Penn State 2012 Recruiting

Penn State Nittany Lions 2010 Head Coach: Bill O'Brien

Penn State Nittany Lions

2011 Record: 9-3

Sep. 3 Indiana State W 41-7
Sep. 10 Alabama L 27-11
Sep. 17 at Temple W 14-10
Sep. 24 Eastern Michigan W 24-6
Oct. 1 at Indiana W 16-10
Oct. 8 Iowa W 13-3
Oct. 15 Purdue W 23-18
Oct. 22 at Northwestern W 34-24
Oct. 29 Illinois W 10-7
Nov. 5 OPEN DATE
Nov. 12 Nebraska L 17-14
Nov. 19 at Ohio State W 20-14
Nov. 26 at Wisconsin L 45-7
TicketCity Bowl
Jan. 2 Houston L 30-14

2010 CFN Prediction: 8-4
2010 Record: 7-6

Sept. 4 Youngstown St W 44-14
Sept. 11 at Alabama L 24-3
Sept. 18 Kent State W 24-0
Sept. 25 Temple W 22-13
Oct. 2 at Iowa L 33-13
Oct. 9 Illinois L 33-13
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 at Minnesota W 33-21
Oct. 30 Michigan W 41-31
Nov. 6 Northwestern W 35-21
Nov. 13 at Ohio State L 38-14
Nov. 20 Indiana (in Land) W 41-24
Nov. 27 Michigan State L 28-22
Outback Bowl
Jan. 1 Florida L 37-24
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 The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Penn State Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. WR Eugene Lewis
6-2, 180, Scout.com 13th ranked, four-star receiver. Lewis has the potential to be a star at the next level. As a sophomore, he showed the skill set that college coaches dream of. He has an outstanding frame and is such a smooth and fluid athlete. He won’t shatter any speed records running a forty-yard dash, but he has a different speed with the ball in his hands. He has exceptional field vision and runs like a scat-back. He is very instinctive and always makes things happen.

2. OG Austin Johnson
6-4, 275, Scout.com 24th ranked, three-star guard.

3. TE Brent Wilkerson
6-4, 245, Scout.com 16th ranked, three-star tight end.

4. C Wendy Laurent
6-4, 285, Scout.com 20th ranked, three-star center.

5. RB Akeel Lynch
6-1, 205, Scout.com 41st ranked, three-star running back. As a junior, Lynch carried the ball 121 times for 828 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 198 yards and a score.

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... Whatever head coach Bill O’Brien can get. A few prospects have said they wanted to come to Penn State no matter what, but for the most part, the top players are staying away from the mess. This is hardly a disastrous recruiting season considering all the problems with few good receivers signing on and the defensive line is getting a few three-star types, but this isn’t nearly the type of class the program is used to getting.

