Rivals.com 100 PSU Update
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The Ancient Enemy
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Re: Rivals.com 100 PSU Update
Martina McBride is hot as hell.
Last edited by The Ancient Enemy on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Rivals.com 100 PSU Update
Unless you were a Native Indian, EVERYBODY here came from somewhere else. And most people couldn't wait to be naturalized citizens. Some however can live here for 15 years, get all the advantages of being a citizen, but NOT commit to this country. It's like living with someone. All the advantages, no committment.
Last edited by El-Moldo on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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The Ancient Enemy
- Official BleacherCoach
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Re: Rivals.com 100 PSU Update
Last edited by The Ancient Enemy on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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hilltoppanther
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The Pittsburgh Sports Report’s
Keystone Recruiting
December 14, 2005
Recruiting Pennsylvania’s Top 50
By Chris Dokish
The following is the Keystone Recruiting Pennsylvania Top 50. Included is a rundown of how Pitt and Penn State did inside the state, and a brief analysis of recruiting in the state of Pennsylvania this season.
1. McCOY, LESEAN Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) RB
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. McCoy was interested in Pitt enough to visit in August, but a poor season led him to eliminate the Panthers. Penn State is joined by Southern Cal and Virginia Tech as his top choices, although Miami and Alabama have not given up hope. Consider the race wide open still. Getting McCoy would be huge for Penn State for both his obvious talents and for getting the top player in the state two years in a row. He is expected to make a decision next week.
2. DICKERSON, DORIN West Allegheny HS (Imperial) WR
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Penn State was highly interested but with his best friend C.J. Davis starting as a true freshman at offensive guard for the Panthers, and West Allegheny head coach Bob Palko’s son Tyler the starting quarterback, his commitment to Pitt was seen as inevitable by many.
3. DEVLIN, PAT Downingtown East HS (Exton) QB
Committed to Miami
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Devlin broke the hearts of both local schools by committing to the Hurricanes over the summer. Devlin eliminated the Panthers after deciding that he was not a fan of city life. He considers Miami’s campus far enough away from the city for it not to be a problem. Penn State was eliminated despite both parents and a grandfather being Penn State grads (his mother was even a Penn State cheerleader) when the Nittany Lions accepted a commitment from New Jersey quarterback Brent Brackett ahead of him. Despite rumors to the contrary, Penn State is not back in the picture.
4. MALECKI, JOHN Franklin Regional HS (Export) DT
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. Malecki went from relative unknown to star this season and Pitt was lucky enough to get him in early April before the others knew how good he was. Keystone Recruiting listed Malecki listed as one of the top 20 players in the state as early as May. When he committed, only Pitt and Penn State were interested, but he committed to the Panthers the same day he was supposed to attend a junior day at Penn State. Franklin Regional coach Greg Botta stated then that Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley was disappointed that Malecki committed so quickly. His amazing play this season has skyrocketed him into the five.
5. ODRICK, JARED Lebanon HS (Lebanon) DL
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Despite heavy interest from Dave Wannstedt himself, Odrick was not interested in the Panthers for long. Penn State is among the finalists with Virginia, Virginia Tech, Florida and Georgia. He’ll announce his choice on Monday. Look for it to come down to Georgia and Penn State.
6. FRAZER, ZACH Mechanicsburg HS (Mechanicsburg) QB
Committed to Notre Dame
Penn State offered. The Nittany Lions were on him early, but he chose the Fighting Irish way back in April. Pitt probably would have offered eventually.
7. WALLS, DARRIN Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) CB
Committed to Notre Dame
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Both in state schools wanted him badly. Pitt especially did not want to see the seventh best player in the state, and second best in the WPIAL, leave the city. The Panthers rebounded with verbals from three top defensive back prospects, but yet again a top Woodland Hills star has proved hard for the Panthers to nab.
8. BYHAM, NATE Franklin Area HS (Franklin) TE
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. While both offered, Penn State’s offer came later in the process, after Byham had already fallen in love with Pitt. He is one of the top five tight ends in the country, and the Panthers had to beat the likes of Miami, Iowa, Tennessee, and Southern Cal for him.
9. PINKSTON, JASON Baldwin Area HS (Baldwin) DL
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Penn State and many others wanted Pinkston, but with Wannstedt being a Baldwin alum, Pitt was a heavy favorite.
10. HUNTER, JEREMIHA Harrisburg HS (Harrisburg), LB
Penn State offered. The Panthers inexplicably did not offer the best linebacker in the state, but Penn State did and are among the finalists. He appears to be wide open, with Penn State, Iowa, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee among the possibilities.
11. BAILEY, CLARENCE Lackawanna JC (Scranton) OL
Pitt offered. He’s one of the best junior college linemen in the country, but Bailey’s three finalists are Oklahoma, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
12. OTAH, JEFF Valley Forge Military Academy (Wayne) OL
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. The 6’7” 340 pound Otah is a blessing for the Panthers and he may start from day one.
13. BERRY, AARON Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) CB
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Berry has eliminated Penn State and now has a final five of Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Virginia. The Panthers still covet him, but with three quality defensive backs in the fold already, Berry may wind up leaving the state.
