’re just waiting until somebody gives us the OK to do that.”