Harvard OT Spencer Rolland Announces Transfer to Penn State

Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein must have something for the Ivies as Penn State picked up its second offensive line transfer from Harvard this year. In January, Crimson offensive guard Eric Wilson announced he would spend his last two seasons in Happy Valley. Today, fellow Crimson offensive lineman Spencer Rolland announced that he’ll be transferring to Penn State as well.

The difference between Rolland and Wilson is that Rolland will be spending this upcoming 2021 season in Cambridge, as he doesn’t graduate from Harvard until May 2022. Wilson on the other hand is already at Penn State, having graduated from Harvard this past May. Penn State also lists Wilson as a “Senior+” which means he only has one season of eligibility left. At least according to Rolland’s tweet above, Rolland will have two seasons — 2022 and 2023 — at Penn State.

Despite being listed as 6-foot-6, 250 pounds according to Harvard’s website, Tyler Donohue of Lions247 reports that Rolland is a self-reported 6-foot-6, 295 pounds now. Even if that 295 pounds is a bit inflated, Donohue also reports that Rolland worked out for the Penn State staff this summer, so they are obviously comfortable with his weight — or at the very least, comfortable with Dwight Galt’s ability to pack on the mass once Rolland enrolls at Penn State.

With current left tackle Rasheed Walker being a prime candidate for the 2022 NFL Draft, it makes sense that Penn State went out looking for some help at offensive tackle. The Nittany Lions aren’t completely devoid of options — Caedan Wallace, Olu Fashanu, Jimmy Christ, Bryce Effner, Landon Tengwall, and Ibrahim Traore could all factor into the tackle discussion next spring. But obviously, there’s not a whole lot of experience with that group. Rolland — albeit at an FCS school — will bring with him two years of starting experience, something that offensive line coach Phil Trautwein obviously values.