Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1322704
season success. They had gradually pieced together the details and fundamentals they were being taught and were execut- ing them in games, turning what had once been an uncomfortable baptism by fire into a weekly opportunity to demonstrate growth leading into the off-season. Praised in December by head coach James Franklin for doing a good job with the linemen, especially having built close relationships and respect throughout the room, Trautwein took an approach these past few months that demanded pa- tience. And that patience, difficult though it may have been to maintain through the criticisms and discomfort of a wholly unexpected start to the 2020 season, at last was rewarded toward the end of the year in the form of improved performances and wins. "I just look at it if we're getting better every day. I truly think we are, and I think the guys feel that way," Trautwein said. "We're just building great habits and just growing from what we need to learn, and I think guys are buying into that. "Being great takes time. It doesn't just happen overnight. We're just going to keep on working on our fundamentals, our details and our mentality." Able to establish comfort and confi- dence with the techniques and funda- mentals that had once been completely foreign to the group, the Nittany Lions' line appears to be on a trajectory for which Trautwein can finally breathe. ■ sive line. Against Rutgers, they rushed for 248 yards in blustery field condi- tions that made the passing game treacherous and forced them to keep it on the ground. A week later against Michigan State, they finished with 405 total yards and scored a season-high 39 points, albeit with help from the punt- return unit, which supplied one of the team's five touchdowns. Fries said Wallace's development was evident as the season wore on and the team's offensive fortunes improved. "Just getting those reps in the game and realizing the speed that it's played at at the Big Ten level – I've seen him im- prove a lot there," Fries said. "He's im- proving every week. He's coming off the ball better, he's playing better in pass [protection] with his punch and things like that. Just getting those reps as a young guy in the Big Ten is going to benefit him. He's get- ting a lot better, and I'm really excited to see his future." Wallace credits his teammates with help- ing put him in position to excel as a redshirt freshman. "I definitely consider myself a sponge," he said, "so really anyone, younger or older, who's giving out good tips, I'm always there to listen. I definitely take in the wise words from Mike Menet. He always has different technique stuff, because he's been here for a while. Me and Rasheed talk about tips and differ- ent stuff that goes for both tackles, dif- ferent techniques and stuff like that. I think it's good to have a wide range of guys to talk to about stuff." Wallace has been part of a youth movement that is likely to pay divi- dends for the Nittany Lions in the years to come. In the game against Michigan, for example, 271 of the Lions' 417 total yards were supplied by freshmen Lee, Caziah Holmes, Parker Washington and Brenton Strange. Wallace sees that as just the beginning. "Even though we're young, I feel like we're mature, and we're still maturing," he said. "It'll be better for us in the fu- ture, and it's good for us now." ■ FIRST-TEAMER Wallace, a redshirt freshman, joined the starting lineup in Penn State's game at Nebraska and has remained there ever since. Photo cour- tesy of Penn State Athletics