Ranking the Big Ten offensive lines heading in 2022
By Kyler Kregel
(11.) Penn State Nittany Lions
Offensive Line coach: Phil Trautwein (3rd season)
Projected line-up: LT Olu Fashanu, LG Landon Tengwall, C Juice Scruggs*, RG Sal Wormley, RT Caedan Wallace
Summary: Penn State has had some quality individual players come along, but has never quite been able to translate it into a highly functioning unit of five. Former Michigan football recruiting targets Fashanu and Tengwall step into anticipated starting roles at left tackle and left guard respectively.
The depth at tackle is quite weak, so Tengwall will likely double as the backup LT, as he did in their spring scrimmage. Juice Scruggs is a very quality piece at center and was also named to the watchlist for the Rimington Trophy.
He’s been a terrific pass protector throughout his career thus far. Caeden Wallace is the other returning starter for this unit, with 2022 set to be his third season manning the position. He’s a decent player At right guard, Sal Wormley is the in-house option, though that depends on his recovery from a season-ending injury in 2021. He’ll compete with FCS Third-Team All-American Hunter Nourzad from Cornell.
Overall, given the previous inability to generate a reliable OL from James Franklin for a few seasons now, hard to project a lot of optimism into this room, though they do have fresh blood and a coach who has put out quality offensive lines before in Phil Trautwein.