Penn State Sports Magazine
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3 4 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M RETURNING STARTERS Nick Dawkins | C | Gr. Only one other Nittany Lion performer finished the season with more offensive snaps than Dawkins' 978. Afforded the opportunity to follow up a 2024 cam- paign in which he was named a captain, he elected to give it a go. Dawkins announced in early January that he will return for a sixth and final season. Anthony Donkoh | T | R-So. In only his redshirt freshman season, Donkoh started 10 of the Nittany Lions' first 11 games at right tackle. He suffered an injury against UCLA on Oct. 5 but bat- tled through it and continued to see ac- tion throughout October and November. His injury at Minnesota on Nov. 23 ended that trajectory, though, forcing him out for the rest of the year. Not expected to be ready for full participation in spring practice, he'll compete to win his job back in preseason camp next August. Olaivavega Ioane | G | R-Jr. The one Nittany Lion who finished with more game reps than Dawkins was the man to his left, Ioane. Starting in all 16 games along Penn State's offensive line, he compiled 985 snaps while establishing himself as the best pass-blocking player in the unit. Named a second-team All-Big Ten performer, Ioane is set to return for a fourth year in the program in 2025. JB Nelson | G/T | Sr.+ Working through some lingering injury issues throughout the 2024 campaign, Nelson surrendered the starting role he shared at left guard in 2023 but still ap- peared extensively as a "co-starter" on the offensive line. Playing in all 16 games, he mostly backed up Ioane at left guard, though he filled in at right tackle after Donkoh was injured against UCLA. Nolan Rucci | T | R-Sr. Platooning as a third "starter" among the tackles, with the ability to pick up reps on both the left and right side, Rucci came up big for the Nittany Lions late in the season. Tapped to replace Donkoh during the Lions' stretch run to a College Foot- ball Playoff semifinal appearance, Rucci developed into one of the unit's most reli- able run-blockers. Drew Shelton | T | Sr. Back from an injury that required off- season surgery, Shelton started all 16 games at left tackle. He'll return for his true senior season in 2025 with the most 2025 Outlook Penn State is determined to not just repeat but improve upon its 2024 performance on offense, and the key is in the trenches. In bringing back a starting core that numbers six players with extensive experi- ence, the Nittany Lions have the ability to surpass their output of 430.2 yards per game, which ranked third in the Big Ten. "Phil Trautwein, our O-line coach, has done a phenomenal job," head coach James Franklin told "ESPN College GameDay" in January. "We lost our right tackle [Donkoh] early in the year, and Rucci came in and has done a phenomenal job. So, our depth at that position has been great. "They're getting better and better each week. They're doing a good job of protecting the quarter- back. I've got a ton of respect for what Boise State was able to do to us, but our run game, that travels. Whether it's bad-weather games, playing in the cold or the rain, or whether it's these bowl games and these playoff games, it's so important." Penn State finished the 2024 season with the nation's 18th-ranked rushing offense, averaging 202.3 yards per game. The line helped the Nittany Lions finish 23rd in sacks allowed at just 1.25 per game, and ninth in tackles for loss allowed at 3.81. Boasting the kind of talent, experience and depth that was unimaginable on the offensive line in the earliest part of Franklin's tenure with the program, the Nittany Lions will be determined to reach the highest levels of success next season. — Nate Bauer Offensive Front Should Be A Strength For PSU Center Nick Dawkins opted to return for one final season after serving as a captain and starting 16 games at center dur- ing the 2024 campaign. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS 2025 LOOK AHEAD OFFENSIVE LINE