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Penn State Football: 3 Questions Answered by the Offensive Line

By Andrew Adair

Penn State Football Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein talks on the sideline during the second quarter at SHI Stadium on December 5, 2020 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Penn State defeated Rutgers 23-7. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
Penn State Football Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein talks on the sideline during the second quarter at SHI Stadium on December 5, 2020 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Penn State defeated Rutgers 23-7. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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Can the Offensive Line Keep the Quarterback Clean?

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 05: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions throws a pass in the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 05: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions throws a pass in the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

2021 was disappointing in many ways. The offensive line was a mess and gave up pressure to the quarterback constantly. Quarterback Sean Clifford was sacked 30 times in 2021. The beating the Clifford took led to a second half of the season that saw Penn State Football go 2-6.

Turn the page to 2022, and the Penn State offensive line only gave up 14 sacks while Sean Clifford was in. Keeping Clifford clean was a big reason why Penn State finished the season at 10-2.

If you had to choose one offensive lineman that made the most considerable difference, it would have to be the emergence of LT Olu Fashanu. Olu Fashanu is the success story that both James Franklin and Phil Trautwein can point to going forward.

The offensive line weathered the injuries to Olu Fashanu, Landon Tengwall, and Caedan Wallace. If you exclude the Michigan game, the Penn State offensive line never looked overwhelmed.

The return of Olu Fashanu is a great development for the offensive line group. As long as the group continues to improve, 2023 could be a special year.

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