14. FIELDS, ELIJAH Duquesne HS (Duquesne) S
Pitt offered. While Penn State hasn’t offered yet, they are still extremely interested in this rising star and may do so very soon. Both Pitt and Penn State join Ohio State and West Virginia as finalists. Fields will visit all four. Grades could be an issue.
15. McEOWEN, TOM Neshaminy HS (Feasterville) DT
Committed to Penn State
Penn State offered. Pitt didn’t offer but he appeared to be Penn State’s to lose anyway. Florida, Louisville, and Virginia were just a few that the Nittany Lions beat out for this top-notch defensive lineman.
16. LYONS, WES Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) WR
Neither offered as Lyons let it be known that he was not interested in either. Boston College and West Virginia lead, and other offers included Ohio State and Miami.
17. NIX, NATE Thomas Jefferson HS (Pittsburgh) LB
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. Penn State never showed serious interest but the Panthers think they got a steal in Nix who had a great senior season.
18. SMITH, AARON Gateway HS (Monroeville) WR
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Somewhat of a coup for Pitt since many assumed Gateway players were destined for Happy Valley since former Penn State player Terry Smith is at the helm.
19. KATES, JASON Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) DL
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Pitt fell by the wayside early but Penn State is still in the mix with Notre Dame, Maryland, Syracuse, Minnesota, and others. The Irish are the favorite.
20. KING, BRANDON Central Bucks West HS (Doylestown) FB
Committed to Duke
Neither offered. King is a stud fullback but neither Pitt nor Penn State apparently wanted to use a scholarship on one this season.
21. MADDOX, JOHN West Catholic HS (Philadelphia) DB
Pitt and Penn State offered. While both offered, neither recruited him hard, though Penn State may eventually be get back into the picture. West Virginia may currently lead.
22. NEILD, CHRIS Stroudsburg HS (Stroudsburg) DT
Neither offered this intriguing big guy with a lot of athletic ability but he does claim offers from West Virginia, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and NC State.
23. RICKER, JEREMY Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) QB
Committed to Maryland
Neither offered. Pitt briefly showed casual interest but Penn State showed none.
24. NEELY, COLIN Freedom HS (Bethlehem )DE
Committed to Michigan State
Penn State offered. The Lions pursued Neely from the beginning and made it to the final five, but eventually Neely chose the Spartans over Boston College.
25. MCBRIDE, TRAVIS McKeesport HS (McKeesport) DB
Committed to Penn State
Penn State offered. Ohio State had also shown some interest. West Virginia was the favorite but two days after Penn State offered, McBride proudly became a Nittany Lion.
26. WOMACK, TREY Malvern Prep (Malvern) CB
Committed to Virginia
Neither offered though both showed some early interest.
27. WEBSTER, GREG Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) LB
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and he is a perfect fit at middle linebacker for Wannstedt’s 4-3 defense. Penn State, however, was never interested.
28. KOROMA, ABE Milton Hershey School (Takoma Park) DT
Committed to Penn State
Penn State offered and ended up with the big time sleeper with top skills. Pitt also showed interest but didn’t offer.
29. CORSON, SCOTT Johnstown Area HS (Johnstown) DT
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and got the big lineman way back in March after other early offers from Illinois and Michigan State.
30. MILLER, ANDY Trinity HS (Washington) OL
Pitt offered as has West Virginia, Indiana, and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes recruiting him as a tight end. He is currently wide open and look for him to choose between West Virginia, Ohio State, and Pitt after visiting all three in that order over the next three weekends.
31. HERZLICH, MARK Conestoga HS (Wayne) LB
Committed to Boston College
Neither offered the big middle linebacker but Virginia, Boston College, North Carolina, and Louisville were a few schools that did. Originally committed to Virginia but changed his mind last week.
32. CARTER, BRENT Pottsgrove HS (Pottstown) RB
Penn State offered and will battle Boston College, Rutgers, Virginia, and Minnesota for his services. He can also play defensive back.
33. MINEMYER, JEFF Bishop Carroll HS (Ebensburg) TE
Committed to Rutgers
Neither offered though Pitt flirted with the idea until Byham committed. Chose Rutgers over the likes of West Virginia, NC State, Michigan State, and Louisville.
34. PARKER-BOYD, ANTHONY Great Valley HS (Malvern) QB
Committed to North Carolina
Neither offered though Virginia, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Iowa among the impressive programs who did offer.
35. PHILLIPS, BRAD Franklin Regional HS (Export) S
Committed to Northwestern
Neither offered and Northwestern is the only major program that did. But if Phillips didn’t commit so early, his excellent senior year would have resulted in more offers.
36. HUNT, RANDALL, Valley Forge Military Academy (Wayne) OL
Committed to Illinois
Neither offered the big junior college lineman who was teammates with Jeff Otah.
37. MCKENZIE, JIM St. Joseph’s Prep (Springfield) OL
Committed to Syracuse
Neither offered but West Virginia did, as well as Colorado State, Kentucky, and Rutgers.
38. COBB, ASHTON, Center HS (Monaca) S
Committed to Kentucky
Neither offered though Cobb has the physical talent to play at either place. His position lessened his recruiting options.
39. ROBINSON, GREG Scotland School (Scotland) LB
Penn State offered and is among the favorites, which includes Wisconsin, Virginia, and Rutgers.