Team Concerns For 2012: It’s all about getting through the transition. The offense needs the most help, especially for the passing game. The quarterbacks in place simply can’t play, but at least Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden are veterans. The defensive line has to replace Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Devon Still and end Jack Crawford, and all four starters are gone from the secondary. The offensive line loses four starters from a group that was fine, but merely above-average at best.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: Forgetting about the baggage and the problems the program will be dealing with over the next several years, Bill O’Brien’s team has a major, major problem on the field – it needs a quarterback. Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden both had issues throughout the season, but the offense will have RB Silas Redd to count on. The line has to replace four starters, leading receiver Derek Moye is done, and the depth at running back is questionable. Defensively, the line loses all-star tackle Devon Still and pass rusher Jack Crawford, but the linebacking corps should be terrific with Gerald Hodges ready to break out on a national scale. All four starters have to be replaced in the secondary.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Offensive linemen. Not since the Derrick Williams class of 2005 has Penn State brought in a group of receivers like this with Bill Belton, Matt Zanellato and Allen Robinson all good enough to be the No. 1 target. The defensive front should be stronger with Shawn Oakman and Deion Barnes on the end and Ben Kline at linebacker, but the focus is on the offensive front as Donovan Smith leads a phenomenal group of talents. Angelo Mangiro is one of the nation’s best guards, and Anthony Zettel isn’t far behind. Tackle Anthony Alosi might start right away.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 14. That Class Was Heavy On ... Linebackers. Are top prospects worried about the Joe Paterno era ending any time soon? Hardly. Only three linebackers were signed, but it would've be a stunner if Mike Hull in the middle and Khairi Fortt and Dakota Royer on the outside form the nation's best corps going into the 2013 season. Hull was the nation's top inside prospect and he should be the program's next great linebacker. DaQuan Jones and Evan Hailes are ready-made 300-pounders for the inside of the line, while C.J. Olaniyan is a speed rusher for the outside. Offensively, Paul Jones is one of the nation's best quarterback prospects, but that didn't stop Robert Bolden, a passer who'd make the recruiting season for about 100 other programs, from also signing.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 11. That Class Was Heavy On ... receivers. The strength of the class is at offensive tackle, but the immediate need was at receiver with Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood gone. Joe Paterno and his staff aren’t going to ask the incoming freshmen to step in and start right away, but it would be nice if Justin Brown, Shawney Kersey, Brandon Felder, Devon Smith and Christian Kuntz were able to push for potential playing time. Brown is the star of the bunch, but Kersey and Smith are the speedsters who could make a more immediate impact.

TicketCity Bowl
Houston 30 … Penn State 14
- CFN Thoughts on the TicketCity

Houston: Yards. Houston 600 – Penn State 306. … Case Keenum completed 45-of-69 passes for 532 yards and three scores … Charles Sims ran six times for 39 yards. … Justin Johnson caught 12 passes for 148 yards and a score, and Patrick Edwards caught ten passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns. … Marcus McGraw and Kent Brooks each made ten tackles. … Nick Saenz made eight tackles wnd two interceptions.

Penn State: Rushing yards: Penn State 169 – Houston 68 … Rob Bolden completed 7-of-26 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown with three picks. … Stephfon Green ran 15 times for 63 yards and a score. … Devon Smith made two catches for 49 yards. … Nate Stupar made 12 tackles.

DALLAS (AP) -- Penn State's tumultuous year ended with a 30-14 loss to Houston in the TicketCity Bowl on Monday, a dispiriting finish to a season in which coach Joe Paterno was fired as part of a child sex-abuse scandal that shook college sports.

The 24th-ranked Nittany Lions were picked apart by Cougars star Case Keenum, who threw for 532 yards and three touchdowns. Penn State was allowing 162 yards passing per game, but Keenum threw for more than double that by halftime.

"I thought the guys came out and they played hard. It's been a difficult year for them," Penn State interim coach Tom Bradley said. "It just didn't go our way."

Keenum burned the Nittany Lions' veteran secondary with touchdown passes of 40 and 75 yards to build a 24-7 lead by halftime.

It was the school's first bowl game without Paterno as head coach since the 1962 Gator Bowl, a 17-7 loss to Florida.

The Hall of Famer was fired Nov. 9 in the aftermath of the shocking charges against retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Longtime defensive coordinator Bradley took over on an interim basis, tasked with guiding a team besieged by media scrutiny.

"These kids have been through hell and back," said assistant coach Jay Paterno, Joe's son.

Bypassed by more prominent bowls, some Nittany Lions debated whether to travel to Dallas at all, then vowed they were over getting jilted and focused on stopping Houston.

Turned out Linbacker U. got trampled over by Keenum and Houston's high-octane offense.

Receiver Patrick Edwards burned safety Macolm Willis for a 40-yard touchdown pass from Keenum down the left sideline for a 7-0 lead just 1:52 into the game that often resembled a one-sided track meet. Keenum hit Justin Johnson for an 8-yard TD pass with 2:35 left for a 17-0 lead.

