PSU Nittany Lions

What kind of player is Penn State getting in Brendan Mahon? And what can fans expect?

NittanyNation turned to one of the people who knows most what Mahon is capable of on the field -- Joe Lusardi, his high school coach at Randolph (N.J.) -- and asked what separates him as a player, how he first noticed Mahon's ability and when he especially showcased his potential.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Now that Penn State's Class of 2013 is officially in the books, we decided to ask the commits about their future with the Nittany Lions.

NittanyNation posed the same question to everyone: How do you think -- or hope -- your class will be remembered in four or five years?

Here's what they had to say:

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- With Penn State's fax machine whirring early Wednesday morning, NittanyNation takes an overall look at the expected recruiting class.

From top players to sleepers, misses and everything in-between, there's a lot going on in this class:

Who they got: Penn State looks as if it will sign 17 players this class, including the five who have already enrolled. The headliners are ESPN's No. 1 QB in Christian Hackenberg and No. 1 TE in Adam Breneman, who have helped bring the same kind of excitement to this class as Derrick Williams and Justin King in 2005. Penn State turned in a quality offensive group, with four-star prospects also at offensive guard (Brendan Mahon), offensive tackle (Andrew Nelson) and wideout (DaeSean Hamilton).

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Penn State's Class of 2013 ranks among the top 25 in the nation, and it's been one of the more surprising stories of the recruiting season. These prospects could've gone elsewhere -- some could've attended anywhere -- but they stuck with the Nittany Lions.

They'll officially become part of Penn State today. So, we asked them, why did you want to commit Penn State? Here's what they had to say this week:

• QB Christian Hackenberg, Fork Union, Va./Fork Union, four stars, No. 15 in ESPN 150: "You know, I just got this gut feeling that it was home for me. Everything fell in line for me moreso than the other schools. I liked a lot of other schools, but I loved Penn State."

• OT Andrew Nelson, Hershey, Pa./Hershey, four stars:"Well, first off, I've been a Penn State fan my entire life. My dad went to Penn State, his whole family went to Penn State, my sister went to Penn State -- so I've been watching Penn State my whole life. So, since like fifth grade, I wanted to play for Penn State. It also came down to, most importantly, the education. That should be first on everyone's list, and it was on mine. Penn State offered a great education, and it offered the major I'm looking for.

"And, secondly, it would have to be the coaching staff and how they can develop me -- not just as a player but as a man of character. I think this coaching staff will do the best job of that. And, then, location comes into it. I have to admit I'm a momma's boy, and I love being around my family. And I want them to come and watch me play. So, in a nutshell, that's why."

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

With two weeks left until signing day, NittanyNation takes a closer look at what fans should know about the state of the class and this Penn State team.

Team needs: Defensive coordinator John Butler made it clear he wasn't happy with the secondary's depth last season. At cornerback, untested true freshman Da'Quan Davis was the backup, and the safeties opened the year as the team's weakness.

That's not the only concern. With Matt McGloin's departure, Steven Bench is now the most experienced quarterback on the team. And he threw just eight passes last season. Linebacker is also a position that could use a few extra bodies, especially with Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges making a run at the NFL.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Every weekday until signing day, NittanyNation will break down a commitment from Penn State’s 2013 recruiting class.

Vitals: Offensive guard Brendan Mahon, Randolph, N.J./Randolph, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds

Committed: March 17, 2012

ESPN.com grade: 83. Four-star prospect.

ESPN.com rankings: No. 208 in ESPN 300, No. 12 at position, No. 29 in region, No. 8 in state.

Picked Penn State over: Florida, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, West Virginia and others.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Several Penn State commits plan to make trips this weekend to Happy Valley -- including one pledge who has never stepped foot in Pennsylvania.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

There's still about 44 days left for PSU to pick up two more players for the Class of 2013, but there's already some things we know about this group.

NittanyNation takes a look at five things that have already come into focus here:

1. The future for this offense is bright. If ESPN's No.1-rated passer, Christian Hackenberg, was the only offensive prospect in this class, that statement might still be accurate. But throw in the nation's No. 1 TE in Adam Breneman, the No. 10 OG in Brendan Mahon and the No. 18 OT in Andrew Nelson -- and that's the best combination in the Big Ten.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

More than a dozen recruits and commits will converge on Happy Valley for their official visits this weekend, and Penn State's coaching staff is hoping it might earn at least one more commitment.

A majority of Penn State's 13 commits will drive or fly to campus Friday and then leave Sunday. The staff is hoping their loyalty rubs off on a quartet of uncommitted prospects, as this weekend is undoubtedly one of the most important -- recruiting-wise -- of the season.

Here's the visitors' list:

UNCOMMITTED PROSPECTS

DaeSean Hamilton, WR
Stafford, Va./Mountain View
Four stars, No. 51 at position
Synopsis: He's already gone on official visits to Wake Forest and Virginia, and he might also see Virginia Tech. He wants to make a decision before the New Year, so this visit could likely go a long way in helping him decide. He's never before been to Happy Valley.

Zayd Issah, LB
Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin
Three stars, No. 118 at position (ATH)
Synopsis: He's been to Penn State multiple times, but he figured it was worth attending an official visit to see if it offered a different perspective or deeper look. He'll take an Oregon official after this -- and possibly another to Arizona State. But, at this point, it's probably a race between the Ducks and Lions.

Deondre Singleton, Cornerback
Unrated
Lawrenceville, Ga./Archer
Synopsis: Penn State is clearly Singleton's best offer. When asked last month why he hasn't yet committed, he said he just wants to a visit a school first before he makes a decision. It would be a surprise to see him land elsewhere; a commitment could be coming soon from Singleton.

Jonathan Walton, LB
Unrated
Daphne, Ala./Bayside
Synopsis: He went on an official visit to Minnesota last week, but it's clear PSU has a very good chance to land the linebacker. He took on a part-time job over the summer so he could afford to fly himself to Penn State for a camp, and he said he wanted to see the campus and get a feeling for what student life would actually be like -- since Penn State was deserted when he came up before.

COMMITTED PROSPECTS

• Adam Breneman

• Christian Hackenberg

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Three of Penn State's 2013 commitments remain among the updated ESPN 150/300, although two dropped slightly in the rankings.

The Nittany Lions' headline recruit, No. 1-rated pocket passer Christian Hackenberg (Fork Union, Va./Fork Union), held steady as the 16th overall player. But both tight end Adam Breneman (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) and offensive guard Brendan Mahon (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) saw their stock slip.

Mahon is now ranked at No. 205 among the nation's top players, a difference of five spots. Breneman -- who was previously ranked No. 49 but has missed his senior season with a torn ACL -- saw the biggest drop, slipping to No. 66 overall.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

No one would have blamed Bill O'Brien if his Penn State team managed to win just two games to this point. No one would have cursed his name if the offense struggled or regressed from last season.

But, somehow, some way, O'Brien and the Nittany Lions have tossed aside low expectations and won four straight heading into this bye week.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider