Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1507572
2 8 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M compete, I keep it on there, so it's pretty healthy," Ioane said. "Sal is a really good technician. He focuses on the little things, so that's what I've picked up and tried to learn from him." Ioane has also endeared himself to of- fensive line coach Phil Trautwein, and to his teammates, winning praise as a hard worker and one of the strongest players on the roster. "He's a classic mauler," said guard Landon Tengwall at the start of preseason camp. "You look at him, and he carries his weight well. He can move with that weight, too. "I think he's got a really bright future ahead of him. I think that's the theme of this season. We've got a lot of depth on the O-line. We've got two full lines that can play ball out there, and I think that's something that Coach Trautwein and Coach [James] Franklin are all really excited about." A few weeks after Tengwall offered that glowing assessment of his fellow offen- sive lineman, the Nittany Lions learned they would be having to tap into their depth up front. Tengwall, a former On3 four-star prospect who had been heading into his redshirt sophomore season, was forced to medically retire due to an undis- closed injury. His exit thrust Nelson into the starting lineup and propelled backup guards Ioane and true freshman Anthony Donkoh into bigger roles than they likely were anticipating heading into fall camp. "We've been getting [Ioane and Donkoh] reps for a while," Franklin said. "Vega has shown some really positive signs and some flashes. Anthony Donkoh has come in probably further ahead than we anticipated. … Obviously, those guys and their development were always go- ing to be important, but it just got mag- nified." Ioane played 28 snaps in the Nittany Lions' season-opening 38-15 victory over West Virginia on Sept. 2. It was the start of what figures to be a busy season for the promising second-year lineman, and teammates are eager to see him start to show off his potential. "I love Vega," Nelson said. "He's re- ally, really competitive and a really good player." ■ Listed at 6-foot-4, 348 pounds, Ioane has been a standout in the weight room since his arrival at Penn State. PHOTO BY THOMAS FRANK CARR