— The Daily Collegian Thursday, Aug. 28, 1997
Offensive line
young but ready
Editor's Note: This is the fourth story in
an eight-part series previewing Penn
State's football team. This story pre
views the offensive line.
By ANDREW KREBS
Collegian Sports Writer
A relatively young Penn State
offensive line led the way for tail
back Curtis Enis and fullback
Aaron Harris last season with
impressive results.
Both Enis and Harris are expect
ed to be even better this season,
but they will have to do it without
three key members of last year's
offensive line.
Short tackle Jason Henderson,
center Barry Tielsch and long
guard Pete Marczyk are gone.
Henderson, a 6-foot-S, 270
pounder will likely be replaced by
6-foot-7, 289-pound Ryan Fagan.
Fagan, a redshirt junior, was No. 2
on the depth chart at long tackle
last season behind John Blick, but
he successfully moved to short
tackle in the spring.
It was a spring so successful, he
was presented the Red Worrell
Award as the offense's most
improved player.
But he had to share the honor
with his competition for the start
ing short tackle role, Floyd Wed
derburn.
Wedderburn, a 6-foot-5, 330-
pound redshirt junior, made his
Penn State debut against Ohio State
last season and played in six games
before the campaign was through.
Then the coaches decided he would
be better suited for the offensive
line due to a knee injury he suf
fered two years ago.
"Because of his knee, I think, it's
been a plus for him," Penn State
coach Joe Paterno said. "He had
trouble with people around his legs
on defense, but on offense he can
smother people easily."
Tielsch, who started every game
at center last season, will likely be
replaced by Kevin Conlin.
Conlin, a 6-foot-3, 275-pound
fifth-year senior, is nearly 20
pounds lighter than Tielsch, but
has starting experience.
Last season, when starting short
guard Brad Jones was diagnosed
with a pulmonary embolism, Conlin
started five games at that position.
Who could
Number #1 Penn
Friday, August
7:30 p.m.
Rec Hall
This year, he will be one of the
leaders on the offensive line from
his natural center position.
Rich Stankewicz, a 6-foot-3, 282-
pound redshirt sophomore, will
probably serve as Conlin's backup.
Marczyk, who started the last six
games of the regular season at long
guard will likely be replaced by
Phil Ostrowski, the most experi
enced member of the offensive
line.
Ostrowski, a 6-foot-4, 278-pound
fifth-year senior, started the first
six regular-season games at long
guard last season before moving to
short guard for the remainder of
the campaign.
Now, he's moving back to long
guard.
"Phil should be the leader of the
offensive line," Paterno said. "He's
had the most experience.
He has a chance to be somebody
that should get a lot of attention.
He's one of the keys to this football
team."
Chance Bright, a 6-foot-7, 308-
pound sophomore, will probably
backup Ostrowski.
Filling the void left by Ostrows
ki's migration from short guard to
long guard will likely be Eric Cole.
A 6-foot-5, 300-pound redshirt
sophomore, Cole is making a
migration of his own. In the spring,
he switched from short tackle to
short guard.
Last season, as a short tackle,
Cole played in 10 regular season
games, seeing a season-high 42
snaps in two of those games.
The 6-foot-2, 298-pound Gabe
Tincher, a redshirt sophomore, will
likely backup Cole.
The only offensive lineman start
ing 1997 in the same position he
finished 1996, is Blick at long tack
le.
Last season, the 6-foot-6, 310
pounder became the first true
freshman to start on the offensive
line during Paterno's tenure.
"One of the things about John,
he's got a very, very stable mental
state," said Penn State offensive
line coach Bill Kenney. "Put that in
combination with his size and his
strength for a young kid, and that's
the advantage he has over most."
Basim Grant, a 6-foot-3, 293-
pound redshirt sophomore, will
likely backup Buick.
Number #1
vs.
