Penn State Football: Nittany Lions Go with Redshirt Freshman at Left Tackle for Outback Bowl

Penn State’s offensive line will look a little bit different when the team takes the field for the Outback Bowl.

Head coach James Franklin said during his press conference Wednesday that redshirt freshman Olu Fashanu will start at left tackle in place of longtime starter Rasheed Walker.

In response to whether Fashanu would be ready to play at left tackle if needed, Franklin said “he better be,” and continued to explain that they’ll need the 6’6″, 313-pound tackle come Saturday.

“He was going to start earlier in the year and had an injury and was unable to start,” Franklin said. “That’s when Landon [Tengwall] went in, and started, and played really well as a true freshman. But yeah, we’ve been preparing and planning, and like I said, Olu was going to start during the year.”

“Now, we’re in a position obviously that he’s going to do it on Saturday, and we have a lot of faith and confidence in him,” he continued. “So, it’s going be exciting to watch him go out and play. He’s had a really good week of practice.”

It’s currently unclear what exactly is causing Fashanu to take Walker’s spot at left tackle. However, Walker did miss Penn State’s last two regular season games due to injury. While Walker was absent from the lineup, Bryce Effner and Landon Tengwall filled in to protect Sean Clifford’s blindside.

Additionally, according to The Athletic‘s Audrey Snyder, while there’s been no update on Walker, the lineman had been on crutches.

Fashanu, who didn’t see any game action during the 2020 season, will make his first career start when the Nittany Lions kick off against Arkansas on Saturday, January 1, 2022.