12/16/2017 football Edit

Bates is back; staying at RT through Fiesta

Nate Bauer • Happy Valley Insider

Senior Editor

Is in his 17th year covering Penn State football and men's basketball for Blue White Illustrated.

Sidelined in the second half of Penn State's dramatic, 39-38 loss at Ohio State in October, starting left tackle Ryan Bates is back from his left ankle injury.

Practicing with the team for the past couple of weeks as the No. 9-ranked Nittany Lions prepare for an appearance against No. 11 Washington in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30, though, he's doing it at a different spot.

With redshirt freshman Will Fries assuming the starting left tackle position for Penn State's final four games of the regular season, Bates played sparingly in the Lions' 66-3 win at Maryland at right tackle. And, now said to be feeling much better, he's going to stay there for at least the time being.

"That’s the plan right now is me being at right tackle," said Bates.

And beyond the Fiesta Bowl?

"It’s up to coach. If I play good at right, I’ll stay at right. If he wants me to move back to left next spring ball, next season, I’ll move to left," said Bates, a redshirt sophomore this season. "I’ll play center if I have to."

Bates answered questions from reporters at the team's pre-bowl media day Friday at Beaver Stadium.

Given Bates' glowing assessment of the young offensive line's development through the course of the season, center is an unlikely landing spot.

Crediting both Connor McGovern and Steven Gonzalez with dramatic improvement and maturation this season, each starting in all 12 of the Nittany Lions' regular season contests, Bates' return along with that of Fries next season projects for a wealth of experience and talent coming back for the 2018 season. And, in fact, Bates left no room for misinterpretation regarding his assessment of Fries next season and beyond.

"His potential is through the roof. He could be one of the best tackles in the country. I’m not just saying that because he’s one of my best friends and my teammate. He has the potential to be a very good offensive lineman in the Big Ten and the country," said Bates. "He’s 6-6, 305 and his frame, he can put on 15 more pounds. He’s fast, he’s agile, he’s smart, he knows the game. He’s learned a lot from me, Andrew Nelson, Brendan Mahon, Coach (Matt) Limegrover, and his potential is through the roof."

That potential will have to come to fruition under the direction of a new offensive coordinator for the bowl game and next season.

Like his confidence in the continued development and maturation of his offensive lineman counterparts, Bates shares the same optimism in how the Nittany Lions will evolve now with Ricky Rahne assuming Joe Moorhead's vacated OC role.

"It’s nice. We don’t have to learn a totally new offense. A couple of plays here and there will be put in," Bates said of next season. "But Rahne is a good coach and I’m looking forward to what he can do with the offense on this team."