What's the latest on the Penn State right tackle battle a week into preseason camp?
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State football enters the second week of preseason camp with some answers and at least one big question along its offensive line. The Nittany Lions lost three starters from a year ago now that center Hunter Nourzad, left tackle Olu Fashanu, and right tackle Caedan Wallace are all in NFL training camps. Fashanu’s replacement appears to be junior Drew Shelton. Redshirt senior Nick Dawkins looks locked into Nourzad’s old role. But, how head coach James Franklin’s program will fill Wallace’s reps remains to be seen.
Sophomore Anthony Donkoh made himself the leader in the clubhouse with a fine Peach Bowl performance in the final game of his first season on campus. But, the Lions added Pa., native Nolan Rucci from Wisconsin via the transfer portal before spring practice. It was well known that, among other things, the former Badger would need to bulk up to compete for a starting job. He has done that, as he now checks in at 317 pounds, up from the 308 he was listed at back in January. It’s led to a strong battle between the two, and there is not a winner yet.
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“[Anthony] Donkoh and [Nolan] Rucci are in a battle,” Franklin said Thursday night. “Rucci is another guy [who is] steady Eddie. And a lot of times with o-lineman, if you don’t notice them, it’s a good thing. He’s just kind of doing his job and getting better.
“I think he’s gotten comfortable with the weight that he’s put on as well, and then finding that sweet spot of what the right weight is for him to play, so that he’s got a chance to block Abdul [Carter] and also Dani [Dennis-Sutton] which are two very different type of players. But he’s doing really well. And I think you guys have all seen what Donkoh was able to do as a true freshman was pretty impressive. So that’s been good.”
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Simply from a logistical perspective, it would seem more likely that Penn State could routinely play six offensive linemen on game day. Seven could be a stretch. But Franklin opened the door to that possibility when he gave a shout-out to another returning Nittany Lion who is making headway in preseason camp.
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“We also think JB Nelson can and will play right tackle for us as well,” Franklin said. “B is kind of a Swiss army knife. We think he can play right tackle. We think he play both guards. And, we think he can play left tackle as well. We’re very pleased with JB. We think he’s got a very, very bright future. So he’ll factor in as well.”
Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has not shied away from playing more than just his starting five before. So, a deeper rotation is not totally inconceivable. Franklin even suggested keeping freshman interior offensive lineman Cooper Cousins off the field would be a challenge.
All told, unlike some years in the Franklin era, options abound up front. It will be interesting to see how the depth chart shakes out, then, over the next few weeks ahead of the program’s opener at West Virginia.
