Penn State OT Olu Fashanu talks decision to return for 2023
Penn State got its first win of 2023 back in late November, when starting left tackle and projected first-round pick Olu Fashanu announced that he would be coming back next season. The humble 20-year-old spoke about the decision with the media for the first time on Saturday afternoon at the Nittany Lions’ Rose Bowl team Media Day in Pasadena.
“I kind of just wanted to put it out there that I was coming back,” he said of the decision. “I didn’t spend too much time with [the announcement]. Appreciate all the love and support, but I didn’t take too much time looking at it. I’m just glad I put it out there. And I’m glad that it’s a positive reaction.”
Fashanu missed the final four games of the 2022 season with an injury and he’s still up in the air in terms of his availability for Monday against Utah. His choice to come back surprised many nationally, but he’s happy to have it behind him.
“I mean, it was a pretty hard decision,” Fashanu said. “At the end of the day, there are multiple factors that led me to coming back. I don’t want to go into the details, there are many different reasons why I wanted to come back and I’m glad I made that decision. I’m looking forward to looking forward. I’m looking forward like to working with my teammates in the offseason and getting better but right now I’m just focused on the Rose Bowl.”
Fashanu was a projected Top 10 pick in the spring
The sophomore was being projected safely in the top 10 of the 2023 NFL Draft by several outlets just a few months into his first season as a starter. Fashanu and head coach James Franklin confirmed that it was a family decision that took into account both football and his academic future.
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“Olu deciding, him and his family deciding, to come back was something as a program that we’re really excited about,” Franklin said earlier this month. “But also making sure that we’re doing everything we possibly can to support Olu and all his academic plans and goals he has for himself, as well as playing even better next year and getting drafted as high as possible.”
The decision means that the left tackle position will be locked down for at least one more year in Happy Valley. Penn State will go into 2023 with Fashanu, senior Caedan Wallace and rising sophomore Drew Shelton all with starting experience at tackle.
Fashanu is hoping to take his game to another level with another year in the offseason program.
“There’s no perfect player,” he said. “There are different aspects of my game that still need to work on. Obviously, run blocking, pass protection and everything, but I mean right now kind of just focused on the Rose Bowl.”
