From starting as a five-star offensive lineman with Penn State football to dominating the media world with his podcast and YouTube empire, Landon Tengwall’s journey has been nothing but hard work and perseverance. 

Tengwall arrived at Penn State’s campus in the spring of 2021 after he was recruited in the eighth grade. Although he received over 30 different offers, including Notre Dame, Georgia, and Alabama, he eventually made his official commitment to Happy Valley in March 2020.

“It felt special when I was up here at Penn State. I was up here 25 different times, and I knew right away, Coach Franklin and the other coaches, Penn State felt like a special place,” Tengwall said. “I’m so happy I picked it because I don’t think there is a more special football program out there.”

Tengwall described the transition from high school to Big Ten football as physical. 

“You have to understand how to carry yourself, you’re expected to grow up quick when you come to a program like Penn State, the biggest thing is making sure you have the maturity to understand what needs to be done and what is really expected from you,” he said. 

Tengwall made his collegiate debut against Rutgers on November 20, 2021. During that game, his play helped Penn State achieve a total of 407 offensive yards. Tengwall went on to start two more times that season.

Tengwall strongly remembers his start as an offensive lineman, as he quickly earned a starting position.

“We came in on a Thursday, and I remember I wasn’t expected to play, but everyone had the flu and Ivs were just everywhere I walked over to our starting tackle (at the time), Caden, who was like ‘Yeah, you’ll have to play this weekend’ and I was locked in,” he said.

Tengwall made his mark on the field and even got to play in the 2021 Outback Bowl. Tengwall expressed that he felt great going into his second year, after gaining experience, and knew a starting spot was his.

After starting five games at left guard and being named the coaching staff’s offensive player of the game against Auburn on September 17, 2022, Tengwall missed the rest of the season due to injury. 

Ultimately, he was determined to make his comeback for the 2023 season; however, his path took a different turn. 

“It was hard when I was going into my second year starting in 2023, and it was going to be a big year, possibly an NFL year for me, but I got my 6th concussion, and I kind of had to sit down with my family and figure out what I really wanted to do,” Tengwall said.

After talking with coaches, friends, and family, Tengwall decided to medically retire from the game he loved for so long in the spring of 2023. 

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— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) August 30, 2023

When asked about the mental and emotional challenges of retiring medically, Tengwall responded, “I decided I wanted to be a great father, a great husband, and a great businessman, all of those one day down the road, and I chose not to put football over that.” 

Tengwall felt an immense amount of support from his loved ones after announcing his decision. He described memories of his offensive linemen teammates, Olu Fashanu and Nick Dawkins, always reaching out to make plans.

“It was a big change, but nothing really changed as far as our friendship and just hanging out, kicking it, that kind of thing. I’m forever grateful that I have those types of friends around me,” Tengwall said. 

Although this meant the end of his playing career, Tengwall decided to pivot his passion for the game, becoming a football media analyst. 

In the spring of 2024, Tengwall launched his own YouTube channel and began posting regularly about Penn State football on X, Instagram, and TikTok ahead of that upcoming season. Tengwall felt inspired by his journalism classes at the time, especially COMM 360: Audio News Production, to explore the world of sports media. 

“My goal right now is to cover Penn State football and Penn State athletics. I do a lot of interviews with coaches, former players, and current players,” said Tengwall.

Tengwall hopes to one day help expand the coverage of Big Ten sports and be a reliable source for fans to discover and find the best content.

“Film, breakdowns, podcast, interview with their coaches, their players, you name it, I want to be able to provide for these fans,” said Tengwall. 

Overall, the biggest lesson Tengwall learned from his experience was “to achieve something great, it’s never going to be easily obtained, it’s going to take a lot of hard work, dedication, and a little bit of luck too, so don’t ever give up and just trust that there is something brighter for you. ” 

To check Landon Tengwall’s YouTube channel, The Landon Tengwall Show, you can click here.