Penn State football’s offensive line is going through a lot of changes but Sal Wormley is a constant.
To be clear, it’s not a unit completely lacking in experience.
Projected center Nick Dawkins is entering his fifth season, projected right tackle Nolan Rucci played at Wisconsin for three seasons, projected left tackle Drew Shelton started five games as a true freshman two seasons ago and left guards Vega Ioane and JB Nelson each started games for Penn State in 2023.
But of Penn State’s returning OL, Wormley is the only one who started all 13 games last season.
He’s the latest subject of All 105, a Nittany Sports Now series profiling each Penn State player.
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 335 pounds
Hometown: Newark, New Jersey
Before Penn State: Wormley lettered three years at Smyrna High School in Delaware, captaining the team during his senior season.
In his sophomore and junior years, Smyrna won state championships, and Wormley made Delaware’s second-team All-USA Today team as a junior.
He was rated as a 4-star prospect according to 247Sports’s composite score. Wormley committed to Penn State in July 2018.
At Penn State
2019: Wormley redshirted his first season and only appeared in one game.
2020: Wormley played in three games, being used mostly on special teams.
2021: Didn’t play due to injury.
2022: Wormley started all 13 games at right guard, earning unanimous All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors.
Last year: Wormley was a unanimous All-Big Ten selection for the second straight season. He’s now started 26 straight games.
Where he stands: Wormley’s position at right guard is secure. The biggest question is who will play by him on the right side. Per coach James Franklin, Rucci and second-year player Anthony Donkoh are “battling it out” for the starting position.
A quote by Wormley: “I think I’ve got another level that I can bring it to.” — Wormley to reporters after a spring practice, via Tyler Donohue of Lions247.
A quote about Wormley: “Sal was pretty open and transparent with us that he was coming back, and there wasn’t a whole lot of drama associated with it,” Franklin said. “He felt like he needed another year to do what he wanted to do and for us to do what we want to do as a team.” — Franklin on Wormley to media after a spring practice.
