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Penn State Football 2017 Player Profile: OT Will Fries

By Marty Leap

Apr 16, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive line coach Matt Limegrove looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The Blue team defeated the White team 37-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive line coach Matt Limegrove looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The Blue team defeated the White team 37-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports /
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After taking a redshirt in 2016, offensive tackle Will Fries will have the opportunity to earn a starting job on Penn State’s offensive line in 2017

In James Franklin’s first two years as Penn Stat’s head football coach the Nittany Lions had one of the worst offensive lines in the Big Ten. However, that started to change in 2016, as highly touted players that Franklin and company had recruited started to play on the line. Additionally, the coaching of Matt Limegrover made a huge impact.

In 2017, the offensive line should be even better. One of the reasons for that is redshirt freshman offensive tackle Will Fries, who will have the opportunity to earn a starting role on Penn State’s offensive line in 2017.

Fries is a native of Cranford, New Jersey. The former three-star recruit chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Clemson, Miami, and Michigan, among others in high school. This included the Nittany Lions fending off Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines, who made a late push to try and flip Fries late in the 2016 recruiting cycle.

When Penn State’s offensive line was hit hard by the injury bug late last season the coaching staff came very close to playing Fries and burning his redshirt. Thankfully, that did not have to happen.

The six-foot-six, 300-pound Will Fries has a lot of potential as an offensive tackle. He has good size, strength, length, and athleticism at tackle. Regardless of when the future becomes the present, he has a very bright future in Happy Valley.

Brendan Mahon, Connor McGovern, and Ryan Bates are set in stone to start on Penn State’s offensive line in 2017. Most likely, Steven Gonzalez will have a starting job locked up too. That leaves three players competing for one spot — Chasz Wright, Michal Menet, and Will Fries.

Even if Fries does not start for Penn State in 2017, he will provide good offensive line depth for the Nittany Lions. That’s something that is very important as teams typically need at least seven starting level offensive linemen to get through a season. The Nittany Lions are lucky enough to have eight, potentially nine if Andrew Nelson gets healthy enough to play, and Will Fries is part of the reason for this offensive line depth.

Due to positional flexibility, the Nittany Lions can get creative on their offensive line. Both Bates and Mahon can play guard or tackle. While right now the plan seems to be for them to be the starting tackles, if someone like Will Fries emerges at tackle one of those other two could bump down inside to guard.

Next: 2017 Player Profile: Koa Farmer

Penn State’s offensive will be the best the Nittany Lions have had since at least 2013. Honestly, it could be one of the best in the Big Ten and be a strength for the Nittany Lions. The potential emergence of redshirt freshman offensive tackle Will Fries could play a large role in 2017.

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