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P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> The numbers have been a sharp improvement over previous years. During the three previous seasons – sea- sons in which it had perhaps the best running back in school history in the back- field in Saquon Barkley – Penn State averaged 133.9, 171.9 and 170.2 rushing yards per game. The Lions finished 12th in the Big Ten in 2015, seventh in 2016 and sixth last season. So why has the chemistry been so much better this season? For one thing, it's been a few years since the coaches have had to cobble together a line out of disparate parts. During the early part of Franklin's tenure, the offensive coaches had to bor- row players from the defensive line just to field a starting five. Brian Gaia and Derek Dowrey were handed offensive playbooks when they got back from spring break in 2014, and they combined to start 13 games the following fall. That's how thin the Lions were up front. Franklin and his assistants addressed that problem by signing 12 offensive linemen in the 2015, '16 and '17 re- cruiting classes. Six of those linemen received four stars from Rivals.com, and be- cause the Lions still had significant holes in their offensive front, several of them saw action much earlier in their careers than would likely have been the case had they gone to a school that was- n't recovering from several years of sanction-related recruiting deficien- cies. Connor McGovern, a four-star lineman in the Class of 2016, started nine games at guard as a true freshman. That same season, Bates started 14 games at guard and tackle as a redshirt freshman. Last year, another redshirt freshman, Will Fries, helped solidify the starting unit by earning nine starts, fill- ing in at both guard and tackle. As the talent pool has deepened, the coaches have been less reliant on young players. This year's line features only one first-year starter, and that player – redshirt sophomore center Michal Menet – is in his third season at Penn State. Menet's steady ascent is indica- tive of the career path that Franklin wants to see his linemen take. While McGovern, Bates and Fries all had a major impact as freshmen, it's not the preferred option, in part because all linemen need time in the weight room to fully acclimate to the college game. Fries, a former four-star prospect from Cranford, N.J., said the most challeng- ing part of his transition "was just get- ting size and strength." "I came in here about 280, and now I'm about 310," he said. "I think those years of development for offensive linemen [are important because] guys come in not as POCKET PROTECTORS Bates (52) and Gonzalez (74) try to keep Ohio State defenders away from Trace McSorley. The senior quarter- back rushed for 175 yards against the Buckeyes. Photo by Steve Manuel

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