Gerald Hodges Picks Penn State

by BSD on Dec 13, 2008 9:55 AM EST in Recruiting Comment 42 comments

Gimme a Siren and a four-star safety WOOOOOO!!!

Hopefully the atomic meltdown going on in the message boards over the Devlin transfer can take a break today with the good news that Gerald Hodges has verbally committed to Penn State.

Rutgers' loss is Penn State's gain as Paulsboro free safety Gerald Hodges changed his oral commitment from staying in New Jersey to heading for Happy Valley.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Hodges plans to enroll at Penn State next month.

"It was a really hard decision," Hodges said last night by phone. "I had a really good relationship with Rutgers, but I just felt Penn State was the best fit."

Hodges was a four-year varsity performer for Paulsboro. He attended Penn State's Oct. 18 game against Michigan, won by the Nittany Lions, 46-17. He left that game with a favorable impression.

"It was a great atmosphere there," he said.

He's looking forward to getting started as soon as possible.

"I think it will really help me to get there early," he said. "I hope to be able to contribute right away."

As the article says, Hodges was originally a Rutgers commit, but he opened up his recruitment and did a slow dance with Penn State for the past month or two. Then a few weeks ago he announced Penn State and Rutgers were his final two choices. I guess Rutgers must have landed a better safety. Afterall, we only get their leftovers.

Just a note to other Rutgers recruits: We kind of have an opening at quarterback in 2010 if you're interested. Just sayin'.

Hodges will make an outstanding fit at Penn State. We have an immediate opening at free safety in 2009. Hodges plans to enroll early and he's one of the few kids in the country athletic enough to come in and play right away. Don't be surprised if he's starting by the time Big Ten play starts.

Now enjoy this nine minute youtube video of Hodges that probably should have been edited down to one minute. (Watch the really good run at the 2:00 mark. The rest is meh.)

Gerald Hodges Jr. - Paulsboro HS, New Jersey (NEW) (via Cmel28)

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Comments

WOOT

Welcome to PSU Gerald, our defense is now going to be stratospheric good next year.

We just needed a couple players, a couple people to buy in to the fact and we were able to do it. --A.Q. Shipley

by psu on Dec 13, 2008 10:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sweeeeeeet.

Good get. Suck it, Rutgers!

by Tailgate Shogun on Dec 13, 2008 10:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

ummm

He was playing QB in the video….just saying

by blt on Dec 13, 2008 10:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

That's typical in high school

They take their best athlete and play him at quarterback so he touches the ball on every play.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Dec 13, 2008 10:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This is great news

but how many scholarships do we have left to hand out?
Hopefully at least 1 for a QB.

by NJ lion on Dec 13, 2008 12:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Plenty

This is our 21st recruit. We probably have 25 to give out in this class, but Hodges and Fera are both enrolling in the spring, so their scholarships can be counted toward last years total. If we land Newsome he is also planning on enrolling in the spring, so we could sign around 27 or 28 kids in this class. But I think we’ll probably end up with four or five more. The big ones are Newsome, Brown, Exum, and Jenkins.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Dec 13, 2008 12:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Howle

I believe Howle is enrolling early also.

by psuphiman80 on Dec 13, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

I thought there was someone I was leaving out. We shouldn’t have any shortage of Schollies to give out. It may not be a bad idea to carry two or three over to next year to balance things out a little bit.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Dec 13, 2008 12:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

can we recycle Devlin's?

for this spring and onward?

by The JuggerNitt on Dec 13, 2008 3:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you can't recycle that scholarship

Because Zug has already claimed it for himself. He how has four scholarships including Bell’s and Baker’s. He’s worth it.

by millzners on Dec 13, 2008 5:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And frankly

who’s to argue with him doing it?

by Screen Name 20 on Dec 14, 2008 6:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Schollies

The staff has options with early enrollments and grey shirts so one ship usually doesn’t make a difference. We can use the ship though now.

by psuphiman80 on Dec 13, 2008 5:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the update

by NJ lion on Dec 13, 2008 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Big dude to play safety, already 220.

Any idea if we are going to offer the QB from Canada?

by SweepTheLeg on Dec 13, 2008 12:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good question

I wonder if the coaches are calling Myles Gibbon this week.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Dec 13, 2008 12:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You

know they might have to switch Brackett back…that would stink

by SweepTheLeg on Dec 13, 2008 12:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Oral commitment sounds hot

Throw it to Zug!

by ReadingRambler on Dec 13, 2008 1:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

A lot hotter than a soft verbal, that's for sure

John Madden told me 90% of the game was half-mental...

by TheK-GunNeedsReloaded on Dec 13, 2008 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or a silent verbal

by NJ lion on Dec 13, 2008 2:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or an oral contraceptive

You know the one I’m talkin’ about:

“NO!!!”.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Dec 13, 2008 6:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

big pick-up

it’ll be nice to see him and Lynn laying some wood to opposing WR’s in the coming years.

by PSiriUs on Dec 13, 2008 4:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

LAYING WOOD????

Sounds hot…and kinda gay.

by SweepTheLeg on Dec 13, 2008 4:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hardwood or softwood?

Either way – you’re correct.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Dec 13, 2008 6:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

what's our situation with WRs?

Can’t remember the one’s we recruited. Chris Bell and one other screwed the pooch.

by Mr. Rosewater on Dec 13, 2008 4:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

AJ

Wallace…what happened to that guy?

by SweepTheLeg on Dec 13, 2008 4:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Word on the curb is...

Our #1 QB target Kevin Newsome may verbal with us this week :)

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member

by TheMightyErik on Dec 14, 2008 7:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Kind Sir

I hope you are serious. The opportunity is great, however, for him. He will be the starter as a sophomore, will develop one year in the system built for him (and Clark).

Losing Devlin, while crappy immediately, may be one of the greatest things to happen to the offense going forward. Get a good QB, get WRs who want to play with said good QB, etc.

by MainLion on Dec 14, 2008 8:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It would be real nice to have a QB start for 3 years

I can’t remember the last time that’s happened at Penn State. As long as it’s the right QB (i.e. not Clausen), it’s a huge benefit for the team and something I’d like to see happen here.

by NJ lion on Dec 14, 2008 9:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Zack Mills

Didn’t he start four years?

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Dec 14, 2008 9:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, how about a 3+ year QB started with all of his

parts intact during his term.

pinkertonpark.com - you owe yerself a laugh.

by rahpsu92 on Dec 15, 2008 2:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not that it is a done deal or anything...

Between him and Tajh Boyd the rumors and romancing is heating up as they will both be early enrollers in January. Rumors have Boyd at tOSU and Newsome closer to Penn State since the Devlin ordeal last week.

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member

by TheMightyErik on Dec 15, 2008 2:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From the JoePa Rose Bowl press conference

Q. And one more thing, on recruiting. You only have one scholarship quarterback right now going into next year. Do you second guess the recruiting process for the quarterbacks over the past few years that you’re in this position now?
Joe: Not really. I thought we were in really good shape. We are trying to recruit a quarterback. I thought we would be in pretty good shape. We have a kid who is a junior, a kid who was a senior next year I’m talking about, and a kid coming in, a quality quarterback and that hasn’t happened yet, but we are working on it.

Check out the last sentence. A peek into the mind of Joe. Is it Newsome??

by NJ lion on Dec 14, 2008 10:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or maybe he really likes

The Drake?

(another example of us getting Pitt leftovers, by the way)

Kevin @ Black Shoe Diaries

by Kevin HD on Dec 14, 2008 10:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Like the Drake?

LOVE the Drake… (name that reference!)

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member

by TheMightyErik on Dec 15, 2008 2:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Does he have a Drakette yet?

BTW – don’t forget your gift for the Drake, Kramer!

Joe says they’re working on it, but nothing yet. He could be refering to anyone.

'People are about as happy as they decide they want to be'

by Pete the Streak on Dec 15, 2008 7:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

by Aaron PSU on Dec 15, 2008 10:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Same here

My department head was a little peeved this morning whenever he relayed the information he’s been hearing. Word is spreading thru Hokieland that Newsome is swinging our way.

Again, take it with a grain of salt. But this is what I’m hearing down here in Central VA.

Luring recruits with my new "Posting HD" scheme since '08.

by 06Lion on Dec 15, 2008 11:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs