PSU Nittany Lions: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Vincent nearing decision, scheduling visits 
June, 6, 2013
Jun 6
11:00
AM ET
By
Josh Moyer | ESPN.com
Four-star athlete Troy Vincent Jr. (Baltimore/Gilman) said he's nearing a decision -- but he's not quite done with his visits.
He'll join a college tour hosted by Prime Xample, a DB training center run by his father, former Pro Bowl cornerback Troy Vincent, and Roman Morris, that starts this weekend. And later this month he'll head to three other schools with his family.
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Ryan Bates, a 2015 offensive tackle out of Warminster (Pa.) Archbishop Wood, often breathed heavy and was forced to wipe his glistening forehead when he first started meeting college coaches.
He was a nervous 285-pound prospect. And when Bates trotted over to two Penn State coaches on Tuesday, he was again panting and sweating -- but for a different reason.
He was a nervous 285-pound prospect. And when Bates trotted over to two Penn State coaches on Tuesday, he was again panting and sweating -- but for a different reason.
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Penn State's seventh commit wasn't much of a surprise, but Bill O'Brien will still take it.
Cornerback Daquan Worley (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) committed Friday according to his high school coach, Matt Ortega, and became the Nittany Lions' first defensive back of the 2014 class. The 5-foot-10, 171-pound recruit was initially going to make a commitment earlier this week but held off at the advice of Ortega.
Worley had narrowed his choices to Georgia Tech, Penn State and Rutgers. He told ESPN he was just looking for some reassurance and spoke to PSU linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden on Tuesday.
"Everything they've been through, they stick together," Worley said shortly after receiving a PSU offer last month. "That's what I look for, and that's what I thought about a lot with Penn State."
Worley finished his junior season with 40-plus tackles and three interceptions. On offense, the two-way starter wound up with 1,779 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
He also held scholarship offers from Old Dominion, Pitt and UMass.
Worley had narrowed his choices to Georgia Tech, Penn State and Rutgers. He told ESPN he was just looking for some reassurance and spoke to PSU linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden on Tuesday.
"Everything they've been through, they stick together," Worley said shortly after receiving a PSU offer last month. "That's what I look for, and that's what I thought about a lot with Penn State."
Worley finished his junior season with 40-plus tackles and three interceptions. On offense, the two-way starter wound up with 1,779 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
He also held scholarship offers from Old Dominion, Pitt and UMass.
Cornerback Daquan Worley (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) said he might not commit on Tuesday after all.
The 2014 prospect was set to decide between Georgia Tech, Penn State and Rutgers. But after talking with his head coach on Monday, the defensive back believed it would probably be best to hold off on an immediate announcement.
"There's just a couple more things I need to clear up," he said Monday evening. "There's some things I just want to be reassured with."
The 2014 prospect was set to decide between Georgia Tech, Penn State and Rutgers. But after talking with his head coach on Monday, the defensive back believed it would probably be best to hold off on an immediate announcement.
"There's just a couple more things I need to clear up," he said Monday evening. "There's some things I just want to be reassured with."
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Heading into summer, NittanyNation will look closer at the 2014 recruits who claim offers from Penn State. Today we examine cornerback Daquan Worley, who plans to announce his commitment Tuesday.
Vitals: CB Daquan Worley, Coatesville (Pa.) High School, 5-foot-10, 171 pounds
Offers: He holds five FBS offers, from Georgia Tech, UMass, Penn State, Pitt and Rutgers. He also has an offer from Old Dominion.
Numbers game: Worley excelled on both sides of the ball. On defense, he finished with 40-plus tackles and three interceptions. And, on offense, he wound up with 1,779 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He helped lead his team to the state title game last season.
Vitals: CB Daquan Worley, Coatesville (Pa.) High School, 5-foot-10, 171 pounds
Offers: He holds five FBS offers, from Georgia Tech, UMass, Penn State, Pitt and Rutgers. He also has an offer from Old Dominion.
Numbers game: Worley excelled on both sides of the ball. On defense, he finished with 40-plus tackles and three interceptions. And, on offense, he wound up with 1,779 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He helped lead his team to the state title game last season.
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The RN Top 10 will appear throughout the camp and combine season and rank prospects based strictly on their on-field performance at that particular event. It does not reflect their overall prospect ranking.
ASHBURN, Va. – The East Coast and mid-Atlantic states represented well on Sunday as eight players earned invites to The Opening at the Nike Football Training Camp outside of Washington, D.C. Defense ruled the day, led by two five-star prospects from Virginia.
10. Nick Scott
Fairfax (Va.) Fairfax |RB| 5-11, 180
Scott stood out among a field of backs who were overshadowed by the prospects at nearly every other position. He earned the attention of coaches for his strong play and versatility but missed the MVP award, which went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield), who also posted the top SPARQ score.
