Penn State football's offensive line underwent some changes from the 2025 season. Multi-year starter and center Nick Dawkins, guard Olaivavega Ioane, tackle Drew Shelton, and tackle Nolan Rucci all departed for the NFL and new head coach Matt Campbell hit the transfer portal hard with the additions of Trevor Buhr, Brock Riker, and Vaea Ikakoula, and Kuol Kuol II.
Piecing together this new offensive line is critical. There's not a ton of chemistry heading into the season with the number of new guys on the roster in addition to players, such as Malachi Goodman, who haven't logged experience and are anticipated to be impact players this fall.
According to offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, the Nittany Lions are battling hard in the trenches and told reporters that his linemen have "rose to the challenge" to prove who wants it more.
While there are quite a few standouts, Buhr is the one Mouser called out as the camp MVP so far.
"I think just the consistency he plays with," Mouser said of the Iowa State transfer. "He plays a very, very physically demanding position. (He) ... take(s) pride in how violent and physical (he) can be ... (Buhr) has done a good job of that, and he's consistent in pass pro every rep. Doesn't lose in pass pro, violent at the point of attack, and we got some really big, stout dudes in there on the defensive line."
Taylor Mouser tabs Penn State OL Trevor Buhr the MVP of fall camp
The redshirt junior played in eight games and made six starts in 2025. He didn't allow a single sack across all 218 pass-blocking snaps he was out on the field for. The year prior, Buhr, again, did not allow a sack over 316 pass-blocking snaps.
In order for quarterback Rocco Becht to succeed, it's not just on his skill players to rise to the occasion. Becht isn't a particularly impressive mobile quarterback, meaning the offensive line has to be solid heading into the season. That's not an easy task when the line is rebuilding itself, but the guard's fall camp performance has made it look like it is.
Overall, Mouser also noted how impressed he's been with the chemistry the linemen have for only having been with each other for a short period of time. Specifically, he mentioned Buhr and Goodman and how nice it is to see older and younger players compete at a high level and be on the same page consistently.
"We haven't had any glaring MA missed assignments, blown assignments. I mean, we've thrown a lot of different wrinkles and schemes and situations at those guys," Mouser said.
Replacing multi-year starters is difficult, but already having that chemistry this early on with standout talent deserving of MVP status across the whole team is impressive. Consistency throughout camp from this offensive line should have Mouser confident once Week 1 rolls around.
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