40. DIXON, CONNOR South Park HS (South Park) QB
Committed to Michigan State
Neither offered though Pitt showed interest before choosing Seneca Valley’s Kevan Smith instead.
41. KANUCH, BRAD Westmont Hilltop HS (Johnstown) ATH
Penn State offered the speedster whose brother Jim plays at Penn State, but Virginia and Maryland are his current favorites.
42. LEONARD, ANTHONY McKeesport HS (McKeesport) LB
Committed to West Virginia
Neither offered though Pitt showed some interest. He had an excellent season and could be another hidden gem for the Mountaineers.
43. VERICA, MARC Monsignor Bonner HS (Drexel Hill) QB
Committed to Virginia
Neither offered the sleeper signal caller.
44. RODEMOYER, ERIC Kennedy Catholic HS (Hermitage) OL
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and beat out West Virginia for the quickly developing powerful guard.
45. LOHEYDE, DAN Gateway HS (Monroeville) LB
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. Somewhat lost in the shuffle since he committed way back in the middle of March.
46. TKACH, TYLER Northern Lehigh HS (Slatington) DE
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and Penn State was not interested, though Tkach was interested in the local school.
47. WILLIAMS, NATE Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pittsburgh) LB
Committed to Northwestern
Neither offered though Pitt had on-again, off-again interest.
48. WRIGHT, AUNDRE Perry Traditional Academy (Pittsburgh) WR
Neither offered though the Panthers may if the speedster gets his grades in order.
49. STEVENS, JORDAN Gateway HS (Monroeville) DE
Committed to Miami of Ohio
Neither offered though Pitt showed some interest.
50. HANNA, CHRIS Gateway HS (Monroeville) OL
Neither offered though Pitt had a lot of interest early on. Could be headed to Illinois. The fourth Gateway player in the top 50 joining Bishop McDevitt for the most.
Analysis
Similar Offers
• Pitt and Penn State offered 11 similar players in PA (McCoy, Dickerson, Devlin, Odrick, Walls, Byham, Pinkston, Berry, Smith, Kates, and Maddox).
• Of those 11, Pitt got commitments from four (Dickerson, Byham, Pinkston, Smith) and Penn State got commitments from none.
• Two went elsewhere (Devlin to Miami, Walls to Notre Dame).
• Of the remaining five, one has only Pitt on his list (Berry) and four have Penn State on their list (McCoy, Odrick, Kates, Maddox).
PA Top 25
• Notre Dame has two of the top 25 (Walls, Frazer) and also appears to lead for Kates.
• Penn State has two (McEowen and McBride) and is also involved with McCoy, Odrick, Kates and Maddox.
• West Virginia has no top 25 players, but are heavily involved with Fields, Lyons, and Maddox.
• It appears Michigan, once a pest for both Pitt and Penn State, will get shut out this year. The Wolverines offered McCoy, Dickerson, Devlin, Odrick, Walls, Byham, Hunter and Kates.
Numbers breakdown
Pitt
Top 25: 7 for 14 with 2 undecided (Berry, Fields)
Top 50: 12 for 19 with 3 undecided (Berry, Fields, Miller)
Western PA: 10 for 11 with 2 undecided (Fields, Miller)
Central PA: 0 for 3 with 1 undecided (Berry)
Eastern PA: 2 for 5
Penn State
Top 25: 2 for 11 with 3 undecided (McCoy, Hunter, Kates)
Top 50: 3 for 12 with 6 undecided (McCoy, Hunter, Kates, Carter, Robinson, Kanuch)
Western PA: 1 for 5 with 1 undecided (Kanuch)
Central PA: 1 for 3 with 3 undecided (McCoy, Hunter, Kates)
Eastern PA: 1 for 4 with 2 undecided (Carter, Robinson)
Breaking Down PA
Opinion by Tony DeFazio
So what does all this mean? Other than we’ll still need to wait until February to find out? And then wait another three years or so before we really know?
Actually, this year’s recruiting trends have been quite interesting. Dave Wannstedt took over at Pitt one year ago with every intention of keeping the best western PA talent at home, and – as the numbers point out – he has been successful thus far. Most of his in-state success came before a disappointing 5-6 inaugural season, but it seems as if all of Wannstedt’s in-state commitments will indeed sign on the dotted line come LOI day. Most of Pitt’s in-season and post-season recruiting has been focused either out of state or on prep-school/junior college athletes, but there are some players to watch locally before Wannstedt’s first true class is closed out. A strong late finish could leave Pitt’s class among the top 15 in the country.
While Penn State is putting together another impressive recruiting class, their numbers in Pennsylvania are not nearly as good so far. Much of that is due to Wannstedt’s pre-season recruiting success and the buzz that went with it, and much is due to the fact that a few top in-state talents have not made their decisions yet (McCoy and Odrick to name two). A lot, however, is also due to a possible shift in geographic focus for the Lions – at least in 2005.
Penn State’s focus this year has clearly been on the Maryland area. After having much success in the Maryland-Virginia corridor over the past decade (if not longer), Penn State is close to making a virtual sweep of the top athletes in Maryland in 2005. Two of the top 11 players in Maryland (Navorro Bowman and Aaron Maybin) have committed to the Lions, and five others have Penn State on their short lists (Antonio Logan El, JB Walton, AJ Wallace, Phillip Taylor and Bani Gbadyu). It’s very possible that Penn State could land seven of the top 11 players in Maryland – Gbadyu, in fact, continues to be the subject of rumors that he has already committed to Penn State. It will be interesting, then, to see if this geographic trend continues for the Lions if and when the Wannstedt “buzz” dies down.