Scott committed to Penn State in February over an offer from Boston College.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert’s take: “He’s got a great frame, and what I like about him as a Penn State verbal, he’s a versatile player. He may not run by you, but he does a good job in route-running.”
ASHBURN, Va. – The East Coast and mid-Atlantic states represented well on Sunday as eight players earned invites to The Opening at the Nike Football Training Camp outside of Washington, D.C. Defense ruled the day, led by two five-star prospects from Virginia.
10. Nick Scott
Fairfax (Va.) Fairfax |RB| 5-11, 180
Scott stood out among a field of backs who were overshadowed by the prospects at nearly every other position. He earned the attention of coaches for his strong play and versatility but missed the MVP award, which went to Vincent Lowe (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield), who also posted the top SPARQ score.
Scott committed to Penn State in February over an offer from Boston College.
ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert’s take: “He’s got a great frame, and what I like about him as a Penn State verbal, he’s a versatile player. He may not run by you, but he does a good job in route-running.”
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#BlueChipBattles: ESPN 150 release edition
April, 19, 2013
Apr 19
12:49
PM ET
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Student Sports, ESPN, ESPNSpeedy Noil, Adoree Jackson and Da'Shawn Hand are three of the most coveted recruits in the Class of 2014.
: RecruitingNation summoned its writers from around the country to outline the recruiting battles for the ESPN 150's top 10 prospects.
Plus, rank the battles in SportsNation.
#TopFBMixtapes: Athlete mixtapes are all the rage in this highlight-crazed era of sports. We reached out to our Twitter followers to find out which 2014 football stars had the best highlight reels on YouTube, then had our staff rank and comment on the top submissions.
Tom Luginbill writes
: After talking to many coaches across the country and hearing their frustrations, here are their five biggest complaints about homemade highlight videos.PSU high on CB Worley's list after offer
April, 15, 2013
Apr 15
11:00
AM ET
By
Josh Moyer | ESPN.com
Daquan Worley's father turned to him as they wandered the halls to Bill O'Brien's office during Friday's unofficial visit.
"You think it's going to happen?" the elder Worley asked, referring to a scholarship.
"I don't know," said Daquan, a cornerback out of Coatesville (Pa.) High School.
Worley found himself in this same spot two months before, a day before Penn State's junior day. O'Brien invited the 5-foot-10 cornerback inside his office that first time. Worley thought an offer would come, but O'Brien instead steered clear of scholarship talk. Worley worried this would be more of the same.
"You think it's going to happen?" the elder Worley asked, referring to a scholarship.
"I don't know," said Daquan, a cornerback out of Coatesville (Pa.) High School.
Worley found himself in this same spot two months before, a day before Penn State's junior day. O'Brien invited the 5-foot-10 cornerback inside his office that first time. Worley thought an offer would come, but O'Brien instead steered clear of scholarship talk. Worley worried this would be more of the same.
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Defensive tackle Ricky Walker fidgeted with his iPhone on the seven-hour drive back from Penn State on Saturday, surfing the web and listening to Drake to pass the time.
It was a long time to be in a car -- 14 hours in two days -- but the Class of 2014 lineman out of Hampton (Va.) Bethel didn't hesitate when asked if the trip was worth it.
It was a long time to be in a car -- 14 hours in two days -- but the Class of 2014 lineman out of Hampton (Va.) Bethel didn't hesitate when asked if the trip was worth it.
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Marcus Allen walked briskly through the hallways of Upper Marlboro (Md.) Wise on his way to the varsity coach's classroom.
He didn't know he was just minutes away from a conversation that would set his football future into motion, that would allow him to gain nearly 20 scholarship offers before the end of his junior year. For now, near the end of his freshman season, he just knew coach DaLawn Parrish wanted to chat with him.
He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, and he wondered what Parrish could possibly have to say. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it about an injury that allowed him to play just four JV games? Was it about a teammate?
"Everybody gets nervous when Coach Parrish wants to talk to you," Allen said. "Everybody."
The coach motioned the freshman linebacker inside, and the two stood across from one another. Parrish, a former defensive back at Wake Forest, told Allen -- who had undergone a four-inch growth spurt, from 5-foot-8 to 6-1 -- that he wanted him to move up to varsity.
Allen shook his head. He was hesitant. He had played in just four games, and scholarships weren't on his mind at that point; playing with his friends was. And when Parrish mentioned moving to safety, Allen couldn't believe it. He had no experience with that position at all.
"A lot of times, young men are apprehensive," Parrish said. "They don't know just how good they really are. And I knew he was going to be special."
Parrish began sketching out Cover-2 diagrams on the dry eraseboard behind him. It might as well have been advanced algebra because, Allen admitted, he had no idea what he was looking at. He wasn't even sure what a safety's role was.
The coach, a man with closely cropped hair and a thin goatee, then asked Allen to backpedal right there in the classroom. He laughed slightly when Allen clumsily tried to run backward. Allen didn't agree to move up right then, but it was a start.
He didn't know he was just minutes away from a conversation that would set his football future into motion, that would allow him to gain nearly 20 scholarship offers before the end of his junior year. For now, near the end of his freshman season, he just knew coach DaLawn Parrish wanted to chat with him.
He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, and he wondered what Parrish could possibly have to say. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it about an injury that allowed him to play just four JV games? Was it about a teammate?
"Everybody gets nervous when Coach Parrish wants to talk to you," Allen said. "Everybody."
The coach motioned the freshman linebacker inside, and the two stood across from one another. Parrish, a former defensive back at Wake Forest, told Allen -- who had undergone a four-inch growth spurt, from 5-foot-8 to 6-1 -- that he wanted him to move up to varsity.
Allen shook his head. He was hesitant. He had played in just four games, and scholarships weren't on his mind at that point; playing with his friends was. And when Parrish mentioned moving to safety, Allen couldn't believe it. He had no experience with that position at all.
"A lot of times, young men are apprehensive," Parrish said. "They don't know just how good they really are. And I knew he was going to be special."
Parrish began sketching out Cover-2 diagrams on the dry eraseboard behind him. It might as well have been advanced algebra because, Allen admitted, he had no idea what he was looking at. He wasn't even sure what a safety's role was.
The coach, a man with closely cropped hair and a thin goatee, then asked Allen to backpedal right there in the classroom. He laughed slightly when Allen clumsily tried to run backward. Allen didn't agree to move up right then, but it was a start.
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Marcus Allen (Upper Marlboro, Md./Wise) stood off to the side in Holuba Hall, his eyes focused on the action in front of him, while Penn State players darted from side to side on the first day of spring practice.
His teammate, cornerback Joe Shelton, sat on a bench while Allen -- a 2014 safety -- chatted with departing defensive tackle Jordan Hill, a projected second- or third-round draft pick. On a chilly Monday, beneath a gray beanie and a jacket zipped up to his chin, Allen just smiled.
"That was my favorite part, the practice, to be honest," he said Tuesday evening. "It was just the intensity there, especially the one-on-ones. The competition level was just very high. I liked it there a lot."
His teammate, cornerback Joe Shelton, sat on a bench while Allen -- a 2014 safety -- chatted with departing defensive tackle Jordan Hill, a projected second- or third-round draft pick. On a chilly Monday, beneath a gray beanie and a jacket zipped up to his chin, Allen just smiled.
"That was my favorite part, the practice, to be honest," he said Tuesday evening. "It was just the intensity there, especially the one-on-ones. The competition level was just very high. I liked it there a lot."
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De'Andre Thompkins may go to school at Swansboro (N.C.), but he can't make a turn in the hallways without being reminded of Penn State.
A Nittany Lion emblem is the classroom screensaver of his math teacher, Ed Walsh, and a PSU jacket is hanging nearby. A history teacher, health instructor and his football coach also either grew up as Nittany Lions fans or went to the university.
Heck, even a custodian inside the red-brick school chats up with Thompkins about PSU and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A Nittany Lion emblem is the classroom screensaver of his math teacher, Ed Walsh, and a PSU jacket is hanging nearby. A history teacher, health instructor and his football coach also either grew up as Nittany Lions fans or went to the university.
Heck, even a custodian inside the red-brick school chats up with Thompkins about PSU and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Davis lands 5 offers after healthy season
February, 12, 2013
Feb 12
2:12
PM ET
By
Jared Shanker | ESPN.com
Coming into his junior season, Anthony Davis (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) was under the radar as he missed the summer camp circuit because of a foot injury. He was a player his coaches raved about, however, and a productive 2012 season has him on the radar of several programs.
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Taking a look at no-visit policies
February, 12, 2013
Feb 12
11:33
AM ET
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
Texas is joining the likes of Michigan, Oregon and Georgia Tech in instituting a no-visit policy for its commits. Is this hard-line stance a good idea for elite programs? RecruitingNation writer Mitch Sherman takes a look the trend.
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Between calls from the media and college coaches, tailback Nick Chubb (Cedartown, Ga./Cedartown) said he's already overwhelmed with the recruiting process. But he said he's grateful for the attention -- and grateful for his newest scholarship offer.
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ABOUT NITTANY NATION
Josh Moyer
Josh Moyer joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering Penn State football for recruiting website Nittany Network and City Hall for The Citizens' Voice in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Moyer graduated from Penn State and earned his graduate degree at Columbia. Email him at espnjoshmoyer@gmail.com.