Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1462941
A P R I L 2 0 2 2 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M lace is good enough to force the issue this spring. At 6-1, 191 pounds, he turned heads during his first year on campus. He had played three sports at Pike Road (Ala.) High — football, basketball and baseball — but once he settled in at Penn State and devoted himself full-time to football, his potential quickly became apparent. "We think very highly of [him]," Stub- blefield said last season "He's somebody who hasn't played a lot of football, and so part of his process is being around the team so that next year, or the year after that, this isn't his first time experiencing it. "Coach Franklin, he has a plan for ev- erything. So yes, Harrison has not played this year. But we want him to experience these things so that when he is put in a po- sition to have a decent amount of playing time, he can handle it mentally and he can be prepared as best as he can." Wallace has the potential to bring a new dynamic to Penn State's receivers, par- ticularly in an area of stretching the field. That capability makes him a prime pick for a spring breakout. Landon Tengwall It isn't clear just yet where Tengwall will fit in on Penn State's offensive line. What is clear, however, is that he belongs on this list. Finishing his true freshman season with 117 snaps over three games, playing extensively against Rutgers at left tackle, then appearing in a rotational role against Michigan State and Arkansas at left tackle and right guard, respectively, Tengwall finished with the second-highest overall offensive grade according to Pro Football Focus. Only senior wideout Jahan Dotson was better for the Nittany Lions. The 6-6, 330-pound Tengwall started spring practice at left guard. Whether he stays there will depend not just on how he fares, but on how the other projected first-teamers fare, too. The Lions opened practice with Tengwall and redshirt junior Sal Wormley at guard, senior Juice Scruggs at center, sophomore Olu Fashanu at left tackle and redshirt junior Caedan Wallace at right tackle. None of that is set in stone. "Obviously, there will be some mov- ing parts," Franklin said. "A lot of those guys we think can play multiple positions. We saw Landon play tackle. Juice can play guard. So, there are going to be some mov- ing parts. Obviously, Caedan Wallace is a guy who we think could play at either tackle, as well. It will be a very important spring for those guys." Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein will weigh out his options with Tengwall this spring. But, given the strong first impres- sions offered down the season's stretch, he has to be included here. ■ In a Penn State football program that is reliant on year- round competition as one of its foundational elements, starting jobs are not won in spring practice. But that doesn't mean position battles won't be taking shape as Penn State's offseason drills continue this month. Here's a look at the top battles to watch this spring: 1. Mike Linebacker Within a position group that is set to replace two starters and shift another, change is ever-present this spring. That's especially true at inside linebacker, where Penn State will turn to redshirt sophomore Tyler Elsdon and redshirt fresh- man Kobe King to fill a void. "It will be interesting to see what they both are able to do," coach James Franklin said. "They'll get a ton of reps, and there will be a tremendous opportunity for them to be evaluated." 2. Quarterback Sixth-year signal-caller Sean Clifford is the returning starter for the Nittany Lions. Second-year QB Christian Veil- leux will shoot to upend that pecking order. True freshmen, Pribula and Allar will compete with each other, and whoever emerges from that battle will aim to overtake Veilleux. "Sean embraces [the competition]. I think Veilleux embraces it," Franklin said. "And then we've got two young kids who have done some great things throughout their careers and put themselves in a position to come to a place like Penn State and compete. We'll see how it goes." 3. Safety Super senior Ji'Ayir Brown is going to start at safety for Penn State this sea- son. Who starts with him is what's up for grabs. Senior Keaton Ellis and sopho- more Jaylen Reed will compete for that role this spring. Ellis returns as a frequent contributor from the 2021 season, a full year at the position now under his belt. And in Reed, Penn State also has a talented young player with eight games of experience as a true freshman. 4. Defensive Tackle Coziah Izzard and Dvon Ellies stepped in after senior PJ Mustipher went down with a season-ending injury in Week 6 last season. Mustipher will be back this fall, but Derrick Tangelo is gone, so there's still a vacancy to be filled. Izzard and Ellies are back for their redshirt sophomore and redshirt junior seasons, respectively. Redshirt junior Ha- keem Beamon is back in the mix, redshirt freshman Jordan van den Berg is entering the equation, and sophomore Fa- torma Mulbah, redshirt sophomore Cole Brevard, and true freshman Zane Durant are vying for opportunities. That's a lot of manpower, and assuming Mustipher is back at full strength by late summer, there's only going to be one vacancy to fill. 5. Third Receiver Junior Parker Washington started every game at the slot last year. Recently arrived transfer Mitchell Tinsley spent the 2021 season at Western Kentucky as a constant on-field presence split wide. Thus, the primary question for receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield this spring revolves around deciding who will step up to fill the third receiver role. The answer last year was KeAndre Lambert-Smith, but the junior wideout won't be alone in that pursuit this spring. With redshirt sophomore Malick Meiga and redshirt freshman Harrison Wallace on the rise, there figures to be a heated competition this spring. — Nate Bauer Top Position Battles Of Spring Practice Drew Allar is taking part in his first spring practice with the Nittany Lions after arriv- ing in January along with fellow true fresh- man quarterback Beau Pribula. PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL