TodayPenn State adds depth up front
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Article RatingIn recent weeks Penn State’s coaching staff has made the push to get the Nittany Lions’ offensive line of the future set.
Consider the future that much brighter after Thursday.
Four-star offensive lineman Eric Shrive from West Scranton became the Nittany Lions biggest recruiting catch to date.
A 6’7, 295 pound tackle, Shrive surprised many by picking the Nittany Lions over “dream schools” Notre Dame, Illinois and Rutgers. Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Florida were all also in the mix.
Shrive did not initially have Penn State as one of his favorite schools.
“I was surprised when I first heard about it (Thursday) morning,” said Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell. “I didn’t think (Penn State) was in the mix as far as a top tier school for him and I didn’t think he was ready to go this early.”
“For them to get him geographically is huge. If he ended up going to Rutgers that would really help cement Rutgers ability to recruit in eastern Pennsylvania and really people would further question Penn State.”
Shrive is the eighth commitment for the class of 2009, but more specifically, the fourth offensive line recruit. Of Penn State’s commitments for 2009, all are either a defensive back or offensive lineman so far.
“In the last week their class has started to come together,” Farrell said. “Defensive back and quarterback still have to be their two highest priorities based on (next year’s) depth chart.”
The Lions also picked up a commitment from Virginia offensive lineman Frank Figureoa on Thursday as well. Figureoa is listed at 6-2, 284 pounds.
Ty Howle and Mark Arcidiacono previously committed to Penn State this spring.
Last weekend Penn State picked up commitments from defensive backs Darrell Givens and Stephen Obeng-Agyapong. Givens is rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals.
Farrell said Shrive can expect other schools will still stay after him hard this summer, but he is as close to locked in at Penn State as he possibly could be.
Three of the four defensive back recruits picked up by Penn State this spring are from Maryland.
“Nothing in this recruiting game is 100-percent,” Farrell said. “He gave me no indication that he was having any second thoughts or would have any down the line. That being said, nobody is going to stop recruiting him. (Penn State) has to continue to recruit him and make sure no one else comes in there because others will try.
“The offensive line is definitely an area of need as well,” said Farrell. “I think so far, this is a very good class. They are recruiting specific positions and right now they are doing it based on need.”
Penn State also remains in the hunt for Maryland linebacker Jelani Jenkins a five-star prospect, and Southern California quarterback Tate Forcier.
Farrell said Forcier is expected to make a decision on his school by the end of summer and feels that the Nittany Lions and Michigan are the teams to beat.
“I think Tate wants to be the only quarterback in a team’s recruiting class,” Farrell said. “There are lots of schools out there with offers. Oregon is going to be tempting, Stanford and LSU are both going to be tempting. I’ve heard a lot of Forcier and Michigan and Penn State in the same sentence. That’s not coming from him, more secondary sources, but he’s been high on Penn State for sometime now.”
The Nittany Lions will also keep chasing after Maryland running back Tavon Austin, an all-purpose back who has rushed for 2,600 yards and 64 touchdowns the last two seasons.
Shrive could use his decision to play at Penn State to encourage other top notch recruits to do the same.
“It doesn’t have the same affect as a Derrick Williams decision,” said Farrell, “but Shrive is a talker. He’s a sociable kid and he will start working it for them.”
Shrive will try to end the hex of in-state linemen that have gone to Penn State. While it remains to be seen just how good Josh Marks and Stefen Wisniewski become, Penn State has missed on Pennsylvania linemen over the last few years.
Notably Joel Holler, Brian Borgoyn and Mark Farris and Wyatt Bowman did not pan out for one reason or another.
“I don’t think Eric is a can’t miss kid, he is raw, definitely has the size and good feet. If he continues to develop, he’s a hard working kid. It really all depends on when he gets to Penn State. With Brian Bergoyn, just bad luck. With Holler, looking back obviously he was over hyped, but Pennsylvania has been known for its offensive linemen, and Penn State hasn’t really been able to land a top notch one and if they have panned out, they haven’t at Penn State. They have to hit a home run with a Pennsylvania lineman.”
NOTES: Penn State head coach Joe Paterno will be one of the key speakers at the Central Pennsylvania Nittany Lion Club dinner, Saturday June 7. Paterno will be joined by head men’s basketball coach Ed DeChellis and Nittany Lions baseball coach Robbie Wine. Tickets are $35 and reservations must be made ahead of time.
