There haven't been many questions to come out theNittany Lionsfall camp before the start of the season, but that does not mean that there aren't any. Perhaps the most intriguing comes from the offensive line, as two of its most important decisions: at center and left tackle, are yet to be made. Now however, there is reason to believe that two players respectively have separated from the pack.
Matt Campbell addressedthe two position battles and the two players that have truly stood out: Malachi Goodmanat left tackle and transfer Brock Rikerat center. "I think Malachi Goodman has had a phenomenal camp,” Campbell said. If that's the case, the former five star recruit could be well on his way to earning the starting job. Still, as a freshman, protecting
Rocco Becht's blindside won't be easy against Big Ten competition. Still, in Goodman's case, the reason he was a five star recruit was because analysts felt like he was immediately ready to hit the ground running in a Power 4 conference.
At center however, you really can't say the same despite Brock Riker's experience. Unlike Goodman, Riker was only a three star recruit and didn't even have Penn State as an option when he was recruited. However, after a stellar freshman season at Texas State, he was afforded the opportunity to transfer, ending up in Happy Valley. While in many ways, he is almost the center by default due to redshirt senior Dom Rulli's spring injury, he still needs to prove a lot. Many pundits believed that at his smaller size, he wouldn't be able to compete against Big Ten defenses. Now though, after a 35 pound weight gam, Riker has given the coaching staff confidence that he is willing to do whatever it takes to gain an edge at the position.
While it isn't exactly crystal clear, the emergence of both Goodman and Riker is good news for the Nittany Lions as they prepare for the season. Surprisingly, for a team with a lot of transfers to implement, they seem highly ready for the new season outside of these O-line battles. Still, the new look Nittany Lions want to be absolutely certain that there are no weaknesses in their team, and both Goodman and Riker are doing everything they can to make sure that that's not them.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Matt Campbell gives huge update on important O-line battles