Already the NCAA career leader coming into the game for passing yardage and touchdown passes, Keenum added another record to his impressive resume. His 227 first-quarter passing yards set the record for most passing yards in one quarter in any bowl game, breaking the mark previously held by Louisville's Browning Nagle (223 yards) against Alabama in the first quarter of the 1991 Fiesta Bowl, according to TicketCity Bowl officials.

Penn State All-American defensive tackle Devon Still, already slowed by turf toe, couldn't keep up with Keenum's quick release and Houston's no-huddle attack. The Cougars exploited Penn State's bend-but-don't -break defense across the middle, including Edwards 75-yard touchdown reception up the seam from a scrambling Keenum for a 24-7 lead by halftime.

Keenum finished 45 of 69 passing - two fewer attempts than the number of offensive plays Penn State ran all afternoon.

Down by 20 midway through the third quarter, cornerback Stephon Morris tried to keep his fellow defenders motivated on the bench with high-fives. The struggling offense without injured starting quarterback Matt McGloin provided a glimmer of hope after backup Rob Bolden connected with Justin Brown for a pretty 69-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 27-14 at 2:38 of the third quarter.

Penn State's defense adjusted to hold the Cougars to just two field goals in the second half, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome, and Bolden threw three second-half interceptions - two by safety Nick Saenz.

With 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Penn State had already given up 552 yards of total offense to Houston, the most allowed by the Nittany Lions all season.

This wasn't the lasting impression Bradley wanted to leave on the Penn State committee searching for Paterno's replacement. The outgoing Bradley, who is popular with players, is among the candidates who have been interviewed. Acting athletic director David Joyner has said he hopes to have a new coach in place to give him a few weeks to recruit before Feb. 1, when high school seniors can announce their college choices.

Bolden finished 7 of 26 passing for 137 yards, while Stephfon Green ran 63 yards on 15 carries including a 6-yard scoring run on a direct snap in the second quarter.

It was one of the few times the Cougars' D was tricked. After getting upset 49-28 by Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA title game, and lose a chance to play in the BCS, Houston ended the season with an impressive win over a power conference team.

Edwards finished with 10 catches and 228 yards for two touchdowns, while Johnson had 12 catches for 148 yards at the 92,000-seat Cotton Bowl. The stands were about a half-full on a sunny afternoon that ended with Houston's red-clad fans celebrating in the stands and chanting "Houston."

Nov. 26 at Wisconsin 45 … Penn State 7
CFN Analysis: Penn State just got whipped. It’s been a long few weeks, but this was simply a case of the Badgers being better and more physical on both sides of the line. The Nittany Lions didn’t have the firepower to keep up. … Penn State needed better quarterback play. Matt McGloin didn’t make any big plays down the field after the early touchdown pass, and when the ground game wasn’t working, he wasn’t able to pick up the slack. … The offense only held on to the ball for 21:43 and got 44 of the 119 passing yards on the one early touchdown pass. The best play, a long dash from Stephon Green, was called back on a penalty. This wasn’t Penn State’s day in any way. The team didn’t play up to its capabilities, but Wisconsin had a lot to do with that.

Nov. 19 Penn State 20 … at Ohio State 14
CFN Analysis: The offensive line beat the Ohio State defensive line. Matt McGloin wasn’t great, but he got time to work and he didn’t have to force his throws, while Silas Redd fought through the shoulder problem to rip off a tough 63 yards. Stephon Green once again was the main man for the attack with 93 yards and two scores thanks to the line. … Ohio State only came up with two tackles for loss and no sacks. … The defense couldn’t figure out how to keep Braxton Miller in the pocket, but Glen Carson Nathan Stupar did what they could keeping some of the potentially big plays to a minimum. … This was Jack Crawford’s most important game of the year making two sacks and six tackles. … After all the problems and all the controversy, with one win over Wisconsin, the Nittany Lions will play for the Big Ten championship. They played like they were happy to get on the road.  

