2009 PSU Recruiting

[AustinScottistheone]

I realize that. A lot of good kids with exceptional football talent in MD, and it is no secret why LJ SR. does as well as he does. A man of faith who is comfortable with families, and being a 6x H.S. HC of the year with 3 state titles in MD doesn't hurt. I really want to get Tavon...badly. With or without Travis Hawkins, Tavon gives us excellent versatility in the slot, at RB as well as being a KR and potentially even a PR. Joe stays on him about academics as well and seems to have a good relationship with Tavon, so hopefully it will work out. I feel bad though that we aren't trying to get Jeremiah Young because I think he could be exceptional as well despite competition level and not being as exciting/explosive as Tavon.

And you have no idea how happy I was when we did NOT get Melvin A. out of MD. Rumors were swirling about him even throughout the recruiting process, and he certainly continued to get himself in trouble.

[FrankBooth]

in the Drake thread ASisthe1 said:

Like I said it is May and we are already at the point where it is basically Tate Forcier and who?,

How about Myles Gibbon from Canada? On Black Shoes Diary they've got a youtube vid of him and they said he really opened some eyes at the Nike camp. And he must have plenty of passing experience because they throw the ball a lot in Canadian football.

I dunno how he compares to Shoop, Drake or others, but there's another name floating around. And at 6'3" and 200 lbs he's got decent size for a HS jr.

[PSU42Fan]

It sounds as if the PSU staff is not sold on Gibbons. I wouldn't hold your breath on an offer.

At the moment, the biggest name on PSU's radar is Forcier, but there is hope that an already committed prospect may reconsider...

FWIW, I don't like banking on that kind of situation. It very rarely pans out...although we did get two QB's that way in the last 5 years.

[GoRU]

It seems like there are a still a lot of decent mobile QBs open in Florida and Texas.

Are you talking about Newsome? I've heard that he wasn't exactly solid, but I was a little skeptical as to whether that talk was wishful thinking from VT fans.

[PSU42Fan]

VT is much more interested in the 2010 prospect from the Tidewater area (whose name escapes me).

It does sound as if Newsome is not 100% committed, and ther are some who think he will ending up taking an official to Happy Valley (maybe for the Michigan game?)...

I know I plan on being there. We're going to get some revenge on those bast ards.

[GoRU]

Yeah, Phil Sims is being hyped to hell. His interviews say he wants to play in the SEC, but it's early.

[Undercover Brother]

Originally Posted by PSU42Fan

VT is much more interested in the 2010 prospect from the Tidewater area (whose name escapes me).

It does sound as if Newsome is not 100% committed, and ther are some who think he will ending up taking an official to Happy Valley (maybe for the Michigan game?)...

I know I plan on being there. We're going to get some revenge on those bast ards.

Why do I get a feeling that this is the second coming of Manuel from this passed season - saying a kid isn't exactly solid on a verbal ... spending time on him and not as much on others. I hope this doesn't turn out to be the thing that lots of energy is spent trying to get him away from Michigan, while ignoring a certain QB from Calif., who has more than genuine interest in PSU. Then ... you end up with Drake and Shoop as your two QBs and that would be a failure IMO.

[AustinScottistheone]

Originally Posted by Undercover Brother

Why do I get a feeling that this is the second coming of Manuel from this passed season - saying a kid isn't exactly solid on a verbal ... spending time on him and not as much on others. I hope this doesn't turn out to be the thing that lots of energy is spent trying to get him away from Michigan, while ignoring a certain QB from Calif., who has more than genuine interest in PSU. Then ... you end up with Drake and Shoop as your two QBs and that would be a failure IMO.

I personally can't view Drake and Shoop as a failure...how could I? If, IF we cannot secure a verbal from Tate Forcier than this is what the situation has come to and it is late May. Either we get Tate Forcier and bring Drake in as an ATH, maybe even Crawford as an ATH as well if he ever gets offered then I think most will be thrilled but if that doesn't happen what above average and/or top-tier QB do you expect the staff to offer?

You know the staff isn't going to go to FL or TX for a QB, the best we can hope for is Tate Forcier being smart enough to realize the talent at Penn State and the need for a competent QB. He seems to have some arrogance to him but that may be a very good thing if he thinks he is the missing piece; we certainly have the interior OL already at Penn State with Walton, Marks, Wisniewski, Stankiewitch, Eliades and we certainly have some talent at OT but more importantly we have Eric Shrive & Mark Arcidiacono coming in.

We have good RBs, TEs. We have some pieces at WR with Derek Moye, A.J. Price & Brett Brackett. But even so there should be some flash to this class because I expect us to bring in 4 WRs or a minimum of 3 and hopefully 2 RBs. AJ Price (Virginia) recently posted a 23'7 long jump, 22.02 200, 48.87 400 on his way to a state regional victory and that is at 6'4 175-180 pounds. I'm really excited to have him coming in.

