Penn State's Ryan Bates feeling more comfortable at left tackle
The Archbishop Wood graduate was thrust into the left tackle position following an injury during the Indiana game. Now after an offseason of work, he feels right at home.
With a full off-season to learn all the lessons that exist of how to play offensive left tackle, Ryan Bates is feeling much more comfortable there.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound redshirt sophomore from Archbishop Wood High School was literally thrust into the position last season during a Nov. 12 game against Indiana, moving over one spot from left guard after starter Paris Palmer went down with an injury. He remained at the position and started the last four games of the year.
Now after winter workouts, spring ball and training camp, he's ready to be a complete offensive tackle.
"I feel good. I feel comfortable," he said Tuesday at Penn State's weekly teleconference. "Last year, I didn't have much time to prepare, just like a couple of days, really. But I feel more comfortable than ever right now.
"I think the biggest thing I had to work on is my kick set for pass protection. Being at tackle, you have a lot more space than at guard or center. Actually, I feel more comfortable at tackle just naturally. I trust my ability. I've always considered myself to have good feet and that always helps being on the outside, like they say, on your own island."
Fifth-year senior Andrew Nelson, who has started 27 games at tackle, was a big help, he said.
After being maligned for the first two seasons, and a little bit last year, the offensive line now is considered a strength for the Nittany Lions. Bates said the key characteristics for the unit are trust, tenacity and chemistry.
"To be a good offensive line, you have to trust in each other," he said. "I have to trust that the guy next to me, he's going to do his job, and he's got to trust that I'm going to do my job."
"To play offensive line, you have to be tenacious, you have to want it. You have to want to put someone in the dirt. And chemistry, really. Chemistry is a huge one, not only on the field but off the field. We hang out. We do everything together. Chemistry is a big one."
Thanks to his mother, Bates will be able to see the opponent across from him a lot better.
"I went home during the summer and my Mom said, 'Hey, why don't you get your eyes checked?'" the Warrington resident said. "I was like, whatever, I have nothing to do. Apparently, I can't see … I need glasses.
"It was more like, 'I'm home, why not, what do I have to lose to do it.' I got my eyes checked and can't see apparently."