STATE COLLEGE -- Stefen Wisniewski was dominant during his days in Blue and White. Standing 6-foot-3, 306 pounds heading into his senior season at Penn State, the guard/center overpowered,?out-muscled, and manhandled opposing defenders in the trenches throughout his final year in State College, earning an All-American?nod at the end of the 2010 season, after twice taking first-team All-Big Ten honors. ?
? ? ?Current Penn State guard John Urschel was around during Wisniewski's final years. A graduate senior, he played beside Wisniewski three times in 2010 as a sophomore, including his first start, against Indiana. Those facts made Urschel's statement all the more revealing Saturday afternoon at Penn State's Lasch Building, when he claimed redshirt freshman guard Donovan Smith might have edged out Wisniewski from a physicality standpoint. Already.
"He [Smith] might be the most talented offensive lineman I've ever been around," Urschel exclaimed.
"I was?blessed?to be around Wis [Wisniewski] when I was younger, and he was an older guy. A guy that is just a technician, and is doing great in the league right now with the Raiders. But Donovan is just the best physical talent I've ever seen. Right now."
Smith came to Penn State from Owings Mills High (Md.) as a consensus four-star recruit, and a U.S. Army All-American Bowl alum. After a redshirt season in 2011, Smith debuted in 2012 as the starting left tackle, carrying upward of 40 more pounds than he was in 2011. Smith played in 10 of the Nittany Lions' 12 games - starting eight - while missing two due to a lower leg injury, and played a big role for an offensive line that allowed just 21 sacks all season. He also played most of the final portion of the season with a broken hand.?
For any player to have that quick of an impact in the trenches is always cause for pause. But its the brute way in which Smith plays that particularly stands-out to Urschel.
"First off, the guy is just a great physical?specimen. The guy is huge, long arms, tall; if you guys look at his legs, it's like tree trunks," ?Urschel described.
"But at the same time, he is an athletic kid, and the guy can move, get out of his stance, and is quick and agile. I think he's going to be a heck of a football player for us, and he has a lot of years left."
Smith wasn't the only player Urschel spoke highly of, though. A fellow classmate, and linemate, has also stepped up this winter, as he and Urschel both experience their final-everything each day as they go steamrolling toward their final season.?
"A guy that is really going to give great contributions is Ty Howle. He's really stepped into a leadership role," Urschel said.
"He's really embraced that this is his, and mine, last year. And we're trying to do everything we can to make sure this is a great year. We're just trying to make sure this offensive line is as strong as it can be coming into the fall."
"Ty and I have many conversations to each other when we hang out, just thinking that this is our last winter workout, last summer workout; it just puts a certain amount of urgency on it to make each day your best day," Urschel said.
"It makes you want to work harder then you ever have before. And both me and Ty are trying to work to take our game to another level."
To reach that level, a certain level of poise will be needed. And that's one area where Urschel might have Smith edged.
"Honestly, you go out every single day, and you try to compete, and try to be the best," Urschel explained.
"And I like to think that, on any given day, that I am the biggest, and baddest guy. That's the attitude you have to have when you go out. And when you're playing football, you have to have the confidence to know that you are a great player, and that you can play."
But never one to put himself over others, Urschel believes that mindset spreads across his offensive line, too. And with a blurry quarterback picture heading into the spring, one thing is certain: with Urschel in charge, whoever takes the first snap from center will be protected by a line well-equipped to handle the pressure.?
"We've got a lot of great players on this team, and we're just working to build our confidence, through lifting, through and running, to know that our team is prepared come fall," Urschel said.?
Source: http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2013/02/penn_state_football_guard_john.html
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