Wannstedt took hold of western PA early in 2005, and did so with force. But Penn State got their foot back in the door with Travis McBride of McKeesport, and both schools are hot in pursuit of Duquesne’s Elijah Fields. Landing both McBride and Fields could be considered a late flurry by Penn State that sets up what should be some great battles for some great talent next year.
The state of Pennsylvania had what most experts considered a solid-to-good year, talent wise, this past season. Next year, however, is poised to be one of the better years in the past decade at least. The arrival of Wannstedt and the resurgence of Penn State should make the state of Pennsylvania an intriguing battle ground once again.
McCoy May Have Leader
By Chris Dokish
The No. 1 player in Pennsylvania has named a leader and it may surprise a lot of people. Most assumed that running back LeSean McCoy of Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg was destined for Penn State or even USC. But don’t tell that to McCoy.
“I am down to Penn State, USC and Virginia Tech,” says the 5’11” 210 pound speedster. When asked if any stand out right now, McCoy responded, “yes, Virginia Tech.”
When asked why the Hokies led, McCoy said, “It’s just like I will be the next Kevin Jones. It will be like history repeating itself,” referring to another Pennsylvania running back who matriculated to Virginia Tech.
When told that many felt Penn State was the leader for his services, McCoy replied, “Why isn’t anybody picking me to go to Virginia Tech? They are definitely leading right now.”
When asked again if he was sure that it was Virginia Tech in the lead, McCoy replied, “Yes, they are in the lead but I’m not saying it’s going to be them for sure. They are just in the lead now”.
McCoy said that while the rumors were true about his parents preferring him to stay near home, they would be fine with him going to Virginia Tech, if that ends up happening, and that, “you can’t exactly go wrong with USC either.”
As for rumors about him possibly attending prep school, he is still confident that he can make the grades needed to pass through the NCAA clearinghouse.
“I think I will be alright. I just have to get my GPA up some and I think I will. If I don’t, going to a prep school for a year would not be the end of the world.”
As for where is Virginia Tech suggesting a possible prep school should he choose the Hokies, McCoy stated, “they said they don’t care and I can go to any one that I want.”
When informed that this declaration of a leader may surprise people and he may get a lot of phone calls when it becomes public, McCoy stated, “I know when something like that happens because I get a lot of calls the next day.”
The calls for McCoy, however, may end between Christmas and New Years Eve when he wants to make his decision.
“I want to have a big party after my announcement around the holidays.”
Keystone Recruiting
December 14, 2005
Recruiting Pennsylvania’s Top 50
By Chris Dokish
The following is the Keystone Recruiting Pennsylvania Top 50. Included is a rundown of how Pitt and Penn State did inside the state, and a brief analysis of recruiting in the state of Pennsylvania this season.
1. McCOY, LESEAN Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) RB
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. McCoy was interested in Pitt enough to visit in August, but a poor season led him to eliminate the Panthers. Penn State is joined by Southern Cal and Virginia Tech as his top choices, although Miami and Alabama have not given up hope. Consider the race wide open still. Getting McCoy would be huge for Penn State for both his obvious talents and for getting the top player in the state two years in a row. He is expected to make a decision next week.
2. DICKERSON, DORIN West Allegheny HS (Imperial) WR
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Penn State was highly interested but with his best friend C.J. Davis starting as a true freshman at offensive guard for the Panthers, and West Allegheny head coach Bob Palko’s son Tyler the starting quarterback, his commitment to Pitt was seen as inevitable by many.
3. DEVLIN, PAT Downingtown East HS (Exton) QB
Committed to Miami
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Devlin broke the hearts of both local schools by committing to the Hurricanes over the summer. Devlin eliminated the Panthers after deciding that he was not a fan of city life. He considers Miami’s campus far enough away from the city for it not to be a problem. Penn State was eliminated despite both parents and a grandfather being Penn State grads (his mother was even a Penn State cheerleader) when the Nittany Lions accepted a commitment from New Jersey quarterback Brent Brackett ahead of him. Despite rumors to the contrary, Penn State is not back in the picture.
4. MALECKI, JOHN Franklin Regional HS (Export) DT
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. Malecki went from relative unknown to star this season and Pitt was lucky enough to get him in early April before the others knew how good he was. Keystone Recruiting listed Malecki listed as one of the top 20 players in the state as early as May. When he committed, only Pitt and Penn State were interested, but he committed to the Panthers the same day he was supposed to attend a junior day at Penn State. Franklin Regional coach Greg Botta stated then that Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley was disappointed that Malecki committed so quickly. His amazing play this season has skyrocketed him into the five.
5. ODRICK, JARED Lebanon HS (Lebanon) DL
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Despite heavy interest from Dave Wannstedt himself, Odrick was not interested in the Panthers for long. Penn State is among the finalists with Virginia, Virginia Tech, Florida and Georgia. He’ll announce his choice on Monday. Look for it to come down to Georgia and Penn State.
6. FRAZER, ZACH Mechanicsburg HS (Mechanicsburg) QB
Committed to Notre Dame
Penn State offered. The Nittany Lions were on him early, but he chose the Fighting Irish way back in April. Pitt probably would have offered eventually.
7. WALLS, DARRIN Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) CB
Committed to Notre Dame
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Both in state schools wanted him badly. Pitt especially did not want to see the seventh best player in the state, and second best in the WPIAL, leave the city. The Panthers rebounded with verbals from three top defensive back prospects, but yet again a top Woodland Hills star has proved hard for the Panthers to nab.
8. BYHAM, NATE Franklin Area HS (Franklin) TE
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. While both offered, Penn State’s offer came later in the process, after Byham had already fallen in love with Pitt. He is one of the top five tight ends in the country, and the Panthers had to beat the likes of Miami, Iowa, Tennessee, and Southern Cal for him.
9. PINKSTON, JASON Baldwin Area HS (Baldwin) DL
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Penn State and many others wanted Pinkston, but with Wannstedt being a Baldwin alum, Pitt was a heavy favorite.
10. HUNTER, JEREMIHA Harrisburg HS (Harrisburg), LB
Penn State offered. The Panthers inexplicably did not offer the best linebacker in the state, but Penn State did and are among the finalists. He appears to be wide open, with Penn State, Iowa, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee among the possibilities.
11. BAILEY, CLARENCE Lackawanna JC (Scranton) OL
Pitt offered. He’s one of the best junior college linemen in the country, but Bailey’s three finalists are Oklahoma, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
12. OTAH, JEFF Valley Forge Military Academy (Wayne) OL
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. The 6’7” 340 pound Otah is a blessing for the Panthers and he may start from day one.
13. BERRY, AARON Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) CB
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Berry has eliminated Penn State and now has a final five of Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Virginia. The Panthers still covet him, but with three quality defensive backs in the fold already, Berry may wind up leaving the state.
14. FIELDS, ELIJAH Duquesne HS (Duquesne) S
Pitt offered. While Penn State hasn’t offered yet, they are still extremely interested in this rising star and may do so very soon. Both Pitt and Penn State join Ohio State and West Virginia as finalists. Fields will visit all four. Grades could be an issue.
15. McEOWEN, TOM Neshaminy HS (Feasterville) DT
Committed to Penn State
Penn State offered. Pitt didn’t offer but he appeared to be Penn State’s to lose anyway. Florida, Louisville, and Virginia were just a few that the Nittany Lions beat out for this top-notch defensive lineman.
16. LYONS, WES Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) WR
Neither offered as Lyons let it be known that he was not interested in either. Boston College and West Virginia lead, and other offers included Ohio State and Miami.
17. NIX, NATE Thomas Jefferson HS (Pittsburgh) LB
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. Penn State never showed serious interest but the Panthers think they got a steal in Nix who had a great senior season.
18. SMITH, AARON Gateway HS (Monroeville) WR
Committed to Pittsburgh
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Somewhat of a coup for Pitt since many assumed Gateway players were destined for Happy Valley since former Penn State player Terry Smith is at the helm.
19. KATES, JASON Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) DL
Both Pitt and Penn State offered. Pitt fell by the wayside early but Penn State is still in the mix with Notre Dame, Maryland, Syracuse, Minnesota, and others. The Irish are the favorite.
20. KING, BRANDON Central Bucks West HS (Doylestown) FB
Committed to Duke
Neither offered. King is a stud fullback but neither Pitt nor Penn State apparently wanted to use a scholarship on one this season.
21. MADDOX, JOHN West Catholic HS (Philadelphia) DB
Pitt and Penn State offered. While both offered, neither recruited him hard, though Penn State may eventually be get back into the picture. West Virginia may currently lead.
22. NEILD, CHRIS Stroudsburg HS (Stroudsburg) DT
Neither offered this intriguing big guy with a lot of athletic ability but he does claim offers from West Virginia, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, and NC State.
23. RICKER, JEREMY Bishop McDevitt HS (Harrisburg) QB
Committed to Maryland
Neither offered. Pitt briefly showed casual interest but Penn State showed none.
24. NEELY, COLIN Freedom HS (Bethlehem )DE
Committed to Michigan State
Penn State offered. The Lions pursued Neely from the beginning and made it to the final five, but eventually Neely chose the Spartans over Boston College.
25. MCBRIDE, TRAVIS McKeesport HS (McKeesport) DB
Committed to Penn State
Penn State offered. Ohio State had also shown some interest. West Virginia was the favorite but two days after Penn State offered, McBride proudly became a Nittany Lion.
26. WOMACK, TREY Malvern Prep (Malvern) CB
Committed to Virginia
Neither offered though both showed some early interest.
27. WEBSTER, GREG Woodland Hills HS (Pittsburgh) LB
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and he is a perfect fit at middle linebacker for Wannstedt’s 4-3 defense. Penn State, however, was never interested.
28. KOROMA, ABE Milton Hershey School (Takoma Park) DT
Committed to Penn State
Penn State offered and ended up with the big time sleeper with top skills. Pitt also showed interest but didn’t offer.
29. CORSON, SCOTT Johnstown Area HS (Johnstown) DT
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and got the big lineman way back in March after other early offers from Illinois and Michigan State.
