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Matt Limegrover had called it a crucible.
Penn State’s offensive line coach knew it was going to be a lot to ask of Connor McGovern. The true freshman got his first major dose of college football last fall while going up against Michigan, which boasted arguably the country’s best defensive line.
Though he didn’t start that game, McGovern effectively took over for Derek Dowrey as the first-teamer at right guard early in that contest and held it down the rest of the season.
“I remember getting thrown in there,” the Lake-Lehman grad recalled Wednesday. “Everything was just speeding around me, going 100 miles an hour.”
The Nittany Lions as a whole were overwhelmed in Ann Arbor, losing 49-10.
After that?
“The following week, the game just felt like it slowed down to me,” said McGovern, who then made his first career start. “I was able to catch on and feel a lot more comfortable out on the field.”
And he hasn’t looked back.
Now a sophomore, McGovern already made his 10th career start on Saturday against Akron, and his first at center since his days paving the way for Lehman’s prolific run game.
But Penn State’s offense is different enough from the Black Knights’ scheme that it’s practically like learning a new position.
“They ran goal-line offense the entire time,” Lions coach James Franklin said. “He was in almost a four-point stance with the quarterback under center, fullback two yards behind the quarterback. So obviously, going back to center now, all he does is shotgun snaps the whole time and running a spread-type system. It’s new.
“Obviously being in the middle and making the calls and kind of being the captain of the O-line, I get that part of it. But you know, I don’t know how much carryover there is from what he did in high school to what we’re asking him to do.”
Mother Nature didn’t make things any easier last weekend, dumping plenty of rain on Happy Valley, making things a little tougher on the guy executing all of those shotgun snaps. McGovern said he had one snap in particular that he wasn’t happy with but was eager to improve ahead of Saturday’s game against rival Pitt.
Beyond the mechanics of playing center, however, the biggest goal for McGovern was taking charge vocally and working on the important role of making pre-snap calls for the offensive line.
“He played at a pretty high level as a true freshman for us last year, has gotten bigger, has gotten stronger, has gotten leaner and is really doing a good job being verbal,” Franklin said. “That was an area I was a little bit concerned about (with) him —he’s not the most vocal guy. So it was making sure that he was going to take control in there, make the calls with confidence.
“That was something that I think needed to grow, and I think that was communicated through coach Limegrover and myself — and he’s done a good job. So I think you’ll just continue to see him get better and better as the season goes on and gain more confidence, which will allow him to be more physical.”
McGovern admitted that when he first started working at center full-time for Penn State back in the spring, there was an adjustment period.
As with most players at the position, it took some time to build confidence with those added responsibilities. Some of McGovern’s predecessors such as Brian Gaia and Angelo Mangiro have said there is initially a fear of making the wrong the calls at the line, which in turn can lead to mistakes.
“I feel a lot more comfortable now,” McGovern said. “During the spring when I first started … I was a little nervous at first. Now I know everyone is comfortable with my calls, it makes my job a lot easier.
“I think it lines up with who I am. I want to make sure everyone’s on the same page. I like to make sure everyone knows what’s going on and no one’s left out, so I think it comes naturally to me.”
The Lions didn’t allow a sack in the opener and finished with 569 yards of offense in the 52-0 victory.
McGovern’s performance has drawn notice from the Lions’ leaders since last season.
“To be able to play as a true freshman as an offensive lineman is very rare — you don’t see that often across the country,” Penn State captain Jason Cabinda said. “It’s a testament to the way he works and how serious he takes his vocal role. He’s really done a good job making (the center spot) his.”
This Saturday will be a much tougher test, despite Pitt replacing most of its defensive line from last season, including GAR grad Shakir Soto.
In two more weeks, the Lions will open Big Ten play against a stingy Iowa defense. And before long, there will be a rematch with the Wolverines.
Thanks in part to the strides McGovern has made at center, Limegrover believes the Lions will be ready.
“I think Connor learned a lot, not just about playing the game, but what you need to be at the center position,” Limegrover said early in training camp. “Because you’re always at the point of attack. You’re always play-side. That type of thing.
“And I think he learned that it’s more than just going out and being in a shell and doing your own thing. You’ve gotta be that guy at the center. That’s the transformation I’ve seen. He’s more confident. He knows more what his role needs to be. He’s really taken to it, and I think there’s a comfort with the guys around him. Because he’s got a good way about him as far as that leadership-type of mentality.”
