Hunter Nourzad sheds light on 'bigger adjustment' to guard

Hunter Nourzad’s understood his transition would include its share of challenges. A veteran starting offensive lineman at Cornell, starting 20 games at right tackle before his graduate transfer to Penn State in the offseason, the major changes would be two-fold.

On the front end, the talent gap between the Ivy League and Big Ten would be notable. More opponents, naturally, would be of a higher quality than he’d faced previously.

That he’d be doing so as an interior offensive lineman for the Nittany Lions, having finished his career at Cornell as a starting right tackle for 20 consecutive games, was another matter entirely. As opposed to a steady dose of defensive ends, Nourzad is now routinely lining up against some of the better defensive tackles college football has to offer. 

“It was definitely an adjustment. I think it was a bigger adjustment than I was expecting,” Nourzad said Tuesday afternoon. “The tools that Coach Trautwein and all the other coaches provided for me in camp got me ready for it. 

“Everything happens really fast and way quicker. And obviously, you’re dealing with bigger guys in general. And also, you’re moving up to Big Ten from an FCS conference. So that was a challenge. But the coaching staff did a really great job throughout camp, getting me ready and adjusting me. I think it’s gone well.”

Hunter Nourzad’s Michigan experience

In his most extensive action of the season on Saturday at Michigan, Nourzad was called into a starter’s role immediately before game time. Stepping in for Landon Tengwall, who suffered an unspecified injury in pregame warmups, Nourzad started his first game as a Nittany Lion. He finished with 49 offensive snaps at left guard, dinged by Pro Football Focus for allowing two hurries on the quarterback. 

This, of course, came after a two-game absence from Penn State’s games against Central Michigan and Northwestern. Nursing his own unspecified injury, technically available but shelved to better recuperate according to James Franklin, Nourzad’s action against the Wolverines was his first in a month. 

Sizing up his performance in Penn State’s tough loss, Nourzad offered that the experience was one he’d improve upon. With Tengwall’s status for Saturday’s White Out an unknown, his services could again become urgent for the Nittany Lions.

“In my opinion, you can always do better. And I think it was a great learning experience for me,” Nourzad said. “In film on Sunday, there are things I got to work on this week that I can focus on.”

Areas for improvement

Specifically, those areas include the continued adjustment to his new reality on the interior of Penn State’s offensive line. Laying out the many differences between the positions against what he’d experienced previously, Nourzad commended the work of Penn State’s coaching staff for helping him to adjust.

“I think it all kind of goes back to the fact that you’re in a way tighter space in the run game and I was dealing with way bigger guys than I was used to,” Nourzad said. “So the fact that you have way less space to operate. And once the ball is snapped, the defensive linemen are on you really fast. They just helped me work on my hands with my feet, getting them in the ground faster. And, getting my hands inside in the right position so I can have better leverage on the defensive lineman.

“And in the passing game, it’s kind of the same thing. There’s just less space. So, you have less time to read what’s going on with what the defensive lineman is going to do. I’m just working on getting my hands up. Timing, your punch is a really big thing. Coach Traut does a really good job teaching us how to do that.”

Next steps

Set to face a Minnesota defense that has been stout this season, ranked sixth in total defense, 20th in rushing yards allowed, fifth in passing defense, and fourth in points surrendered, Nourzad will be counted upon again in this, his first prime-time experience at Beaver Stadium.

Offering his perspective on Nourzad’s contributions to the program this season, Franklin said Tuesday they’ll continue to be important.

“It’s been good. Hunter Nourzad, we look at a lot like (Bryce) Effner. We view those guys as starters for us,” Franklin said. “Having him available and able to play was important after losing Landon because he went from being in a rotation to starting and being the guy.”