30. MILLER, ANDY Trinity HS (Washington) OL
Pitt offered as has West Virginia, Indiana, and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes recruiting him as a tight end. He is currently wide open and look for him to choose between West Virginia, Ohio State, and Pitt after visiting all three in that order over the next three weekends.
31. HERZLICH, MARK Conestoga HS (Wayne) LB
Committed to Boston College
Neither offered the big middle linebacker but Virginia, Boston College, North Carolina, and Louisville were a few schools that did. Originally committed to Virginia but changed his mind last week.
32. CARTER, BRENT Pottsgrove HS (Pottstown) RB
Penn State offered and will battle Boston College, Rutgers, Virginia, and Minnesota for his services. He can also play defensive back.
33. MINEMYER, JEFF Bishop Carroll HS (Ebensburg) TE
Committed to Rutgers
Neither offered though Pitt flirted with the idea until Byham committed. Chose Rutgers over the likes of West Virginia, NC State, Michigan State, and Louisville.
34. PARKER-BOYD, ANTHONY Great Valley HS (Malvern) QB
Committed to North Carolina
Neither offered though Virginia, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Iowa among the impressive programs who did offer.
35. PHILLIPS, BRAD Franklin Regional HS (Export) S
Committed to Northwestern
Neither offered and Northwestern is the only major program that did. But if Phillips didn’t commit so early, his excellent senior year would have resulted in more offers.
36. HUNT, RANDALL, Valley Forge Military Academy (Wayne) OL
Committed to Illinois
Neither offered the big junior college lineman who was teammates with Jeff Otah.
37. MCKENZIE, JIM St. Joseph’s Prep (Springfield) OL
Committed to Syracuse
Neither offered but West Virginia did, as well as Colorado State, Kentucky, and Rutgers.
38. COBB, ASHTON, Center HS (Monaca) S
Committed to Kentucky
Neither offered though Cobb has the physical talent to play at either place. His position lessened his recruiting options.
39. ROBINSON, GREG Scotland School (Scotland) LB
Penn State offered and is among the favorites, which includes Wisconsin, Virginia, and Rutgers.
40. DIXON, CONNOR South Park HS (South Park) QB
Committed to Michigan State
Neither offered though Pitt showed interest before choosing Seneca Valley’s Kevan Smith instead.
41. KANUCH, BRAD Westmont Hilltop HS (Johnstown) ATH
Penn State offered the speedster whose brother Jim plays at Penn State, but Virginia and Maryland are his current favorites.
42. LEONARD, ANTHONY McKeesport HS (McKeesport) LB
Committed to West Virginia
Neither offered though Pitt showed some interest. He had an excellent season and could be another hidden gem for the Mountaineers.
43. VERICA, MARC Monsignor Bonner HS (Drexel Hill) QB
Committed to Virginia
Neither offered the sleeper signal caller.
44. RODEMOYER, ERIC Kennedy Catholic HS (Hermitage) OL
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and beat out West Virginia for the quickly developing powerful guard.
45. LOHEYDE, DAN Gateway HS (Monroeville) LB
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered. Somewhat lost in the shuffle since he committed way back in the middle of March.
46. TKACH, TYLER Northern Lehigh HS (Slatington) DE
Committed to Pittsburgh
Pitt offered and Penn State was not interested, though Tkach was interested in the local school.
47. WILLIAMS, NATE Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pittsburgh) LB
Committed to Northwestern
Neither offered though Pitt had on-again, off-again interest.
48. WRIGHT, AUNDRE Perry Traditional Academy (Pittsburgh) WR
Neither offered though the Panthers may if the speedster gets his grades in order.
49. STEVENS, JORDAN Gateway HS (Monroeville) DE
Committed to Miami of Ohio
Neither offered though Pitt showed some interest.
50. HANNA, CHRIS Gateway HS (Monroeville) OL
Neither offered though Pitt had a lot of interest early on. Could be headed to Illinois. The fourth Gateway player in the top 50 joining Bishop McDevitt for the most.
Analysis
Similar Offers
• Pitt and Penn State offered 11 similar players in PA (McCoy, Dickerson, Devlin, Odrick, Walls, Byham, Pinkston, Berry, Smith, Kates, and Maddox).
• Of those 11, Pitt got commitments from four (Dickerson, Byham, Pinkston, Smith) and Penn State got commitments from none.
• Two went elsewhere (Devlin to Miami, Walls to Notre Dame).
• Of the remaining five, one has only Pitt on his list (Berry) and four have Penn State on their list (McCoy, Odrick, Kates, Maddox).
PA Top 25
• Notre Dame has two of the top 25 (Walls, Frazer) and also appears to lead for Kates.
• Penn State has two (McEowen and McBride) and is also involved with McCoy, Odrick, Kates and Maddox.
• West Virginia has no top 25 players, but are heavily involved with Fields, Lyons, and Maddox.
• It appears Michigan, once a pest for both Pitt and Penn State, will get shut out this year. The Wolverines offered McCoy, Dickerson, Devlin, Odrick, Walls, Byham, Hunter and Kates.
Numbers breakdown
Pitt
Top 25: 7 for 14 with 2 undecided (Berry, Fields)
Top 50: 12 for 19 with 3 undecided (Berry, Fields, Miller)
Western PA: 10 for 11 with 2 undecided (Fields, Miller)
Central PA: 0 for 3 with 1 undecided (Berry)
Eastern PA: 2 for 5
Penn State
Top 25: 2 for 11 with 3 undecided (McCoy, Hunter, Kates)
Top 50: 3 for 12 with 6 undecided (McCoy, Hunter, Kates, Carter, Robinson, Kanuch)
Western PA: 1 for 5 with 1 undecided (Kanuch)
Central PA: 1 for 3 with 3 undecided (McCoy, Hunter, Kates)
Eastern PA: 1 for 4 with 2 undecided (Carter, Robinson)
Breaking Down PA
Opinion by Tony DeFazio
So what does all this mean? Other than we’ll still need to wait until February to find out? And then wait another three years or so before we really know?
Actually, this year’s recruiting trends have been quite interesting. Dave Wannstedt took over at Pitt one year ago with every intention of keeping the best western PA talent at home, and – as the numbers point out – he has been successful thus far. Most of his in-state success came before a disappointing 5-6 inaugural season, but it seems as if all of Wannstedt’s in-state commitments will indeed sign on the dotted line come LOI day. Most of Pitt’s in-season and post-season recruiting has been focused either out of state or on prep-school/junior college athletes, but there are some players to watch locally before Wannstedt’s first true class is closed out. A strong late finish could leave Pitt’s class among the top 15 in the country.
While Penn State is putting together another impressive recruiting class, their numbers in Pennsylvania are not nearly as good so far. Much of that is due to Wannstedt’s pre-season recruiting success and the buzz that went with it, and much is due to the fact that a few top in-state talents have not made their decisions yet (McCoy and Odrick to name two). A lot, however, is also due to a possible shift in geographic focus for the Lions – at least in 2005.
Penn State’s focus this year has clearly been on the Maryland area. After having much success in the Maryland-Virginia corridor over the past decade (if not longer), Penn State is close to making a virtual sweep of the top athletes in Maryland in 2005. Two of the top 11 players in Maryland (Navorro Bowman and Aaron Maybin) have committed to the Lions, and five others have Penn State on their short lists (Antonio Logan El, JB Walton, AJ Wallace, Phillip Taylor and Bani Gbadyu). It’s very possible that Penn State could land seven of the top 11 players in Maryland – Gbadyu, in fact, continues to be the subject of rumors that he has already committed to Penn State. It will be interesting, then, to see if this geographic trend continues for the Lions if and when the Wannstedt “buzz” dies down.
Wannstedt took hold of western PA early in 2005, and did so with force. But Penn State got their foot back in the door with Travis McBride of McKeesport, and both schools are hot in pursuit of Duquesne’s Elijah Fields. Landing both McBride and Fields could be considered a late flurry by Penn State that sets up what should be some great battles for some great talent next year.
The state of Pennsylvania had what most experts considered a solid-to-good year, talent wise, this past season. Next year, however, is poised to be one of the better years in the past decade at least. The arrival of Wannstedt and the resurgence of Penn State should make the state of Pennsylvania an intriguing battle ground once again.
McCoy May Have Leader
By Chris Dokish
The No. 1 player in Pennsylvania has named a leader and it may surprise a lot of people. Most assumed that running back LeSean McCoy of Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg was destined for Penn State or even USC. But don’t tell that to McCoy.
“I am down to Penn State, USC and Virginia Tech,” says the 5’11” 210 pound speedster. When asked if any stand out right now, McCoy responded, “yes, Virginia Tech.”
When asked why the Hokies led, McCoy said, “It’s just like I will be the next Kevin Jones. It will be like history repeating itself,” referring to another Pennsylvania running back who matriculated to Virginia Tech.
When told that many felt Penn State was the leader for his services, McCoy replied, “Why isn’t anybody picking me to go to Virginia Tech? They are definitely leading right now.”
When asked again if he was sure that it was Virginia Tech in the lead, McCoy replied, “Yes, they are in the lead but I’m not saying it’s going to be them for sure. They are just in the lead now”.
McCoy said that while the rumors were true about his parents preferring him to stay near home, they would be fine with him going to Virginia Tech, if that ends up happening, and that, “you can’t exactly go wrong with USC either.”
As for rumors about him possibly attending prep school, he is still confident that he can make the grades needed to pass through the NCAA clearinghouse.
“I think I will be alright. I just have to get my GPA up some and I think I will. If I don’t, going to a prep school for a year would not be the end of the world.”
As for where is Virginia Tech suggesting a possible prep school should he choose the Hokies, McCoy stated, “they said they don’t care and I can go to any one that I want.”
When informed that this declaration of a leader may surprise people and he may get a lot of phone calls when it becomes public, McCoy stated, “I know when something like that happens because I get a lot of calls the next day.”
The calls for McCoy, however, may end between Christmas and New Years Eve when he wants to make his decision.
“I want to have a big party after my announcement around the holidays.”
