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From recruits to the first-team offensive line: Penn State spring practice notes

By Audrey Snyder/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 9 years ago
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Spring practice No. 5 for the Nittany Lions featured situational drills, outdoor special teams work and quite a few visitors. 

The last 10-15 minutes of practice was open to the media and featured a couple quick looks at the first team offensive line as well as a look at those working behind them. While the media wasn't able to watch the outdoor special teams work, here's what I did observe from the quick end of practice session in Holuba Hall. 

Left tackle is a work in progress

Last week James Franklin mentioned four names in the mix at left tackle and this week it was down to two. Franklin said the Lions are working Paris Palmer and redshirt freshman Chance Sorrell in at left tackle while Albert Hall and Sterling Jenkins continue to progress with the backups.

There's a long way to go here obviously, but Palmer did rep with the first team on Saturday. At one point the first-team o-line featured Palmer, Brendan Mahon, Angelo Mangiro, Brian Gaia and Andrew Nelson. Sorrell repped at left tackle with the second team offensive line where Wendy Laurent played center and redshirt freshman Brendan Brosnan lined up at right tackle. 

Smooth switch to safety

Cornerback Jordan Lucas switched to safety this spring, a move that allows Penn State to get more of their young and talented cornerbacks on the field to go along with starter Trevor Williams. Lucas is charged with lining everyone up and being the communicator on the back end. Never one for a loss of words, Franklin said the position switch was met with open arms by his talkative senior. 

"He's got the body, as you guys know he loves to talk so being back there as a safety and being able to coordinate and tell people where they need to be and where they need to line up is really important," Franklin said. "You don't make that move unless you feel good about the young corners." 

Who are some of the candidates to fill Lucas' old starting spot at corner? Certainly sophomores Christian Campbell and Grant Haley would be at the top of the list and Franklin said redshirt freshman Daquan Worley has "shown some nice things."


Penn State redshirt freshman cornerback Daquan Worley lines up during practice. Worley is competing for the team's fourth cornerback spot (Audrey Snyder/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

Worley, who redshirted last year and missed a portion of his senior season with an ACL tear, lined up against wide receiver Geno Lewis at one point during practice and Saeed Blacknall during another. Worley, who played corner and running back during an impressive career at Coatesville High School will be worth keeping an eye on this spring and summer. The Lions are looking for that fourth cornerback so they have depth there as well. 

Sophomore Marcus Allen gained valuable starting experience last year at safety as a true freshman and could be one of the team’s bright spots in the coming years.

Recruits aplenty

Penn State loaded up four blue school busses full of recruits and their families and took them over to Beaver Stadium following practice for a buffet lunch. Penn State's 2015 signees, including linebacker Jake Cooper and running back Saquon Barkley were at practice and so were four of the five verbally committed players in the 2016 class.

Woodland Hills running back Miles Sanders, Aquinas quarterback Jake Zembiec, DeMatha defensive end Shane Simmons and Lake-Lehman center Connor McGovern watched practice and mingled with about 30 other prospects who were on hand. 

Among the notable attendees was 2016 Pittsburgh Central Catholic standout corner Damar Hamlin, 2016 four-star offensive tackle Michal Menet, 2016 McKeesport athlete Khaleke Hudson, 2017 IMG Academy defensive tackle Cam Spence and 2016 four-star offensive tackle Jauan Williams. 2017 athlete Paris Ford was at practice and so was 2017 Beaver Falls defensive lineman Donovan Jeter and Pittsburgh Central Catholic's CJ Thorpe. 

Franklin addressed the prospects and their families following practice and with a lot of four-star prospects soaking in spring ball it made Saturday one of the bigger days on the spring calendar. 

Audrey Snyder: asnyder@post-gazette.com and Twitter @audsnyder4.