Penn State Football Class of 2013: Welcome, Richy Anderson

Zordich. Mauti. Wisniewski. Suhey. Pittman. One of the joys of being a longstanding Penn State fan is watching the numerous father-son combinations that have suited up in the blue and white over the years. We can now add the name Anderson to that list with the addition of Richy Anderson to the 2013 (technically, 2012) recruiting class.

Many of you will remember Richy's father, Richie Anderson, from his playing days at Penn State from 1989 through 1992. He went on to have a stellar NFL career, playing 12 seasons as a bruising fullback for the Cowboys and Jets who earned two trips to the Pro Bowl.

The younger Anderson does not have his dad's frame (Anderson is listed at 5-11, 180 pounds), but that could change after a few years in Fitz's strength and conditioning program. For now, look for Anderson to line up as a tailback and in the slot, or anywhere else O'Brien may want to place him to help create mismatches.

Anderson was previously committed to Maryland, but re-opened his recruitment once the Nittany Lions showed serious interest. He attended the "White Out" game against Ohio State on October 27, and despite an underwhelming performance that night, Anderson went ahead and pulled the trigger on his commitment to Penn State.

Anderson was not offered a scholarship simply because of his legacy status. He is a universal three-star prospect and is ranked as the 19th-best all-purpose running back in his class. In addition to Maryland, he also received offers from Rutgers, Temple, Illinois, Boston College, Wake Forest and East Carolina.

It is not immediately known if Anderson will see the field in 2013 since the running back position has solid, but not great, depth. There is a good chance he will redshirt to have a year to watch and learn while he spends extra time in the weight room. However, Anderson is already on campus as an early enrollee. He will have a chance to impress the coaching staff, and if O'Brien thinks he can help Penn State win games in next season he won't hesitate to play him as a true freshman.

Welcome to Penn State, Richy.