Vega Ioane, trusting Penn State plan, eager for next steps

By November, Vega Ioane had appeared in two games for his debut season at Penn State. But, with injuries mounting to the Nittany Lion offensive line, the plan for his redshirt was in jeopardy. 

So when James Franklin was asked about Ioane’s redshirt status, and whether or not he’d be able to maintain, the Penn State head coach was noncommittal. 

“Vega’s a guy that we are preparing in practice every single week to play,” Franklin said. “There’s also the discussion about how many games they have available. You can play Vega in one game, and then shut somebody else down, and try to manage it as much as you can. But, not so much so that it limits your ability to be effective and explosive and go 1-0. You never totally know.”

Three weeks later, that uncertainty was settled for Ioane. 

Appearing only once more during the regular season, taking a season-high 16 snaps at right guard against Michigan State, the redshirt was certain to stay intact. And, with or without the NCAA rules amendment allowing bowl game participation, opening the door to a fifth game played for redshirts, Ioane also saw snaps in Penn State’s Rose Bowl win.

Vega Ioane first-year experience

Reflecting on the experience, one that started as a late addition to the Nittany Lion Class of 2022 last February, bringing the Graham, Wash., product 2,627 miles east to State College, Pa., Ioane acknowledged the ups and downs of his first year at Penn State.

And it started with a distance that isn’t easily dismissed.

“I’m a long way from home,” Ioane said. “When I got here, at first I was like, ‘Yeah, this might be a lot more than I think it would be.’ But as time went on, I’ve been keeping busy with football, so it’s been keeping my mind off of that. But, I still miss my family here and there.”

Through the bout of homesickness, though, Ioane was able to latch onto the opportunity to quickly develop as a Nittany Lion. Establishing a bond with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, Ioane said he focused on the work of a position change, moving from tackle in high school to the interior of Penn State’s offensive line, and going from there.

“I just had to come in, lock in, do my work, and trust Traut’s plan and how he teaches our guys,” Ioane said. “I wanted to play, for sure. But, I told Traut I would trust his plan and do whatever he wants me to do. 

“It was pretty hard seeing my guys go out there, but I tried to not think about that. Just stay on the sideline and support our guys.”

Next steps

All the while, Ioane was repping at left guard, center, and right guard. In his first game action against Ohio, he saw all 11 reps at left guard. Then he played 8 reps at right guard against Minnesota on Oct. 22, and expanded his reach to right guard and special teams work for his final two games of the year. 

Now, Ioane said he’s continuing the process of also picking up work at center, having snapped the ball for the first time in his career last season.

“Like halfway through the season, Traut asked me to see what I could do at center. I snapped the ball for the first time and left a good impression. And he let me stay at center for a little while and practice at that. During the season, it was like an even amount between right guard and center,” Ioane said. “It was a lot to take in. I had to be strong with my mental, know what I got to do every play. But having guys like Sal and Juice and learning from them every day, it made it a little bit easier.”

Trautwein confirmed as much, offering a glowing review of Ioane’s first season as a Nittany Lion. 

“Vega, love him. Was a late add in last year’s class. And, he’s awesome,” Trautwein told reporters last November. “I mean, he is everything that I hoped for. He loves ball. He goes out every day, he practices hard. He’s ready to go and he’s confident. That’s what I’m always trying to do is make sure guys are ready physically, mentally to go out in that game. And he’s been ready and he’s attacking every day at practice.”

Bringing that same energy and enthusiasm for the game to his offseason work, Ioane is determined to continue making those strides in the weeks and months ahead.