Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538407
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 2 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M tion flexibility," Franklin said. "A guy like Donkoh has the ability to play inside. What we're trying to do is, how do we get the best five guys on the field, and then how do we also create depth with whoever our backup tackle is going to be, whoever our backup guard is going to be, whoever our backup center is going to be? We're trying to figure out all of those things during training camp." It's a level of depth that offensive line coach Phil Trautwein didn't have during his five previous seasons at Penn State. He gives plenty of credit to others for helping assemble that group, noting that "it just comes down to the recruiting staff here, and Coach Franklin recruit- ing guys who can play multiple positions and help." Questions remain about what the best combination will look like, but there's no doubting that Dawkins drives it all, a fact that should be said more loudly than it currently is as the season ap- proaches. "Before camp, we were just talking about what we want and how we're going to get there," Dawkins said. "That's going to involve depth on the offensive line. That's what Coach Trautwein has re- cruited and devel- oped — having that kind of depth, and m o re i m p o r ta n t , having that kind o f c o m p e t i t i o n . There's competition at every part of the offensive line and for position battles and for everything. And competition is what breeds success in our room." ■ "Anytime he speaks up about anything, everybody just looks at him. He just commands the room every time he speaks. Obviously, he was a big role model to me when I was young and still is a role model. He's just an amazing person." A N T H O N Y D O N K O H O N D A W K I N S Dawkins was on the field for 978 snaps last season, the second-highest total on the team behind guard Olaivavega Ioane (985). PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS