Penn State's Monster Recruiting Weekend

by BSD on Jan 18, 2009 11:43 AM EST in Penn State Recruiting Comment 32 comments

Give me a


Wide Receiver,		an offensive lineman,		and a quarterback

and some sirens. Definitely a lot of sirens.

Wow, what a weekend. Penn State hosted a panoply of potential recruits this weekend and it resulted in a slew of good news. It all started when word broke that Woodbury, NJ wide receiver Shawney Kersey had committed to Penn State during his visit.

Kersey was said to be hot and heavy for Penn State way last spring before he suddenly committed to Rutgers, and that was that. He was seemingly never heard from again until he started having doubts a few weeks ago and contacted the Penn State coaching staff to see if there was still any interest. You know what's coming next.

mmmmmmm....leftovers.

Kersey stands an impressive 6'2" and 190 lbs and reportedly runs a 4.45 forty. He held an impressive list of offers that included Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State, West Virginia, and Virginia. Both recruiting services rank him as a three star prospect. But before we get too excited, there are concerns about Kersey qualifying through the NCAA clearinghouse. So it may be 2010 before we get to see him on the field after a year at prep school.

More good news hit later in the day when it was announced that Buffalo, NY offensive lineman John Urschel gave his commitment to Joe Paterno while also on an official visit. Urschel was a late bloomer who didn't get a lot of attention during the recruiting process, but he finished his senior year as a First Team All State selection and won the Trench Trophy given to the top offensive lineman in Western New York. The 6'3" 275 prospect also held offers from Buffalo and Boston College. He reportedly boasts a 94 GPA and scored a 2100 on the SATs so he's also a great student.

But the big news that has everybody buzzing this weekend was the verbal commitment of Sto-Rox quarterback Paul "P.J." Jones. Jones is Penn State's second verbal for the class of 2010 joining linebacker Mike Hull. He is listed at 6'3" and 218 lbs but claims he is now 6'5" 225 lbs after a growth spurt this fall. Jones a two year starter that led the WPIAL with 20 touchdown passes as a sophomore, completing 113-of-212 passes for 1851 yards. His junior year was nearly a carbon copy as he completed 112-of-182 passes for 1973 yards and 21 TD's. He also ran 72 times for 294 yards and five touchdowns. Jones is another athletic quarterback similar to Michael Robinson, Daryll Clark, and Kevin Newsome, so it's safe to say the Spread HD is here to stay.

Because he's just a junior the recruiting services haven't given him a star rating yet, but most everyone agrees he should start out with a four or even five star rating. He along with Mike Hull have formed the cornerstones upon which the rest of the recruiting class for 2010 will be formed.

Funny how fortunes change so quickly. A month ago after Pat Devlin left we were all in a panic over who was going to be our quarterback after Daryll Clark graduates in 2009. A few weeks later we're suddenly set at quarterback through 2013. This is why panic mode is never advisable when it comes to football and recruiting.

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Peachy

Lots of great news. Let’s hope the Iggles and Stillers keep it coming, then we can have a big ’ol Keystone State party for the next two weeks.

God Created the World Out Of Nothing, Paterno Built A National Superpower On Cow Fields...

by fugimaster24 on Jan 18, 2009 12:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

GIF OVERLOAD!

W should probably notify SBN that they need to upgrade our servers…at this rate we’re going to have 10-15 of these things running full time.

BSD

by Kevin HD on Jan 18, 2009 12:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Rutgers has some leftover servers you can borrow…

"They haven't played us yet."

by ReadingRambler on Jan 18, 2009 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Mike,

You’re going to either:

A) Give someone a seizure with the sirens.

B) Break the sirens.

But at any rate this has been a great weekend. Heres to hoping we grab a few extras on this class.

by deihlba on Jan 18, 2009 12:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think Fast Eddie should write the NFL and have the Super Bowl held at the Beav if the Eagles and Steelers both make it.

Great news on the recruits we still have two more big ones to land in jenkins and brown, its never a bad thing to over sign, we could possibly cut the “dead weight” i guess.

by PSUfanSTUCKinSECland on Jan 18, 2009 12:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely not.

