Penn State offensive line ready to let its play do the talking heading into 2022 season
James Franklin wanted to make something clear near the end of his post-practice media availability Wednesday night. He said multiple times this offseason that he would not be hyping up his offensive line — saying he’d learned from prior seasons when he did just that and the group under-performed.
Instead, he planned to let the unit’s play do the talking and let the players prove the progress they had made.
Some had interpreted that as Franklin not having faith in the line. That was not the case, and he wanted to make that clear.
“I don’t want it to be misinterpreted,” he said Wednesday after his team’s practice. “I like where we’re at. I know this has kind of become the topic right now because I took a different approach in discussing it. I like where we’re at.”
Whether he believes in the line or not does not matter. What does matter is if the group will prove what Franklin and the rest of the roster needs it to prove — that it can help set the tone for the 2022 season.
That will begin with the five players currently expected to start along the front. From left to right, Olu Fashanu, Landon Tengwall, Juice Scruggs, Saleem Wormley and Caedan Wallace will form a unit that has the physical tools to be one of the best in the Big Ten.
However, playing in the trenches isn’t just about strength. There’s a mental component of offensive line play that seemed to be missing in last year’s group. Franklin said the unit has room to grow from both standpoints after the first week of fall camp.
“From a fundamental and from a technique standpoint we’re continuing to work on that and refine that,” he said. “But it’s also the mental aspect. ... You gotta get to the point where it’s not just memorizing the plays, you know the plays so well that you can really study the defense. And based on film study and what you’re seeing, then you can anticipate what the defense is going to do before the ball is snapped.”
The most pressure to get that next step out of the line will fall on offensive line coach Phil Trautwein’s shoulders. Trautwein is entering his third year as the offensive line coach at Penn State and could potentially have his most talented group yet.
He’s seen his offensive linemen develop, and the mentality it has during practice is one that should signify growth is coming heading into the 2022 season.
“In our room we always play with a chip on our shoulder,” Trautwein said. “It’s just the way we are. We’re coming out every practice to get better. ... And, you know, the guys in the room are working. You’re always trying to build a culture. And you guys know, in a company or in a business, you’re always had to build the culture and try to make the culture believe in each other. ... These guys are awesome. They’re working every single day. And it’s great to see.”
The leader of Trautwein’s position group will likely be in the middle of the football field on every offensive snap he’s healthy for this season. Scruggs — one of the veterans of the linemen — is tasked with more mental work than most linemen because as the center he is required to identify more of what he sees from the defense and relay it to his quarterback.
The redshirt senior started all 13 games last season and is the player his coach identified as the leader.
“He knows the offense,” Trautwein said. “He’s a leader. He knows how to communicate and get us on the same page. Centers, they usually have to make the calls and get everyone on the same page. Of course, then they have to snap the ball. ... We have all the trust in the world in him.”
Scruggs is confident in himself and the other linemen. The group has received plenty of criticism for last year’s offensive performance — whether it’s starting quarterback Sean Clifford getting hit too much or the lack of a 100-yard rusher.
They’re out to prove this year will be a different season, and that Franklin’s lack of hype will be proven worthwhile when they take the field against Purdue on Sept. 1.
Scruggs knows what it’s like to be doubted. He’s seen it before. And now he’s the starting center at Penn State, ready to prove those doubters wrong once again.
“We’re gonna come out with a chip on our shoulder,” Scruggs said. “We’ve got a lot of people to prove wrong. I feel like nobody really believes in us.
“And that’s cool. I’ve been slept on my whole life. That’s cool. They can keep sleeping on us. We’re just gonna come out and prove everybody wrong.”
