UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh checked his phone prior to the first start of his collegiate career against West Virginia and found multiple text messages from two former teammates he considers mentors.
Former Nittany Lions Olu Fashanu and Caedan Wallace both reached out to Donkoh understanding the nerves associated with starting in a signature game. Donkoh said they offered words of encouragement and helped him prepare and perform in a proper headspace.
Donkoh dominated at Wallace’s former position of right tackle against the Mountaineers and used many of the same techniques that the current New England Patriot taught him. Donkoh said he spent hours with Fashanu and Wallace in the film room, on the practice field and shared how their teachings have paid dividends in his development.
“He was a big inspiration for me,” Donkoh said of Wallace. “Because Olu was on the left and Caedan was on the right, Caedan knew a lot more on the right side and he was a really big help letting me know how to shift my weight, how to balance my weight, how to step, how to set. He’s a great dude, an amazing person. I love him a lot and he was a big influence on me.”
Donkoh’s season debut came in front of his mom, dad, two brothers and sister at Milan Puskar Stadium and said it meant a great deal to play in front of them. It was also his mom, Antoinette, and brothers, Andrew and Athan, with whom he made visits to Penn State with.
Head coach James Franklin noted how Donkoh attended six football camps hosted by the Nittany Lions and made his commitment to Penn State before ascending up the national rankings where he ranked as the 18th-best interior lineman in the class of 2023 by 247Sports.
Franklin said that everyone within the program including offensive line coach Phil Trautwein is “real high on Anthony” and excited with how he can develop. Franklin called Donkoh “a conscientious young man” and a player who is “extremely intelligent from a football IQ standpoint and in the classroom.”
“He’s got a workman-like approach and just continues to get better,” Franklin said. “[Donkoh] played really well in the bowl game which gave us some excitement about what his future could be. We thought he went out and played really well in week one. Can’t have enough guys that are 6-5 plus and 330 pounds and can move like him. The consistency and the intelligence he has, he’s another guy…
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