Penn State Football: causes for concern following spring practice

The offensive line still hasn’t proven anything

In 2021, Penn State’s offensive line was as bad as it has been in a long time, leading to an ineffective running game and way too much pressure on the quarterbacks.

While the line figures to be somewhat improved in 2022, mostly by default, that does not mean that they will be, by any means, a great offensive line.

It’s helpful to have their most consistent lineman in Juice Scruggs back, and also moving to his natural position, which is center. Caedan Wallace also returns at right tackle, but he has yet to prove to consistently effective against the best of the best in the Big Ten.

At right guard, there figures to be a competition between Sal Wormley, and transfer from Cornell, Hunter Nourzad.

Wormley was lined up to be a starter last season for the Nittany Lions before suffering a preseason injury, while Nourzad was a first team All-Ivy League selection. So regardless of who wins that job, it looks good on paper, but looking good on paper doesn’t protect the quarterback and open holes for running backs.

The left side of the line, made up by Olu Fashanu at tackle and Landon Tengwall at guard, could be phenomenal, but that remains to be seen over the course of an entire season and against the best teams on the Nittany Lions’ schedule.

The two looked very good in a small sample size last season, and if they do wind up reaching their full potential, could make up one of the better left sides of an offensive line in the conference, but unfortunately at this point, it is a “believe it when I see it” mentality when it comes to Penn State’s offensive line.