O-line culture is the way back to winning
Quality up front was once bread and butter for Nittany Lions
Since Penn State hired him in 2014, James Franklin hasn’t coached a team with a dominant offensive line.
The Nittany Lions haven’t had a first- or second-team All-America lineman since Stefen Wisniewski in 2010. They haven’t had a firstteam All-Big Ten blocker since John Urschel in 2013.
And last year, they might have hit a low for Franklin’s eight seasons when the offense ranked among the nation’s worst in total yards, rushing, scoring, sacks allowed, red zone offense and tackles for loss allowed.
Which explains why offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich have a lot to prove. Penn State’s success in 2022 depends largely on how much better the line will be.
“The culture in the room is probably the best it’s ever been because they know me and I know them,” Trautwein said Saturday at Penn State’s Media Day. “To me, this line is the best (he’s had in three seasons with the Lions) because the culture is great.
“We have great talent. We have talented kids who love football.”
Since 2014, Penn State has had several offensive linemen who have gone on to the NFL, including Exeter grad Michal Menet, Will Fries, Rasheed Walker, Connor McGovern, Ryan Bates and Donovan Smith, a Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Franklin has consistently recruited highly rated offensive linemen coming out of high school, but he has never had a rushing attack that averaged more than 204 yards a game, even with Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders toting the football.
“I’m not going to sit here and pound the table that this will be the year (the offensive line makes a vast improvement),” Franklin said. “That hasn’t played out the last few years. I’m taking a more measured approach. Let them prove it to you.”
Juice Scruggs will anchor the line this year at center and will be flanked by Sal Wormley and Landon Tengwall at guard and Olu Fashanu and Caedan Wallace at tackle. They were all at least four-star prospects.
“We have great talent,” Trautwein said. “We have talented kids who love football. We have some really good running backs. They believe in the offensive line and the offensive line believes in the running backs. We have really good tight ends.
“I think we’re going to be a hell of a running team.”
That remains to be seen, but Franklin has made it clear since the Outback Bowl loss to Arkansas
that Penn State needs to commit more to the run. He has told that to Yurcich, who sometimes got away from it last season.
Three Lions running backs, for example, combined for just 10 carries in the Outback Bowl.
“We think we’ve made strides in the run game,” Yurcich said Saturday. “That’s been the one thing that as a staff we feel better about.”
Penn State has a stable of talented backs, including highly touted freshman Nick Singleton of Gov. Mifflin. But the linemen have to create holes for Singleton, Keyvone Lee, Devyn Ford, Kaytron Allen and Coziah Holmes in order to improve the ground game.
“The only thing that would keep the running game from being successful is if we have mass injuries,” running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider. “That’s how confident I am that we’re going to be able to run the ball this year.”
And if Penn State can run the ball, it will take immense pressure off sixth-year quarterback Sean Clifford and the passing game. If Clifford receives protection and improves his timing, he can take a giant leap with receivers like Parker Washington, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Western Kentucky transfer Mitchell Tinsley.
“With Sean’s experience, he understands things that maybe some guys at the fourth level don’t,” Yurcich said. “He understands the scrutiny and the pressure that the position holds.
“Playing in the present is a really important skill to master. With all the knowledge and experience he has, he’s been able to apply that. That’s a really critical element.”
If Penn State wants to rebound from an 11-11 record the last two seasons, much will depend on the guys blocking in front of Clifford and the running backs.
“I like where we’re at with the offensive line,” Yurcich said. “Those guys have been very physical. Their attitudes have been exceptional. Their effort has been tremendous. I like where we’re headed. They’re coming off the ball extremely well. We love where they’re at.”