Limegrover excited to see resolution in offensive line competition

Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover is finding himself in an unfamiliar position this preseason.

Tasked with managing a unit that is expected to be the best and strongest in James Franklin’s five-year tenure with the Nittany Lions, prior challenges have taken on a completely different shape. So in welcoming back four of five starters from the 2017 season, absent right guard Brendan Mahon, Penn State still has five returning offensive linemen each of whom started eight-or-more games during the year in Ryan Bates, Steven Gonzalez, Connor McGovern, Chasz Wright and Will Fries.

Now, with Michal Menet in the process of assuming the starting center spot, making a switch with last year’s starter, McGovern, moving to right guard, plus Bates and Gonzalez holding down the left tackle and guard positions, respectively, Limegrover has one real decision to make at right tackle. And as of Wednesday’s 11th practice of the preseason, Limegrover was still weighing his options between Wright and Fries for the starting job.

"We got three guys that have all played a lot of football already. So that's better than the alternative as far as issues that you have. And right now, it's just a guy will have a good day and maybe fall back and the other one will see. It's like they're climbing steps right now,” said Limegrover. “Ryan Bates is playing really well at left tackle. Really well. He's elevating his game. He's healthy, he's locked in, he's leading, he's coaching the other guys. He's the leader in that group.

“And I think both Chasz and Will see that and they know there's competition, but they're raising their game. And like I said, we're going against some really, really outstanding players on the other side. So it's just one challenge after another, but I know those guys relish it. I'm excited to see how this thing shakes out the next 10 days or so.”

Certainly, Penn State head coach James Franklin is equally excited by the potential the unit could manifest on the field this season. Describing the group as having depth, talent, length, athleticism, experience and production this summer, Franklin explained how refreshing and bold that change could be for the Nittany Lions.

“Whatever those keywords are that you're looking for by position, we kind of have that on the offensive line,” he said. “We're at a position where we have size, we have strength, we have athleticism, we have length, we have production, we have experience at that position that you say, we have a chance to be good there. And if you followed Penn State closely, that wasn't the situation we walked into.

“If you know nothing about football and you come to our practice and you look at our offensive line, you're like, 'Yep. That makes sense. They look like a big-time offensive line.' Early on in my career, I don't know if that was necessarily the case.”

The result is likely to be a best-case scenario for Limegrover, who noted his lineup preferences following Wednesday’s practice session.

Asked about mixing and matching the line, plugging younger players in for reps and going with a variety of lineups, the veteran offensive line coach said he’d prefer not to have to do that while acknowledging “circumstances dictate your situation,” alluding to the past couple of years at Penn State.

“What I learned in my career was… you may have an older guy and a younger guy and they both bring something to the table. If you can get 30-35 snaps of really good football out of both of them. The old guy, maybe he's just not capable of doing it anymore or the young guy isn't mentally mature enough to do it for the whole game, but maybe you alternate series and you can get the most out of them, I'm always willing to do that,” said Limegrover. “But I'm also a fan of getting those best five together and letting them roll and letting them develop that continuity that you need on the O-line.”

Although those best five are still to be determined this preseason, it’s a circumstance Limegrover and the Nittany Lions are eager see in action.