Nov. 12 Nebraska 17 … at Penn State 14
CFN Analysis: Penn State got through the game. Beyond the emotion and beyond everything that happened this week, the Nittany Lions simply lost to a strong team. The rally made things interesting, but there isn’t enough of a passing game to win a game like this. … Matt McGloin went the entire way, completing 16-of-34 passes for 193 yards. Rob Bolden didn’t get on the field. … On Senior Day, Stephfon Green ran 17 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns, keying the comeback attempt, but Silas Redd is the team’s best offensive weapon and he only got 15 carries for 53 yards. … The Leaders title is still there for the taking, and next week’s game at Ohio State doesn’t matter unless Wisconsin loss to Iowa. If the Nittany Lions beat the Badgers, they’re playing for the Big Ten title. 

Oct. 29 at Penn State 10 … Illinois 7
CFN Analysis: The team just finds a way. The offense is sputtering, but the defense – led by 19 carries from Gerald Hodges - continues to be fantastic. The passing game stinks, but Silas Redd continues to be the best back in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin’s Montee Ball. Temple, Indiana, Iowa, Purdue; the Nittany Lions make a habit out of coming up with close wins by coming up with the big plays the other team doesn’t. It happened again, with the offense getting a generous pass interference call, and the defense getting a gift from the gods on the missed field goal that went off the upright. 8-1 is nice, but now comes the reality check with Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, and 9-fo-28 passing isn’t going to get it done. Once again, the coaching staff tries to get Rob Bolden in, and once again, Matt McGloin looks better despite completing just 9-of-24 passes.  

Oct. 22 Penn State 34 … at Northwestern 24
CFN Analysis: The Penn State quarterback play was … great?! Matt McGloin might not be consistent and he might not always be able to push the ball down the field, but he connected on a deep ball to Devon Smith and he completed 17-of-26 passes for 192 yards and two scores without a pick. If he can keep doing that, and with Silas Redd continuing to be special with 164 yards, all of a sudden, the Nittany Lions really do need to be considered in the mix for the Big Ten title. The defense had problems keeping Dan Persa and the NU passing game under wraps, and had problems on third downs more than it has throughout the year. Gerald Hodges was fantastic with 14 tackles with a sack, but this was still a down day for the great defense. At 4-0 in the Big Ten and with Illinois and Nebraska at home, now the fun really begins.  

Oct. 15 at Penn State 23 … Purdue 18
CFN Analysis: The defense had carried the team all season long, but it feel stunningly flat this week as it struggled way too much with a pedestrian Purdue offense. Fortunately, the Boilermaker special teams miscues and the running of Silas Redd were enough to get out with a sluggish win. The coaching staff continues to play Rob Bolden, but with few results as the struggling sophomore completed just 2-of-5 passes for 40 yards, while Matt McGloin wasn’t much better completing 8-of-17 passes for 145 yards with a pick. The Nittany Lions are 6-1 with the lone loss coming to Alabama, and now with Northwestern up next before getting Illinois and Nebraska at home, the season is about to get really interesting. The defense has to be a brick wall from here on to beat any of the better teams on the slate.  

Oct. 8 at Penn State 13 ... Iowa 3
CFN Analysis: How in the world is this team 5-1? It can’t throw, it can’t move the ball a lick, it could’ve lost to Indiana, it should’ve lost to Temple, and it sputtered and struggled to put points on the board against Iowa. It didn’t matter; the defense, banged up though it is, took care of the Hawkeyes and Silas Redd carried the attack with 142 hard pounding yards. The quarterback debate needs to be over; Rob Bolden can’t play. He completed just 3-of-7 passes for 31 yards, and until he improves his accuracy, Matt McGloin, who completed 12-of-19 passes for 133 yards and a score with a pick, needs to be the main man without looking over his shoulder. 

Oct. 1 Penn State 16 … at Indiana 10
CFN Analysis: Penn State just isn’t going to get good quarterback play this season, so each game will have to be a fight. The wins will have to come with defense, a good running game, and takeaways, but the three turnovers were a big problem and the sloppiness of the passing game kept IU in it. Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden combined to complete 16-of-36 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown with a pick, but Silas Redd helped save the day as a steadying force with 129 yards on 29 carries. Penn State dominated in every place but on the scoreboard, but if the offense can’t show up against a miserable team like IU, it’s uh-oh time next week against Iowa. 

Sept. 24 at Penn State 34 … Eastern Michigan 6
CFN Analysis: The game couldn’t possibly be more disastrous. On the plus side, the Nittany Lions desperately needed a tune-up game after struggling so much against Temple, and the passing game clicked with Matt McGloin hitting 14-of-17 passes for 220 yards and three scores, but D'Anton Lynn was carted off the field with an apparent neck injury, and Michael Mauti, who had the look of an All-America candidate over the first part of the season, suffered a torn ACL. The team can’t afford to lose top defenders, considering the problems on offense, and the last thing the Nittany Lions could handle was losing Mauti going into Big Ten play. Fortunately, Indiana is up first to try to rebuild before getting Iowa at home. Can the offense start to pick up the defense? After the way the passing game worked against EMU, maybe. 

Sept. 17 Penn State 14 … at Temple 10
CFN Analysis: Not getting the offense going against Alabama is one thing, but the Nittany Lions couldn’t move the ball on Temple, either. The 312 yards of total offense weren’t bad, but getting points on the board was a nightmare with horrendous special teams thanks to a blocked punt two missed field goals, and a blocked field goal. Worse yet, the running game went nowhere with just 92 yards, even though Silas Redd ran well with 86 yards on 16 carries, He didn’t get enough work, and he needs to be the main man for the offense with so many problems at quarterback. Matt McGloin was fine, completing 13-of-19 passes for 128 yards, while Rob Bolden was off connecting on just 9-of-17 passes for 92 yards. Up next is Eastern Michigan to try to work all the kinks out. 

Sept. 10 Alabama 27 ... at Penn State 11
CFN Analysis: Penn State did what it could, and despite completing 11-of-29 passes for 144 yards with a pick, Rob Bolden wasn’t bad; he just didn’t have anywhere to go against the swarming Tide D. Matt McGloin was a disaster, completing 1-of-10 throws for no yards, and at this point, the battle should be over; it’s time to develop Bolden. He needs the time and the reps, and he needs to be the starter without looking over his shoulder. No one is going to do much against Alabama this year, but unlike last season’s game, Bolden at least looked like he belonged on the field. Defensively, Michael Mauti was fantastic with 13 tackles and thre broken up passes, but there wasn’t any pass rush from the front four. 

Sept. 3 at Penn State 41 … Indiana State 7
CFN Analysis: Uh oh. Penn State had no problems whatsoever with Indiana State, and Silas Redd came up with a terrific game running the ball with 104 yards and two scores on 12 carries, but the pass protection was mediocre. With Alabama coming into town next week, even though the Tide defensive front isn’t big on pressuring the quarterback, the Nittany Lions have to come up with a few ideas to keep the quarterbacks from getting popped. Matt McGloin completed 6-of-8 passes for 77 yards, while Robert Bolden completed 6-of-12 throws for 37 yards; neither showed anything to make the quarterback situation any more solid. McGloin was the better of the two, but it’s one thing to shine against ISU and it’s another to do much against Alabama.

The 2011 Recruiting Class Is Heavy On … Offensive linemen. Not since the Derrick Williams class of 2005 has Penn State brought in a group of receivers like this with Bill Belton, Matt Zanellato and Allen Robinson all good enough to be the No. 1 target. The defensive front should be stronger with Shawn Oakman and Deion Barnes on the end and Ben Kline at linebacker, but the focus is on the offensive front as Donovan Smith leads a phenomenal group of talents. Angelo Mangiro is one of the nation’s best guards, and Anthony Zettel isn’t far behind. Tackle Anthony Alosi might start right away.