Have you been following the weather up in this neck of the woods at all? It was -19 the other day, with the windchill. -2 without. I think we would be looking at possible exposure deaths if we had 110k people sitting through a cold, State College February day. Send ’em to Tampa.

May no act of ours bring shame

by Sacked on Jan 18, 2009 12:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It's football....

man up….personally i hope they both lose but that is coming from a bitter cowboys fan

by PSUfanSTUCKinSECland on Jan 18, 2009 2:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Brown is supposedly going to announce sometime soon

He’s supposedly on board but for some reason didn’t verbally commit yet. From all the recruiting blogs it seems he is pretty much in the bag. This means absolutely nothing, and I wouldn’t get too optimistic, but in the past these “rumblings” are pretty accurate.

I try not to get excited until they sign a LOI or enroll early.

"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.

by millzners on Jan 18, 2009 12:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Brown

If I were a betting man I’d say he wants to have a press conference and that’s why he is waiting to go public.

by psuphiman80 on Jan 18, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Panic Button

Never advisable to hit the panic button when things don’t go your way, but it’s wise not to get too cocky until they enroll

"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008

by jesse. on Jan 18, 2009 12:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Newsome vs Jones

So I’m assuming Newsome will play his sophmore junior year while Jones will play his redshirt-sophmore to redshirt-junior year? They won’t be competing for the same job in 2010?

And what can we do to prevent the USCs and Floridas for poaching him from us?

This is why I hate following recruiting news.

by Mr. Rosewater on Jan 18, 2009 1:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Starting QB

Unless I’m missing something, won’t Newsome have three years of eligibility left after DC leaves? So unless you are assuming Newsome will leave for the NFL, he will be the QB from ’10 – ’12. That means that Jones would be on campus for ’11 – ’14; does he redshirt ’11 to give him three years as well? Who else will backup Newsome if Jones redshirts?

by PSUJunny05 on Jan 18, 2009 2:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sort of

Jones will be there from ‘10-’13. If he doesn’t redshirt he will have to compete with Newsome his first three years in the program unless he redshirts. But given our depth chart after Clark leaves I doubt he redshirts. One of these guys might end up being another Michael Robinson that shifts around from QB, WR, and RB until he gets the full time QB job his senior year.

Jones says he’s been a PSU fan his entire life. Going to Penn State is his dream. I don’t think he’ll be likely to decommit or transfer. Newsome on the other hand…

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Jan 18, 2009 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thought Newsome's on campus now taking classes.

by Mr. Rosewater on Jan 18, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He is

But he decommitted from Michigan when it became apparent that Forcier was going there. If he loses the starting job to Jones in 2010 or 2011 I wouldn’t bet on him sticking around.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Jan 18, 2009 6:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But

This is good. I like Newsome thinking he’s got competition coming in 2010. That will light a fire under his butt to be the best he can be until then rather than think he’s the man and it’s just a matter of time.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Jan 18, 2009 6:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Newsome

Well, at least we know Newsome won’t decommit — he’s enrolled and on campus now, which is as good as a LOI.

by Laaaaazzz on Jan 18, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So...

‘09 – DC (Newsome backup, no redshirt)
’10 – competition; although the edge has to go to Newsome after being under DC’s tutelage (assume Newsome gets job)
‘11 – once the job is Newsome’s I don’t see any way Jones takes it from him, barring unforeseen circumstances, so the job remains Newsome’s
‘12 – again, Newsome for same reasons
’13 – Jones’ final year of eligibility

So what I’m seeing is that maybe another backup QB should be added to the class of ‘10, not necessarily a 3, 4, or 5 star, but something that would allow Jones to redshirt, and then have two years of eligibility once Newsome leaves. Of course, all of this is dependent on Newsome playing all four years, but I can’t recall a recent QB who did not retain the job once given it, nor one who did not get this job after paying his dues. Granted I’m only an ‘05 graduate, but that seems fair. DC in ’09, Newsome in ’10-’12, Jones in ‘13-’14.

by PSUJunny05 on Jan 18, 2009 9:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But what if Newsome doesn't pan out ...