EDIT:

washingtonpost.com

Fairfax Times

[FrankBooth]

Originally Posted by AustinScottistheone

You know the staff isn't going to go to FL or TX for a QB,

This is just wrong -- you can see here on the FOS Offer Board they did offer a scholie to Aaron Murray from Tampa, but he committed to UGA. And here we are discussing them recruiting one QB from CA after getting another one from there in 2000 (Wasserman), so it is rather ludicrous to assume they won't try a little closer to home by looking in TX or FL too. Problem is, everyone else is recruiting there too.

They may not be successful getting TX or FL kids, but that doesn't mean they don't try. But I figure if they can get a DB like Lynn out of TX, why not a QB?

[AustinScottistheone]

Originally Posted by FrankBooth

This is just wrong -- you can see here on the FOS Offer Board they did offer a scholie to Aaron Murray from Tampa, but he committed to UGA. And here we are discussing them recruiting one QB from CA after getting another one from there in 2000 (Wasserman), so it is rather ludicrous to assume they won't try a little closer to home by looking in TX or FL too. Problem is, everyone else is recruiting there too.

They may not be successful getting TX or FL kids, but that doesn't mean they don't try. But I figure if they can get a DB like Lynn out of TX, why not a QB?

LOL...OK. We offered Aaron Murray when he had nearly 50 offers to choose from, excellent. '07 we offered two QBs; Pryor & Manuel. '06 we barely offered any QBs and we were lucky that Larry Coker dumped his coaching staff at the "U" trying to save his ass which didn't work. It is simply flawed logic, put up a flashing billboard that screams 'immediate playing time' and hope a top-tier prospect jumps at the opportunity because it is what we resort to with Jay as the QB coach; he entices NO ONE to attend Penn State.

'08 we offer 5 or 6 QBs; three who show no interest at all and one is committed to UM and we are already talking about how he may re-think his commitment - please let us put all of our eggs in that basket along with a QB from CA who picks up offers by the day and posts them on the internet. It is May and it is already at the point where it is Tate Forcier or bust. Either that or wait and see which QBs emerge during their senior year and go after them if Tate has yet to make a decision and Newsome doesn't re-open his commitment.

EDIT - Brian Norwood personally knew the Lynn family. Had D'Anton not been such an upstanding young man who gave his word via a verbal commitment he likely would have went elsewhere when Norwood left but he has character and Buggs/TB kept him on board. It isn't like we randomly went into TX and offered a stud DB prospect and he choose Penn State, there was a connection. I'll believe Tate Forcier is coming to Penn State when he says so, IF he gives a verbal and signs on the dotted line - until then you can keep the pipe-dream with regard to TX & FL prospects going because I'm certainly not buying in.

[wadc45]

Rivals $

5/27

Grosz's look at PSU football recruiting.

[wadc45]

Rivals $

5/28

Grosz's look at the defensive recruits.

[GoRU]

Arnett dropped PSU. Hurt feelings over Logan-El may have been a factor.

[AustinScottistheone]

Originally Posted by GoRU

Arnett dropped PSU. Hurt feelings over Logan-El may have been a factor.

As for the one notable exclusion from Arnett's choices, Harley said the player never entertained what again has become a popular destination for local players, Penn State.

Forestville Standout Narrows His List - Josh Barr's Recruiting Insider

I hate hearing the name Logan-El. He showed zero respect for the in-state school [Maryland] and embarassed Ralph, Joe, MD, Penn State, his H.S. coaches, and his H.S. with the way he went about taking care of his business and selecting a college...quite disgraceful if you ask me.

I think Penn State and Antonio would have been better off if he had went to MD or elsewhere, seems like he just wanted to do what was popular at the time. Had he stayed in-state and went to MD he would have been close to his grandfather who I believe was ill...he likely would have been much happier.

I'd like to see Jason Ankrah get a written offer, I think he could compliment Sean Stanley quite well in this class and he knows a few players at Penn State. Grab 2 defensive ends, add 1 DT and our DL recruiting should be done for the '09 class. I can only think of 3 possibly 4 players who would be in the rotation at both DE positions once Josh Gaines & Maurice Evans are gone. I wouldn't be at all shocked if Sean Stanley doesn't redshirt.

[PSU42Fan]

I'm curious what Penn State did with Logan-El that has made the coach so unhappy.

Was he truly concerned or did he have some sort of stake in the matter?

It's not like Sue Paterno was in the ESPN Zone waiting for the announcement or anything...