PSU’s lineman a ‘Wiz’ at center

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The Penn State roots run deep in Stefen Wisniewski’s family.

His father, Leo, played defensive line for head coach Joe Paterno in the early 1980s. His uncle, Steve, was a standout at guard later that decade for the Nittany Lions and went on to a successful NFL career.

That’s a lot of knowledge for the younger Wisniewski to draw on as he shifts from guard to center to anchor the new-look offensive line.

There are new drills to work on this summer, and in preseason practice when it begins in less than a month. And there’s new footwork to master and line calls to make.

“As a center, I want to do everything with the ball in my hand, get used to snapping, get used to shotgun snapping,” he said during a charity weightlifting event last week. “That’s the big thing, you got to be real accurate with that because that could cost your offense.”

It can certainly be a pressure-packed job, especially given the possibility the whole offensive line could be reshuffled. The only other line incumbent, Dennis Landolt, might move from right tackle to left to protect quarterback Daryll Clark’s blind side.

“We kind of don’t like hearing that all the time, that we’re a question mark,” Wisniewski said. “I think, though, if anything that challenges us to work harder to protect Daryll and open up holes for [tailback Evan] Royster.”

There’s a while to go, though, before lineups get set for the Sept. 5 opener against Akron, so summer is a time to relax a little more and concentrate on lifting and conditioning before camp.

In Wisniewski’s case, that also means practicing snaps with Clark at least once a week in unofficial workouts, and heeding the advice of last year’s center, A.Q. Shipley, who is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Wiz” pestered Shipley during spring practice for tips.

“He was getting pretty sick of me at the end of it asking him so many questions,” Wisniewski joked.

Wisniewski has seen some practice time already at center in his career, and doesn’t seem fazed by the transition. Neither are his teammates.

“He’ll be fine. I’ve got as much confidence in him as any other player,” Landolt said. “He practices so hard, center won’t be much of a transition for him.”

“Honestly, the hardest thing I think is worrying about the snap count,” Wisniewski said. “You know the play, you’re worrying about the defense.”

The biggest tip from his uncle, Steve, was a conditioning drill — not a surprise given the family’s reputation for excellent conditioning has passed down to Stefen. Wisniewski said his uncle told him he would sometimes go for 3- or 4-mile runs in between two-a-day preseason practice sessions “just to prove that it wasn’t hard.”

“I’m not as crazy as him,” Wisniewski said, “but that’s my goal some day, to be as crazy as him.”