Last edited by hilltoppanther on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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The Ancient Enemy
- Official BleacherCoach
- Posts: 7549
- Joined: October 30th, 2004, 2:47 pm
Re: Rivals.com 100 PSU Update
Is anyone else starting to get a little irritated at how these 18 year old kids are all of a sudden thinking they are bigtime celebrities? "I'm gonna have a huge party when I announce my decision". I give one **** where Lesean McCoy ends up going. You make your bones once you are at the school, not when you sign a piece of paper. Just because you are a 5 star athlete doesn't mean you'll have 5 star success once you get there. You play who deserves to play, not who was highly regarded. Once again, look at Tony Hunt and Austin Scott. Hunt was 3 star back when he came out of high school, and no one knew who he was. 5 stars just means level of potential, not level of greatness. LeSean McCoy is already banged up, and notice how after he got injured his recruiting changed a 100% because people backed off. Then, all of a sudden, Penn State looks pretty good, and is back in the picture. One of those PSU potential recruits made the statement of "they need me up there". Really? We need you? We cannot win without you? Give me a break.
As much as I love recruiting, and checking up on it, this is getting a little out of hand. The college football world was on the edge of it's seat yesterday awaiting that Tebow announcement. There's a special going to be on ESPN2 today I believe to "show him to the world". Who the hell cares? They are usually an 18 year old kid who did well against backwater high school football teams. I wanna see level of competition for all these kids. It is very important for people to understand that the star-rankings don't really mean all that much. It is all opinion based. You might think a kid is a 3 star recruit while I think he totally sucks. It's just PROJECTED potential. There are countless examples of 3 star players being the best in the NCAA once they get into a system. Posluszny, Hunt, Antonio Bryant, and Jamario Thomas were all 3 star recruits to name a few. Kevin Kelley has been virtually lights out for PSU as a kicker and he was 2 star recruit.
If this celebrity crap is the direction of college recruiting nowadays, wouldn't you want a bunch of kids who were willing to work hard to prove they were better than those top recruits but never got the attention they deserved?
Isn't that what made the PA recruits great to begin with? Didn't they all grow up with dad working at the mills and mom raising the kids at home? Those kids grow up tough.
As for the PSU and Pitt classes this year, I hope all those kids go to Pitt. It's better to have them stay in-state than go to Michigan or Notre Dame.
As much as I love recruiting, and checking up on it, this is getting a little out of hand. The college football world was on the edge of it's seat yesterday awaiting that Tebow announcement. There's a special going to be on ESPN2 today I believe to "show him to the world". Who the hell cares? They are usually an 18 year old kid who did well against backwater high school football teams. I wanna see level of competition for all these kids. It is very important for people to understand that the star-rankings don't really mean all that much. It is all opinion based. You might think a kid is a 3 star recruit while I think he totally sucks. It's just PROJECTED potential. There are countless examples of 3 star players being the best in the NCAA once they get into a system. Posluszny, Hunt, Antonio Bryant, and Jamario Thomas were all 3 star recruits to name a few. Kevin Kelley has been virtually lights out for PSU as a kicker and he was 2 star recruit.
If this celebrity crap is the direction of college recruiting nowadays, wouldn't you want a bunch of kids who were willing to work hard to prove they were better than those top recruits but never got the attention they deserved?
Isn't that what made the PA recruits great to begin with? Didn't they all grow up with dad working at the mills and mom raising the kids at home? Those kids grow up tough.
As for the PSU and Pitt classes this year, I hope all those kids go to Pitt. It's better to have them stay in-state than go to Michigan or Notre Dame.
Last edited by The Ancient Enemy on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
I agree 100% about the celebrity status some of these kids think they should be given. Not one single snap taken and they are all ready celebs.
As far as McCoy, I think he's PSU bound. I just think he is drawing this thing out hoping to keep media attention on him. That, more than the propsect of him going to Tech, concerns me.
As far as McCoy, I think he's PSU bound. I just think he is drawing this thing out hoping to keep media attention on him. That, more than the propsect of him going to Tech, concerns me.
Last edited by frostlion on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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[quote="El-Moldo";p="113788"]
Are they recruiting anymore kids that aren't U.S. citizens?
[/quote]
Tamba Hali is an American citizen.
Apparently JoePa is going to ask Bush to intervene and help in reuniting him with is mother.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/sport ... 6hali.html
Are they recruiting anymore kids that aren't U.S. citizens?
[/quote]
Tamba Hali is an American citizen.
Apparently JoePa is going to ask Bush to intervene and help in reuniting him with is mother.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/sport ... 6hali.html
Last edited by frostlion on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rivals.com 100 PSU Update
Are you really a teacher? You sure assume alot. I never mentioned Hali under this topic. How do you know I didn't mean Bani???? But since YOU brought up Hali, here is an excerpt from an Associated Press article in the Madison, Wisconsin CAPITAL TIMES November 2, 2005: "The biggest obstacle is Hali found out in the last couple of years that he ISN'T a U.S. citizen, though he is a legal immigrant. His parent's were never married and Hali feels responsible for bringing his mother over (to America) himself. The first step is to SECURE U.S.citizenship for himself." Sounds to me like as of 6 weeks ago he WASN'T a U.S. citizen. Now tell me, how can you be an ALL-AMERICAN if you aren't a U.S. Citizen?????
Last edited by El-Moldo on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jared Odrick to PSU! Picks PSU over Georgia and Florida.
For you "fact checkers"
http://pennstate.scout.com/2/480325.html
For you "fact checkers"
http://pennstate.scout.com/2/480325.html
Last edited by frostlion on September 20th, 2011, 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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