A Penn State Freshman Lineman Gets Compared to the Pouncey Brothers

Phil Trautwein, Penn State's offensive line coach, played with the Pounceys at Florida. Nittany Lions freshman Cooper Cousins reminds Trautwein of them.

Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein (second from left) smiles as he watches the line warm up before the Nittany Lions' 2023 game against Delaware. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Penn State played 11 different offensive linemen in its first two games, representing nearly half of the team’s unit. They’ve allowed just two sacks, both in Week 2 against Bowling Green.

A key focus for the Nittany Lions’ 2024 offensive line has been getting players comfortable in their roles, whether that’s adjusting to being a first-time starter, recovering from injuries or integrating into the program. After the early bye week, Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein shared his thoughts on his group's performance so far, praising both starters and developing players, notably true freshman Cooper Cousins.

A remarkable comp for Cooper Cousins

Before the season, Penn State coach James Franklin said he tries to avoid creating sky-high expectations for players through his public praise. That’s why his comments about Cousins’ work ethic, aggressiveness and fearlessness carried so much weight.

“He is as driven and as committed as any young player I've been around, and specifically on the offensive line,” Franklin said in August. “It's hard to play those grown-man positions, offensive line and defensive line, as a true freshman.”

Cousins (6-6, 315 pounds) received Franklin’s “green light” before Week 1, indicating the staff planned to play him for more than four games this season. Cousins has played in the first two games, getting 13 snaps against West Virginia. And he has earned praise from teammates and coaches.

Strength coach Chuck Losey, who this summer called Cousins a "dude in all senses of the word," said recently that the only question the staff had was whether Cousins could match his skill set to his “demeanor” quickly enough to play early. When asked about Cousins’ long-term position, Trautwein said he’ll fit “wherever the need is” between center and guard.

“If our best five makes somebody else a center and him a guard, he'll do it. And if the best five is for him to be at center, then he'll be there as well,” Trautwein said. “He has a bright future.”

Still, the hype train with Cousins does have to move slowly. Penn State has experienced veterans in front of him, and he must continue to improve. For instance, Trautwein wants Cousins to drive through contact with his legs instead of his upper body as he adjusts to blocking against larger players. But Cousins’ eagerness to learn has made a strong first impression. 

Trautwein, who played left tackle at Florida from 2004-2008 when it won two national championships, said Cousins reminds him of Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, whom he played alongside with the Gators. Both became first-round picks and had long NFL careers.

“Both of them were great players but they also had a great mindset, and that's who [Cousins] is, man. He's relentless on the field, loves football, football is his world. That was the Pounceys,” Trautwein said. “To have two guys that I played with, that went first round and played a long time in the NFL, and comparing [Cousins] to them, that's what kind of player I think Coop is.”

Getting adjusted

Last season, left tackle Drew Shelton played behind eventual first-round pick Olu Fashanu on the depth chart, but coaches still viewed him as a starter. However, after missing spring practice due to offseason surgery, the 6-5, 307-pound Shelton has worked his way back into form throughout the summer and into the season.

“[He] continues to get better. Last year, he was playing both right and left [tackle], and he always felt more comfortable at left,” Trautwein said. “He's competing every day. He's been getting better at practice, and his game is gonna continue to skyrocket.”

Several linemen are adjusting to new roles, including redshirt junior Nolan Rucci, a transfer from Wisconsin. Rucci, who came to Penn State as a highly regarded transfer alongside receiver Julian Fleming, didn’t see much playing time with the Badgers, so he’s adapting to consistent snaps.

“As he gets more comfortable with the offense, his role will increase,” Trautwein said. “His role from the first week, he played about 11 plays, 12 plays. And then this last week, he played 24, 25 and he played both right and left [tackle]. You'll see him [Saturday against Kent State] again, and he'll go out there and do his thing.”

While Rucci was playing elsewhere, the opposite was true of center Nick Dawkins. The redshirt senior waited in the wings for the Nittany Lions before becoming both a starter and captain in his fifth season.

Penn State coaches consistently have praised Dawkins for that patience and the voice he has established in the locker room.

“He's a great leader. And it's good to see a guy like that stick here, and going into his fifth year and waiting for his time,” Trautwein said. “That's not always the case around college football, so it's good to see that. And he's playing his best football. … I'm proud of him. We've been through a lot together, and he's showing everybody that he can do this.”

Trautwein also praised Sal Wormley and Vega Ioane, two of Penn State’s heaviest offensive linemen at 327 pounds and 348 pounds, respectively, mentioning their potential NFL futures. 

“He's an awesome player, awesome kid, and he just loves football,” Trautwein said of Ioane. “He'll be playing on Sundays one day.”

More Penn State Football

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James Franklin seeks a next-generation GM, possibly from the NFL

Nick Dawkins recognized for his good works off the field

Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.