Duquesne
Penn State Students admitted free with P.S.U. ID
CONGRATULATIONS
to the Penn State Women's Volleyball Team
State
29th
Kevin Conlin leads the charge for Penn State's offensive line in a game
against Northern Illinois last season. Conlin played short guard for the
Lions last season but will be the starting center on this year's squad.
As a unit, the offensive line is
larger than last year's squad. It
remains to be seen if they can be
more successful.
"I think their willingness to work
and to develop and mature as a
ask for
in Football . .
group, will really be tell-tale of
how well they do this year," Ken
ney said.
"The most important thing is,
we've got to watch the ball and stay
on blocks."
anything more???
. Number #1 in Volleyball
Winning:
in the Conlin family
Kevin Conlin follows in
his brothers' footsteps
this season as the
starting center for Penn
State.
By ANDREW KREBS
Collegian Sports Writer
Eleven years ago, defensive
tackle Bucky Conlin was a crucial
link in the Penn State defensive
line the same defensive line
that propelled the Nittany Lions
to their second national champi
onship in the 1980's.
And he had a brother named
Kevin.
Three years ago, defensive
tackle Keith Conlin was a crucial
link in the Penn State defensive
line the same defensive line
that propelled the Lions to their
first undefeated season since
1986.
And he had a brother named
Kevin.
Kevin Conlin was 11-years-old
when Bucky Conlin earned a
national championship ring and
was selected as an All-American
by the football writers.
By the time Keith Conlin went
to the Rose Bowl in 1994, with
national championship hopes
swirling around the team, Kevin
Conlin was a member of the team
as well.
But he saw limited action that
season. His time to shine and
carry on the Conlin family's win
ning tradition at Penn State had
not yet arrived.
Now it has.
For the first time in his Penn
State career, Kevin Conlin, a 6-
foot-3, 275-pound fifth-year
senior, is No. 1 on the preseason
depth chart at his position cen
ter.
"Kevin's done a very good job
this off-season," said Penn State
offensive line coach Bill Kenney.
"We're excited about where he's
at and what the future holds for
him."
Last season, Kevin Conlin start
ed five early-season games at
short guard when starting guard
Brad Jones was diagnosed with a
pulmonary embolism prior to the
Louisville game.
Penn State Faculty
and
Staff Appreciation Night
...all Penn State Faculty
and Staff with
ID and a guest
will be admitted
FREE of charge. .
The first 500 Faculty
and Staff in
attendance will receive
a complimentary discount coupon
courtesy of the
Penn State Bookstore.
a custom
"We're excited about
where he's at and
what the future holds
for him."
Bill Kenney
Offensive line coach
Following a 38-7 thumping at
the hands of Ohio State in early
October, though, Kevin Conlin
lost his starting position to Phil
Ostrowski.
He took steps this summer to
prevent that from happening
again, but he knows nothing is•
guaranteed.
"No jerseys are pinned on
here," Kevin Conlin said. "I guess
I'll have to work hard and try to
get better every day. I hope I can
do that."
As he does continue to improve
and work his way into the con
sciousness of Penn State fans, the
comparisons to his successful
brothers will likely increase.
In fact, they have already
begun.
"He's not anywhere near as big
as his brothers," said Penn State
coach Joe Paterno. "Kevin doesn't
have as much physical ability as
either Bucky or Keith, but he's
actually a more determined kid
because he's not a big kid.
"I mean, both those kids were
300 pounders, and he's a 270
pounder. He's got to be more con
cerned about techniques and
going after people on every
down."
Kevin Conlin, the determined
kid, said last year's offensive line
was good, but he also said this
year's unit, with a little effort,
could be better.
"I figure, if we work hard and
don't take anybody too lightly I
know the coaches won't allow us
to do that we'll be all right," he
said. "Hopefully we'll put a cou
ple wins together."
A couple wins?
Shouldn't Kevin Conlin expect
so much more?
After all, undefeated seasons
and national championships are in
his blood.
He's a Conlin.