Five Penn State Recruits You Should Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. OG Angelo Mangiro
6-3, 295, Scout.com’s 3rd ranked guard. Mangiro has a prototypical guard build with a huge lower body. He plays with a wide base, explodes with his lower body and hips and brings a big hand punch into the defender to knock them back. Very powerful in the running game and is great on the goal line. Has very solid feet and looks natural in the open field blocking in space. Has a nasty streak and will play to and past the whistle at times. Didn't play much pass pro in HS.

2. OG/OT/DT Anthony Zettel
6-4, 255, Scout.com’s 8th ranked guard. Lines up at defensive end and offensive tackle for his Ogemaw Heights team. He has a terrific burst off the ball and immediately is at an advantage against an offensive lineman while pass rushing because of his quickness. On the offensive side of the ball, his feet are quicker than most ends, and he sets up quickly in his pass block and shuffles his feet to mirror his opponent. Plays with good leverage and a strong base.

3. WR Bill Belton
5-10, 190, Scout.com’s 11th ranked receiver. A quick twitch athlete with an excellent burst and change of direction that he shows off avoiding the rush as a quarterback. His feet aren't the only thing that's quick; as a quarterback he has a quick release. Despite his athleticism, he shows a lot of poise and vision on the field looking to pass first. Quick enough to play corner or receiver on the college level.

4. OT Donovan Smith
6-7, 280, Scout.com’s 12th ranked offensive tackle. An excellent frame for an offensive tackle, Smith has good flexibility and shows good effort in the running game finishing his blocks. He uses his hands well and uses his arm length to his advantage. Has a tendency to lean on much smaller defenders instead of lowering his pads and driving them, but the size, athleticism and effort is there, it's just a matter of refining his technique play stronger

5. WR Matt Zanellato
6-3, 195, Scout.com’s 45th ranked receiver. Zanellato is a fiery competitor on the field who goes into each play knowing that the ball is his when it's in the air and no one else's. He has quick feet, runs excellent routes and always finds a way to get open. He does a great job catching the ball away from his body, high-points the ball in traffic and can make plays with the ball in his hand after the catch. Great red zone weapon as well. Very aware on the field and smart.

2011 Entire Recruiting Class
Anthony Alosi OL Fr./Fr. The Hun School/Cherokee/Marlton, N.J.
Adrian Amos CB Fr./Fr. Calvert Hall College/Baltimore, Md.
Deion Barnes DE Fr./Fr. Northeast/Philadelphia, Pa.
Bill Belton ATH Fr./Fr. Winslow Township/Sicklerville, N.J.
Kyle Carter TE Fr./Fr. William Penn/Bear, Del.
Sam Ficken PK Fr./Fr. Valparaiso/Valparaiso, Ind.
Jordan Kerner DE Fr./Fr. Fairview/Fairview, Pa.
Ben Kline LB Fr./Fr. Dallastown/York, Pa.
Angelo Mangiro OL Fr./Fr. Roxbury/Succasunna, N.J.
Ryan Nowicki OL Fr./Fr. Cactus/Glendale, Ariz.
Shawn Oakman DE Fr./Fr. Penn Wood/Lansdowne, Pa.
Allen Robinson WR Fr./Fr. Orchard Lane St. Mary's/Southfield, Mich.
Shyquawn Pullium CB Fr./Fr. Kiski School/Cathedral Prep/Erie, Pa.
Donovan Smith OL Fr./Fr. Owings Mills/Owings Mills, Md.
Matt Zanellato WR Fr./Fr. Lake Braddock Secondary/Burke, Va.
Anthony Zettel DT Fr./Fr. Ogemaw Heights/West Branch, Mich.