Gimme a kicker, a siren, and a...point guard? Wooo really?
(NOTE: See update below)
Good news hit the recruiting scene yesterday when Penn State got a commitment from Houston St. Pius X kicker Anthony Fera. I'm sure you all know by now that Fera was originally commited to Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines, but decided to pull the trigger and change his mind this week. Hey, Rich, what goes around comes around buddy. Now we want Newsome and McNeal too. Go ahead and keep Shaw. (It's nice to see Michigan fans having to be talked down off the ledge for a change.)
He called Penn State recruiting coordinator Mike McQueary with the news over his lunch break, said his father, Tony Fera.
"I just talked to Anthony, he just talked to McQueary and gave him the news," said the elder Fera. "He committed to Penn State, and he's pretty happy with his decision."
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound also had a grayshirt offer from Ohio State, in addition to scholarship offers from Penn State, Michigan and Kansas State. In the end,
"In his heart he just feels that Penn State is the best place for him," he said. "We have a ton of respect for the University of Michigan, but in his heart he felt that Penn State was the place where he could accomplish what he wanted to accomplish in college."
As the article states, Fera also had offers from Ohio State and Kansas State. You have to think if these programs are going all the way to Texas to get a kicker this kid must be pretty good. Standing 6'2 and 230 lbs he may want to stay away from Joe Paterno. With size like that Joe may try to turn him into a linebacker.
Fera has been a monster at various camps and kicking competitions. He has a booming leg that routinely goes 70 yards on kickoffs, and he has a career long field goal of 58 yards. I don't even like to walk that far. With Kevin Kelly graduating after this season the place kicking job is wide open for next year. Expect Fera to get an excellent chance to contribute right away.
Yay Point Guards
Penn State is raiding the State of Texas pretty hard this week as Ed DeChellis got a verbal commitment from Tim Frazier of Strake Jesuit High in Houston Texas for the class of 2009.
A few minutes ago, point guard Tim Frazier of Strake Jesuit High in Houston told us he committed to Penn State.
"Yes sir, I committed to Penn State," he said.
Since he was in school, he did not have time for an interview. But we will catch up with him later.
Frazier is a 6-foot-1, 160-pounder who is said to remind many in the Penn State camp of former Lion guard Danny Earl.
Honestly I don't know anything about his kid at this point, but if he's like Danny Earl I'll take him. Stanley Pringle is about to begin his final season, so Ed desperately needed a point guard to compliment Talor Battle in the back court.
Frazier stands 6'1" and weighs 160 lbs. The recruiting services both rank him as a three star prospect which is like OMG huge for Penn State. We should be set at point guard for the next five years. And with Babb, Jones, Jackson, and Brooks I'm expecting big things in 2009 and 2010.
Update: The basketball team added another commitment today with 6'5" swingman Jermaine Marshall from Lewisbury, PA . Unknown player. More details later if I get them.