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Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein offered a second positive evaluation this month of J’ven Williams, the former Wyomissing star.
“He’s a better player than he was last year,” Trautwein said after practice earlier this week. “He’s more consistent. He works. He knows the offense very well. He doesn’t have missed assignments. Now he just has to give it everything he has every play.”
The 6-5, 315-pound Williams was the top-rated prospect in the Nittany Lions’ 2023 recruiting class, but he has yet to earn a start. He’s receiving the most first-team repetitions at right tackle during spring practice with Anthony Donkoh and Nolan Rucci out because of injuries.
“If they were here, then J’ven would be splitting time between tackle and guard and competing for one of those jobs as well,” Penn State coach James Franklin said last week. “But it’s a really good experience and a really good opportunity for him.
“I’m a big J’ven Williams fan. He’s been awesome since the day he stepped on campus.”
Williams played in three games in 2023 and in every game last season, mostly on special teams. His path has been blocked by talented and more experienced linemen.
Penn State returns four starters – Nick Dawkins at center, Vega Ioane at guard and Drew Shelton and Donkoh at tackle – and 10 of its top 11 offensive linemen.
It’s a real possibility that Williams won’t become a starter before 2026.
“He’s working his butt off,” Trautwein said. “I’m proud of the way he’s progressing.”
A couple days before the Fiesta Bowl in December, Williams sounded patient and optimistic. He has not yet been available for interviews during spring practice.
“He knows how to run-block,” Franklin said. “He’s great in space. He’s a great kid with a great attitude. He has a very, very bright future for us.”
Backup quarterback: Jaxon Smolik, who missed last season with an injury, has returned to action and is battling Ethan Grunkemeyer to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Drew Allar.
The 6-1, 213-pound Smolik, who’s from West Des Moines, Iowa, was a three-star prospect in Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class.
“Jaxon has done a heck of a job,” Franklin said. “We didn’t really know coming off an injury where he would be. Both of them are doing really well. That’s not coachspeak. They’re both doing very, very well. I think this is going to be a competition that’s going to go on for a while.”
The 6-2, 210-pound Grunkemeyer, who’s from Lewis Center, Ohio, was a four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He completed 1-of-2 passes for 9 yards against SMU in his only appearance last year.
Depth at tackle: Penn State does not have much experience behind projected starting defensive tackles Zane Durant and Alonzo Ford Jr.
Franklin said Xavier Gilliam, a redshirt freshman who stood out in winter conditioning, has been impressive through the first half of spring practice. He also mentioned Owen Wafle, a transfer from Michigan; Liam Andrews, who played in one game last year before suffering an injury; and Randy Adirika, a freshman who enrolled in January.
“Xavier Gilliam has been a guy who has really flashed,” Franklin said. “And the Wafle kid has done some really nice things. Randy Adirika has been a pleasant surprise for a kid who’s supposed to be in high school.
“We’re young after Zane. Everybody knows Zane Durant. Everybody knows Alonzo from last year. And Gilliam. There’s going to be a battle (to be the fourth and fifth defensive tackles) between five or six players.”
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“He’s a better player than he was last year,” Trautwein said after practice earlier this week. “He’s more consistent. He works. He knows the offense very well. He doesn’t have missed assignments. Now he just has to give it everything he has every play.”
The 6-5, 315-pound Williams was the top-rated prospect in the Nittany Lions’ 2023 recruiting class, but he has yet to earn a start. He’s receiving the most first-team repetitions at right tackle during spring practice with Anthony Donkoh and Nolan Rucci out because of injuries.
“If they were here, then J’ven would be splitting time between tackle and guard and competing for one of those jobs as well,” Penn State coach James Franklin said last week. “But it’s a really good experience and a really good opportunity for him.
“I’m a big J’ven Williams fan. He’s been awesome since the day he stepped on campus.”
Williams played in three games in 2023 and in every game last season, mostly on special teams. His path has been blocked by talented and more experienced linemen.
Penn State returns four starters – Nick Dawkins at center, Vega Ioane at guard and Drew Shelton and Donkoh at tackle – and 10 of its top 11 offensive linemen.
It’s a real possibility that Williams won’t become a starter before 2026.
“He’s working his butt off,” Trautwein said. “I’m proud of the way he’s progressing.”
A couple days before the Fiesta Bowl in December, Williams sounded patient and optimistic. He has not yet been available for interviews during spring practice.
“He knows how to run-block,” Franklin said. “He’s great in space. He’s a great kid with a great attitude. He has a very, very bright future for us.”
Backup quarterback: Jaxon Smolik, who missed last season with an injury, has returned to action and is battling Ethan Grunkemeyer to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Drew Allar.
The 6-1, 213-pound Smolik, who’s from West Des Moines, Iowa, was a three-star prospect in Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class.
“Jaxon has done a heck of a job,” Franklin said. “We didn’t really know coming off an injury where he would be. Both of them are doing really well. That’s not coachspeak. They’re both doing very, very well. I think this is going to be a competition that’s going to go on for a while.”
The 6-2, 210-pound Grunkemeyer, who’s from Lewis Center, Ohio, was a four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He completed 1-of-2 passes for 9 yards against SMU in his only appearance last year.
Depth at tackle: Penn State does not have much experience behind projected starting defensive tackles Zane Durant and Alonzo Ford Jr.
Franklin said Xavier Gilliam, a redshirt freshman who stood out in winter conditioning, has been impressive through the first half of spring practice. He also mentioned Owen Wafle, a transfer from Michigan; Liam Andrews, who played in one game last year before suffering an injury; and Randy Adirika, a freshman who enrolled in January.
“Xavier Gilliam has been a guy who has really flashed,” Franklin said. “And the Wafle kid has done some really nice things. Randy Adirika has been a pleasant surprise for a kid who’s supposed to be in high school.
“We’re young after Zane. Everybody knows Zane Durant. Everybody knows Alonzo from last year. And Gilliam. There’s going to be a battle (to be the fourth and fifth defensive tackles) between five or six players.”
Continue reading...