College football is filled with high school quarterbacks who never made it big time in college. I think we may have had one of these guys on our squad a few years ago. So I wouldn’t assume at this early date that Newsome is a three-year starter. (Did anyone see him in the US Army all-star game?) That said, how great is it if Newsome and Jones are both wonderful and we have two good quarterbacks on the roster. Never a bad thing, assuming one can be patient—unlike P.D.

by nittnut on Jan 19, 2009 11:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Then again,

Even if Newsome were to flop, it’s nice to have Jones in our back pocket, ‘just in case’.

All the same- as scarred as we all may have been by TQBWMNBN, I don’t think we should be thinking about the benching of Newsome months before he even takes a snap.

There is a tractor in the parking lot, West Virginia license EIEIO. Your lights are on.

by leeharvey418 on Jan 19, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

oh yes....TQBWMNBN...exactly

sad thing is, I know who you are talking about, even though I have no idea what that acronym stands for

by The JuggerNitt on Jan 19, 2009 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Quarterback Who Must Not Be Named

There is a tractor in the parking lot, West Virginia license EIEIO. Your lights are on.

by leeharvey418 on Jan 19, 2009 2:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jenkins

Wasn’t Jenkins also visiting this past weekend? Not that we would expect to hear anything until signing day, but I’d be curious if all these guys were up there together (Jenkins, Brown, Kersey, Urschel, PJ).

If we are landing recruits in below-zero arctic temperatures, I think that says something.

I would’ve thought we were SOL with Jenkins with the freeze out, but perhaps there is still some hope he becomes the next face of Linebacker U.

by The Man with One Black Shoe on Jan 19, 2009 10:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

He was there

And the visit supposedly went very well.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Jenkins. PSU insiders are very confident we’ll land him. But Florida insiders are equally confident. I think we’re going to have to wait until signing day to find out.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Jan 19, 2009 10:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

When is the official day for signing?

? in Feb or March w/ a late signing date in April…a-la Pryor drawing out the process last year…

" ...the pool or the pond; the pond is good for you..."

by BlueWhiteLife on Jan 19, 2009 10:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It is the first Wednesday of February

but that’s just the earliest they can sign. I don’t know if there is an official “last day” they can sign, but I’d imagine it would be before camp starts in the summer :-p

Pryor just didn’t want to make up his mind while he was distracted by basketball, and so put it off until after the season was over. Most guys seem to do it on Signing Day (though I wonder if we’ll have any prima donna copycats this year who want to emulate Pryor to get all the national hype and attention he got last year).

by The JuggerNitt on Jan 19, 2009 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Last day

I believe April 30 is the last day to sign.

If you remember, there was a lot of speculation last year that Pryor was just delaying his decision until the HS basketball playoffs were over. He got to play in the PA State championship game in the Jordan Center with thousands of PSU fans cheering him on. Then the following week he committed to Ohio State. Had he been a Buckeye before the championship game he probably would have been booed every time he touched the ball.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Jan 19, 2009 4:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I find it amusing

that after Rutgers has a so-so season (and actually just a bad first half, with a good second half) they’re losing these recruits to us. Hopefully these aren’t guys who are scared of a challenge (playing at Rutgers).

by The JuggerNitt on Jan 19, 2009 2:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Scared of a challenge?

Maybe they’d just rather play at Penn State than RU.
Who wouldn’t?

by NJ lion on Jan 19, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

if that's the case

then why did they originally decide they’d rather play at RU. Obviously kids change their minds, and who knows all the factors, but I’d bet if Rutgers went on to an 11-2 season with a Rose Bowl appearance, and Penn State went 8-5 with a PapaJohns.com Bowl appearance, they probably stay at Rutgers.

There’s a reason D-Will got so much love from Penn State fans, and that’s because even during the dark years he decided to come to Penn Staaaaaaate! and restore the program to national prominence.

by The JuggerNitt on Jan 20, 2009 3:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Original decision

Who knows why a kid originally decides on RU? Maybe it was the miracle last few seasons they had, the promise of a newly expanded stadium? Then the dream seasons ended and the stadium expansion is dead, and these guys saw greener pastures in State College.

But who cares the reason, as long as they “Come to Penn State”.

by NJ lion on Jan 20, 2009 4:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs