NOTABLES
• Appeared in 48 career games at Penn State, making 42 starts.
• Made 26 career starts at right tackle, nine at left tackle, six at right guard and one at left guard.
• Earned his degree in economics in December 2019.
2020 • REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Named an All-Big Ten second team selection by the coaches and honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree by the media...Was Penn State's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner...Earned Phil Steele All-Big Ten second team laurels...Garnered Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten third team honors.
Season: Started all nine games on the offensive line...Made three starts at right tackle before starting the final six games at right guard...Penn State ranked second in the Big Ten in total offense (430.3)...One of five players to earn their degree before the 2020 season.
at Indiana (10/24): Helped the Nittany Lion offense gain 488 yards, including 250 on the ground...Led the way for Penn State to convert 27 first downs...Protected Sean Clifford as he threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for a career-high 119 yards and a score. Ohio State (10/31): Led the way for the Nittany Lions to gain 325 yards...Allowed Sean Clifford to throw for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Maryland (11/7): Aided the Penn State offense to gain 434 yards...Helped Sean Clifford throw for 340 yards and three touchdowns…Offense totaled a season-high 30 first downs. at Nebraska (11/14): Paved the way for the Nittany Lions to gain 501 yards, including 245 on the ground...Aided Devyn Ford to find the end zone on a five-yard run and helped Keyvone Lee score on a 31-yard rush...Protected Will Levis as he threw for 219 yards…The Penn State offense matched a season high in first downs with 30. Iowa (11/21): Protected quarterbacks Will Levis and Sean Clifford as they threw for a combined 280 yards...Aided Keyvone Lee to find the endzone on a six-yard rush. at Michigan (11/28): Helped the Nittany Lions rush to a season-high 254 yards on the ground, the most since the 2019 Cotton Bowl...Helped Keyvone Lee rush for 134 yards...Aided Keyvone Lee, Sean Clifford and Will Levis to rushing touchdowns...Paved the way for 50 total rushing attempts and four rushes over 20 yards...Helped the offense to total 417 yards. at Rutgers (12/5): Paved the way for the Nittany Lions to rush for 248 yards...The offense had 57 rushing attempts, the second most in the James Franklin era. Michigan State (12/12): Protected Sean Clifford as he threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns...The offense did not allow a sack for the first time since at Maryland in 2019...Aided Sean Clifford and Will Levis on rushing touchdowns, including a 31-yarder from Clifford. Illinois (12/19): Helped Penn State total 580 yards of offense, the seventh most in the James Franklin era...Penn State had two passing plays of 70 or more yards in the same game for the first time in program history...PSU's 42 points in the first half were its most in a half since scoring 42 points in the second half at Illinois in 2018…Helped pave the way to 253 rushing yards, Penn State’s fifth game of the season with 245-plus rushing yards.
2019 • REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Postseason: Selected All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media. Midseason: Tabbed with the offensive line unit for the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll.
Season: Made 13 starts at right tackle... One of 11 players to have earned their degree before the Cotton Bowl...Graduated with a degree in economics.
Idaho (8/31): Helped the Nittany Lions to gain 673 total yards, their third-most in a game since 1947...Sprung Nittany Lion rushers for 331 yards and seven touchdowns...Did not allow a sack while helping Sean Clifford to throw for 280 yards and two touchdowns and Will Levis to throw for 62 yards and a score...Aided Penn State to earn 35 first downs. Buffalo (9/7): Led the way for the Penn State offense to gain 357 total yards...Protected Sean Clifford as he threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns...Helped the Nittany Lions to score 38 points in the second half, including 28 in the third quarter. Pittsburgh (9/14): Helped the Nittany Lions to gain 389 yards, including 222 through the air...Led the way for Journey Brown's first career 100-yard game...Tabbed the Coaching Staff's Offensive Player of the Week. at Maryland (9/27): Led the way as the Nittany Lions gained 613 yards, its third-most in a Big Ten game...Helped the Nittany Lions to throw for 421 yards, their most in a Big Ten contest...Aided PSU to gain 30 first downs...Helped Sean Clifford to throw for 398 yards, the third-most in program history, including a program-record 287 yards in the first half...Helped the Nittany Lions to score five rushing touchdowns. Purdue (10/5): Helped the Nittany Lion offense to gain 460 total yards...Led the way as Sean Clifford threw for three touchdowns and rushed for one score...Aided Clifford to record his fifth-straight 200-yard passing game...Helped Noah Cain to earn his first career 100-yard game with 105 yards and a touchdown. at Iowa (10/12): Led the way for Noah Cain's second-straight 100-yard rushing game and 5-yard score in the fourth quarter. Michigan (10/19): Aided Sean Clifford to throw for three touchdowns. at Michigan State (10/26): Protected Sean Clifford to throw for a career-high-tying four touchdowns...Paved the way for Clifford to score on a two-point conversion. at Minnesota (11/9): Guided the Nittany Lion offense to 518 total yards, including 340 passing yards...Protected Sean Clifford to throw for 340 yards and a touchdown...Led the way for Journey Brown to rush for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Indiana (11/16): Paved the way for the Nittany Lion offense to gain 371 total yards, including 192 on the ground...Guided Journey Brown to 100 rushing yards on 21 carries...Protected Sean Clifford to throw for one touchdown and rush for two scores...Led the way on an 18-play, 75-yard drive covering 9:01 to seal the game...Selected as the coaching staff's Offensive Player of the Week. at Ohio State (11/23): Helped the Nittany Lion offense to gain 227 yards...Led the way for rushing touchdowns by Journey Brown and Will Levis. Rutgers (11/30): Led the way for the Penn State offense to gain 252 yards on the ground...Helped Will Levis (108) and Journey Brown (103) to rush for 100 yards, the first Penn State teammates to run for 100 yards since Saquon Barkley (195) and Akeel Lynch (120) against Rutgers in 2015...Paved the way for Brown to rush for a career-high three touchdowns...Protected Will Levis to find Jahan Dotson for a 44-yard touchdown. vs. Memphis (12/28): Led the Nittany Lions to score a program-bowl record 53 points...Helped the Penn State offense to gain 529 total yards, the program's second-most in bowl games...Paved the way for Penn State to tie a Cotton Bowl record with five rushing touchdowns...Helped Penn State run for 396 yards, a program bowl record and the second-most in Cotton Bowl history...Helped Penn State to set program bowl records for points in a first half (35), a Cotton Bowl record...Aided the Nittany Lions to tie a program bowl record with 28 points in the second quarter, also a Cotton Bowl record...Led the way for Journey Brown to run for a program bowl record 202 yards.
2018 • REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 13 games...Made 11 starts with seven at right tackle and four at left tackle.
Appalachian State (9/1): Saw time on offense and special teams...Helped the Nittany Lion offense to 434 yards, including 204 on the ground...Cleared the way for five rushing touchdowns, including two each by Trace McSorley and Miles Sanders. at Pittsburgh (9/8): Part of an offensive line that aided the Nittany Lions to 390 total yards, including 211 yards on the ground with three rushing touchdowns...Helped Miles Sanders collect his first career 100-yard game. Kent State (9/15): Led the way as the Nittany Lions totaled 643 yards, PSU’s most in a game since 1995...Aided the Nittany Lions to six rushing touchdowns and three through the air...Helped Trace McSorley to find the end zone five total times with three rushing scores and two passing touchdowns. at Illinois (9/21): Paved the way as the Nittany Lions gained 591 yards...Assisted in the offense gaining 387 on the ground, PSU’s third-highest total in a Big Ten game in program history...Helped Miles Sanders to become the sixth Nittany Lion to rush for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a game...Helped McSorley record his ninth game with three or more touchdown passes. Ohio State (9/29): Helped the Nittany Lions to 492 total yards...Led the way as Trace McSorley set a program record with 461 yards of total offense (175 rushing, 317 passing)...Paved the way for McSorley to rush for a career-high 175 yards and KJ Hamler to earn his first 100-yard receiving game. Michigan State (10/13): Helped the Penn State offense to 397 total yards, including 205 on the ground against the nation’s No. 1 rush defense...Blocked for Miles Sanders’ third 100-yard game of the season...Aided Trace McSorley to post his 34th-straight game with a passing touchdown. at Indiana (10/20): Guided the Nittany Lions to post 417 total yards, including 243 through the air...Led the way as Trace McSorley recorded his second career 100-yard rushing game with two rushing touchdowns...Paved the way for Miles Sanders’ 126 all-purpose yards, including 72 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Iowa (10/27): Led the way as Penn State gained 312 total yards...Helped Trace McSorley to post his 20th career game with a passing and a rushing touchdown, including a 51-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. at Michigan (11/3): Helped Tommy Stevens rush for an 8-yard touchdown...Blocked for Trace McSorley as he reached the 9,000 career passing yards mark. Wisconsin (11/10): Helped the Nittany Lions to compile 343 total yards, including 183 on the ground...Paved the way for Miles Sanders’ fourth 100-yard game of the season with 159 yards and a touchdown. at Rutgers (11/17): Led the way as the Nittany Lions tallied 322 total yards, including 183 through the air...Protected Trace McSorley, who completed 17 passes, including two touchdown throws to Pat Freiermuth...Helped McSorley to earn his program-record 30th win as starting quarterback. Maryland (11/24): Led the way as the Nittany Lions compiled 565 total yards, its third 500-yard performance of the season...Helped PSU to rush for 310 yards and four touchdowns, including two each by Trace McSorley and Ricky Slade...Paved the way for Miles Sanders’ 128 rushing yards. vs. Kentucky (1/1): Helped the Nittany Lions to gain 410 total yards, including 246 passing...Led the way for Penn State to earn 22 first downs, its ninth most in a bowl game...Protected Trace McSorley, who threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another, in his final collegiate game.
2017 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named honorable-mention All-Freshman Team by BTN.com...Earned a spot on the Pro Football FocusBig Ten Team of the Week following his performance vs. Nebraska (11/18).
Season: Appeared in all 13 games with nine starts...Made collegiate debut vs. Akron (9/2) on special teams...Made his first career start vs. Georgia State (9/16)...One of 24 student-athletes to make their collegiate debut...One of 17 freshmen (14 redshirt, 3 true) to appear.
Akron (9/2): Made collegiate debut...Appeared on both special teams and offense. Georgia State (9/16): Made his first career start at left guard...Guided the offense to 526 yards of total offense, including Trace McSorley’s sixth-career 300-yard passing game (309 yards) and his school-record fourth game with four-or-more touchdown passes...Helped Penn State score eight offensive touchdowns, coming from eight different Penn Staters...Saw Penn State eclipse the 30-point mark for the 10th-straight game, just the fifth streak of 10 or more games in Big Ten history. at Iowa (9/23): Helped Penn State to 579 yards of total offense on a school-record-tying 99 offensive plays...Paved the way for Saquon Barkley’s career-high 211 rushing yards and 94 receiving yards, which helped Barkley to a school-record 358 all-purpose yards...Blocked for McSorley’s 284-yard passing effort. Indiana (9/30): Helped protect McSorley for his seventh career 300-yard passing game...Allowed the passing game time to find DaeSean Hamilton on nine occasions, which led to Hamilton breaking Penn State’s career receptions record. Michigan (10/21): Helped Penn State pile up 506 yards of total offense, the most allowed by Michigan since 2015 vs. Indiana (527 yards)...The 303 yards gained in the first half by Penn State were the most allowed by a Jim Harbaugh-coached Michigan team in any half...Instrumental in the Nittany Lions’ five rushing touchdowns and one receiving score...Protected McSorley on a 282-yard passing night with one scoring strike...McSorley also ran for 76 yards and three scores. at Ohio State (10/28): Part of an offensive line that helped produce 283 yards...Protected McSorley, who threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 49 yards and a score...Helped the offense score 38 points, the most allowed by Ohio State since giving up 41 tallies to Michigan in 2013. at Michigan State (11/4): Helped the offense post 466 yards of total offense, including 401 yards passing...Protected McSorley to the tune of 381 yards passing and three touchdowns...Helped Penn State sustain a 12-play, 95-yard scoring drive – its longest in terms of yards and tied for the longest in terms of plays in 2017. Rutgers (11/11): Protected McSorley to the tune of 16-of-21 passing for 214 yards and two touchdowns...Blocked for a pair of Barkley rushing scores and one McSorley touchdown scamper. Nebraska (11/18): Helped the offense pile up 609 yards of total offense, its most since 1995 vs. Rutgers (661) and the third-most in a Big Ten game...Paved the way for 32 first downs, the fourth-most in Penn State’s Big Ten history and most since gaining 35 first downs vs. Minnesota in 2005...Protected McSorley in his ninth-career 300-yard passing game, throwing for 325 yards and three touchdowns...Opened lanes for Barkley’s 158-yard, three-touchdown contest. at Maryland (11/25): Paved the way for a Penn State Big Ten-record 66 points, besting the 63 points scored against Ohio State (1994) and Illinois (2005)...Blocked for McSorley’s 21st career 200-yard passing game, as McSorley threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns...Helped three players rush for touchdowns, including three from Tommy Stevens, two by Barkley and one for McSorley...Cleared the way for Stevens’ first career 100-yard rushing game, with 113 yards on the ground. vs. Washington (12/30): Helped the offense to a Penn State bowl-record 545 yards of total offense, which were the most surrendered by Washington since 2014 vs. Oregon (554)...Cleared the way for Barkley’s 137 rushing yards and two scores on the ground...Protected McSorley to the tune of 32-of-41 passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns...Helped McSorley go a perfect 12-for-12 for 193 yards on third down, which included 11 first downs and two touchdowns.
2016 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Redshirt season.
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-time letterman for head coach Erik Rosenmeier at Cranford High School...Team captain as a senior...Helped lead the Cougars to the Mid-State 38 Conference Championship in 2014 and North 2 Group 3 State Championship in 2015...Played on both the offensive and defensive lines...Selected to the 2016 Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl...Rated a four-star prospect by Rivals and a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports and Scout...Ranked No. 17 at offensive guard and No. 9 prospect in New Jersey by Rivals...Ranked as the No. 38 offensive tackle, No. 11 prospect in state and No. 52 in region by ESPN...Ranked as the No. 41 offensive tackle and No. 11 in New Jersey by 247Sports...Ranked No. 47 at offensive guard overall, No. 7 in the East and No. 2 in New Jersey by Scout...Was a four-time letterman for the track & field team in the shot put and discus and a one-year letterman in basketball...Earned Academic honor roll all four years.
PERSONAL
Full name is William Connor Fries...Son of Harold and Maureen Fries...Has two sisters, Mallory and Kristen, and a brother, Matthew...Hobbies include fishing and working out...Going for his second degree in telecommunications...Born April 4, 1998 in Staten Island, New York.