Football 2023 OL Hunter Nourzad announces return for 2023 season

[Dylan Callaghan-Croley]

NittanyNation - Penn State OL Hunter Nourzad announces return for 2023 season

Penn State offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad announced on Tuesday morning he's returning for the 2023 season.

pennstate.rivals.com

 

[royboy]

Good news for OL. I like #58 Tengwall better as a starter at LG at this point, but Nourzad should find playing time.

 

[GregInPitt]

Hope he trains to play Left OT this off season, but more likely he'll replace Scruggs if Scruggs moves on.

With Nelson and Loane, in addition to Tengwall and Wormley the interior looks to be strong for 2023.

And with Shelton likely to take over for Fashanu with Fashanu's likley move to the NFL the only weakness would be Right OT. Does Effner have a Covid year remaining if he wants to return?

I'm still hoping Tengwall moves to Right OT..........

 

[scrivener]

Hope he trains to play Left OT this off season, but more likely he'll replace Scruggs if Scruggs moves on.

With Nelson and Loane, in addition to Tengwall and Wormley the interior looks to be strong for 2023.

And with Shelton likely to take over for Fashanu with Fashanu's likley move to the NFL the only weakness would be Right OT. Does Effner have a Covid year remaining if he wants to return?

I'm still hoping Tengwall moves to Right OT..........

The roster says Effner is a R-SR...so I believe he does? Who can figure out eligibility again moving forward, lol. It's crazy...for all we know, Cliff has 3 more years. But, seriously, I hope that some of the younger OL talent steps up and at the very least becomes part of the rotation that Effner is in, should he return next season. He is serviceable, but clearly an upgrade would help

 

[fastlax16]

The roster says Effner is a R-SR...so I believe he does? Who can figure out eligibility again moving forward, lol. It's crazy...for all we know, Cliff has 3 more years. But, seriously, I hope that some of the younger OL talent steps up and at the very least becomes part of the rotation that Effner is in, should he return next season. He is serviceable, but clearly an upgrade would help

he should. He got here a year after Clifford.

 

[GregInPitt]

The roster says Effner is a R-SR...so I believe he does? Who can figure out eligibility again moving forward, lol. It's crazy...for all we know, Cliff has 3 more years. But, seriously, I hope that some of the younger OL talent steps up and at the very least becomes part of the rotation that Effner is in, should he return next season. He is serviceable, but clearly an upgrade would help

Effner was in the 2018 class, so with a redshirt year and a Covid year he would have a 6th year to play in 2023 if he so chooses.

The same goes for Scruggs.

With the first round grade that Fashanu seems to be getting surely he can't pass up the NFL. Shelton played pretty well last week and looks to be the player to replace Fashanu at LT. But will the line have to endure another year of Wallace at RT....... Guess we won't know what Trautwein has up his sleeve until word leaks out of Spring practice.....

 

[scrivener]

Effner was in the 2018 class, so with a redshirt year and a Covid year he would have a 6th year to play in 2023 if he so chooses.

The same goes for Scruggs.

With the first round grade that Fashanu seems to be getting surely he can't pass up the NFL. Shelton played pretty well last week and looks to be the player to replace Fashanu at LT. But will the line have to endure another year of Wallace at RT....... Guess we won't know what Trautwein has up his sleeve until word leaks out of Spring practice.....

No question...and I really hope JF plays some of the young bunch of highly recruited OL to possibly win that RT spot...obviously they know more than us and *star rankings many times mean nothing...but we know what Wallace and Effner are...they don't have a very high ceiling, and Wallace in essence has lost his job. IMO, can't have those two in the RT rotation for next year. There are some serious recruits in that room who have to be given a fair chance.

 

[GregInPitt]

No question...and I really hope JF plays some of the young bunch of highly recruited OL to possibly win that RT spot...obviously they know more than us and *star rankings many times mean nothing...but we know what Wallace and Effner are...they don't have a very high ceiling, and Wallace in essence has lost his job. IMO, can't have those two in the RT rotation for next year. There are some serious recruits in that room who have to be given a fair chance.

Yep, but the problem is that the young players that seem to be standing out on the OL and seem to be ready for playing time are all inside players with the exception of Shelton. If Fashanu would come back for 2023 Shelton could have moved to the right side and the problem may have been solved. But PSU finally gets an OT that could anchor the line for a few years but he is too good to stay in college football..... Just can't win the battle to field 2 good OT's.....

Other than Christ and Traore who have both been at PSU long enough to have already stepped up to play OT if they were going to, the only young players other than Shelton are Tengwall and McNeil. The staff played Tengwall at OT against Rutgers in 2021 and he seemed to do very well, but seems destines to anchor the line inside. Word is that McNeil has done a great job in replacing bad weight with muscle, but could he be ready to play in 2023? There just doesn't seem to be an obvious upgrate at RT.

 

[SR108]

Great news.

 

[lazydave841]

It'll be interesting to see what he looks like after an off season in our weight room. He came in the summer vs January this year. I think he's been better than Effner on the interior, but Effner has drew RT work.

Additionally, he's been hurt a lot. At this point, his starts have been because somebody else got hurt. I'm sure he realizes he doesn't have draftable film yet. Another question is where does he fit in? C seems to be the true opening if Scruggs is gone. Depth piece at G?

 

[scrivener]

Yep, but the problem is that the young players that seem to be standing out on the OL and seem to be ready for playing time are all inside players with the exception of Shelton. If Fashanu would come back for 2023 Shelton could have moved to the right side and the problem may have been solved. But PSU finally gets an OT that could anchor the line for a few years but he is too good to stay in college football..... Just can't win the battle to field 2 good OT's.....

Other than Christ and Traore who have both been at PSU long enough to have already stepped up to play OT if they were going to, the only young players other than Shelton are Tengwall and McNeil. The staff played Tengwall at OT against Rutgers in 2021 and he seemed to do very well, but seems destines to anchor the line inside. Word is that McNeil has done a great job in replacing bad weight with muscle, but could he be ready to play in 2023? There just doesn't seem to be an obvious upgrate at RT.

Really good point...and go figure, finally a LT that is a dude, and we likely get one year out of him. You are right...the interior seems to have more players available that have stepped up in limited duty, than the tackles. And, it's not like the OT combo has to be a pair of Olu's, but at least IMO, have to be better than Wallace/Effner. I think the OSU 4th quarter proved that...and numerous other examples over the years where marginal play at the tackle spot has been costly...even as recent as 2021 when Michigan made Rasheed, a multi year starter, look like a JV player.

 

[royboy]

I thought #56 JB Nelson (out of Lackawanna CC) did a credible job when he played vs Indiana, so he may factor in and certainly have hopes for 71 Ioane, who looks like a big mauler.

Sure would be nice if 74 Fashanu returns.

 

[GregInPitt]

I thought #56 JB Nelson (out of Lackawanna CC) did a credible job when he played vs Indiana, so he may factor in and certainly have hopes for 71 Ioane, who looks like a big mauler.

Sure would be nice if 74 Fashanu returns.

Nelson did seem to do a good job and I believe got some props from Franklin for it.

Nelson might be a candidate to move to OT this Spring to compete at right OT as his recruiting bio indicated he was an OT, given all the young inside players that look to be on the roster for 2023. It should be an interesting Spring for the oline......

Hard to believe Fashanu would/could turn down first round NFL money, even if he loves it at PSU......

 

[JayWye]

NittanyNation - Penn State OL Hunter Nourzad announces return for 2023 season

Penn State offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad announced on Tuesday morning he's returning for the 2023 season.

pennstate.rivals.com

Very good news...

 

[lazydave841]

I thought #56 JB Nelson (out of Lackawanna CC) did a credible job when he played vs Indiana, so he may factor in and certainly have hopes for 71 Ioane, who looks like a big mauler.

Sure would be nice if 74 Fashanu returns.

Nelson gave up one pass rush (the early stunt) the entire game. That’s awesome.

 

[NittanyTerp]

Don't think Nelson played "the entire game." I thought Nourzad returned to play LG, and Shelton played the last series at guard with the 3s..

 

[lazydave841]

Don't think Nelson played "the entire game." I thought Nourzad returned to play LG, and Shelton played the last series at guard with the 3s..

I didn't mean he played every snap. I only meant he gave up one pressure on every snap he was in the game.

 

[Obliviax]

Odd this comes out on the same day as Tengwall being out for the year. I hope the kid is OK. My spidey sense is acting up.

 

[lazydave841]

Odd this comes out on the same day as Tengwall being out for the year. I hope the kid is OK. My spidey sense is acting up.

Good news to even out the bad?

Tengwall has a year to recover.

 

[Hotshoe]

Odd this comes out on the same day as Tengwall being out for the year. I hope the kid is OK. My spidey sense is acting up.

Landon has already had surgery.

 

[GregInPitt]

Landon has already had surgery.

Has word leaked out on the surgery. ACL?

 

[lazydave841]

Has word leaked out on the surgery. ACL?

Shoulder.