Penn State Q&A: Saleem Wormley talks Lions' line outlook, Jven Williams, and more
Penn State veteran offensive lineman Saleem Wormley believes he has a specific responsibility this spring: Help the young Nittany Lions grow in the trenches.
The redshirt senior enters year five with plenty of talent and wisdom following his best season to date. He became a full-time starter in 2022 after missing all of the 2021 season due to injury and became an All-Big Ten honorable mention pick at guard. He will be in that spot again this year, but first, he’s using the drills that stretch between March and April as an opportunity to both better himself and the other players in offensive line coach Phil Trautwein’s room.
“Well right now, I know the routine, and know the things you got to do, so right now, I’m really focused on my fundamentals and also trying to get the young guys in tune and get them ready to go as fast as possible,” Wormley said. “Being a older guy in the room, it’s part of my responsibility to help out Coach Traut when it comes to coaching these young guys. He’s only one person. So me, [Caedan Wallace], Olu [Fashanu], Hunter [Nourzad], we all got to come together to help Traut coach these guys young guys.”
Wormley is the subject of today’s Penn State Q&A.
Blue-White Illustrated: How do you think you’ve helped mentor the young Penn State offensive linemen so far?
Saleem Wormley: “Like, say somebody misses on a combo block? When we’re watching the tape in our individual meetings. I can easily tell them to look at how I did it, and just repeat the steps. Or if someone is having trouble with something, like, the younger guys already come up to me anytime they are struggling with a play or they don’t know what to do. You just come up to me ask questions, and I answer them as easy as possible so they can understand it better.”
BWI: What does it mean to you that the Penn State offensive line has received so much praise this offseason?
SW: “I feel like the o-line still has a lot of work to do. Of course, we made a big improvement last season, but that was last season. We got new guys. So, our main focus is just to keep the improvement going. Keep that physicality. Keep being smart, keep playing discipline, and just keep imposing our will.”
BWI: How have you improved this offseason?
SW: “Probably my leadership, and taking that responsibility. Juice [Scruggs] is gone now. He was really that guy in our room. Our core. So with him going, me, Caedan, Olu, Landon [Tengwall], Hunter, we’re all trying to pick up the pieces of where he left off. And really get the room pushing in the right direction.”
BWI: What have you seen from J’Ven Williams? And why is his nickname meatball?
SW: “Jven — Meatball, ,Meatball is extremely athletic. That’s one of the most athletic guys I’ve seen since I’ve been here. He just has to get the playbook down. Once he gets the playbook down. I feel like he’ll be a high contender to play.
“And, Nick Dawkins gave him that name. His head kind of looks like a meatball.”
