So it's done. Penn State has 16 new freshmen, capping a roller coaster year of recruiting. In this post I'll run down a few things, reflect on the recruiting season that was, and take a look at what could be in store for this class in Happy Valley.
Here is the Position Breakdown for the class, which now includes both Adrian Amos--signed today--and Shyquawn Pullium--a 2010 commit who spent a year at Kiski Prep:
Showing posts with label Shyquawn Pullium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shyquawn Pullium. Show all posts
February 3, 2011
January 27, 2010
Shyquawn Pullium Commits To PSU, The Goo Punch Is Flowing Once Again.
Updated 11:30 a.m.
A few weeks ago, many of the Blue and White faithful were feeling that by this time Penn State would have Marcus Lattimore or Michael Thornton locked up--I also thought I would become the next Pete Lisicky for PSU's basketball team when I was in middle school.
Fast-forward to now and you'll find that Lattimore has kindly said 'thanks but no thanks' and Thorntonis being hypnotized into leaning towards USC thanks to a well-coordinated recruiting effort from defensive line coach/recruiting savant/probably shirtless Ed Orgeron. Oh, and I'm sure Lane Kiffin is also sending a few USC call girls - Sorry, 'hostesses' to woo Thornton, so let's just go ahead and consider him a lost cause, shall we? might not be a lost cause, but he's still definitely not a lock for Penn State.
That's all fine and dandy though, because PSU just landed themselves an athlete in Erie Cathedral Prep's (PA) Shyquawn Pullium. Pullium appeared to play a lot at QB, where he would mostly call his own number and try to whizz past the defense 10-Yard Fight style.
Obviously, it must have worked enough times to warrant a YouTube highlight reel. Look for Pullium and his 4.31 40 speed to eventually earn him a key role amongst the secondary, as we seem to have more than enough depth at wide receiver already.
However, I wouldn't expect Pullium to contribute immediately due to his 6'0" 170-lb frame that needs bulking up and also because he's strongly considering doing a year at Kiski Prep before coming to PSU in 2011. Nonetheless, this makes Pullium the 19th commit in what is still shaping up to be a solid top-10 recruiting class.
I had a tradition over at my old blog, Happy Hour Valley, of posting a video of a bunch of drunken white dudes dancing to a song called 'Goo Punch' to celebrate every recruiting commitment. I also post the video after a critical win by one of our major sports teams. The clip you're about to see below originated from a mid-90's Nickelodeon TV show My Brother And Me (click here to see the original clip). While the original clip is pretty awesome itself, watching several drunken idiots at a sausage-fest run into doors for no apparent reason is far more entertaining...
So welcome aboard, Shyquawn! The goo punch may be a little stale, but it's still mighty tasty this time of year.
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A few weeks ago, many of the Blue and White faithful were feeling that by this time Penn State would have Marcus Lattimore or Michael Thornton locked up--I also thought I would become the next Pete Lisicky for PSU's basketball team when I was in middle school.
Fast-forward to now and you'll find that Lattimore has kindly said 'thanks but no thanks' and Thornton
That's all fine and dandy though, because PSU just landed themselves an athlete in Erie Cathedral Prep's (PA) Shyquawn Pullium. Pullium appeared to play a lot at QB, where he would mostly call his own number and try to whizz past the defense 10-Yard Fight style.
Obviously, it must have worked enough times to warrant a YouTube highlight reel. Look for Pullium and his 4.31 40 speed to eventually earn him a key role amongst the secondary, as we seem to have more than enough depth at wide receiver already.
However, I wouldn't expect Pullium to contribute immediately due to his 6'0" 170-lb frame that needs bulking up and also because he's strongly considering doing a year at Kiski Prep before coming to PSU in 2011. Nonetheless, this makes Pullium the 19th commit in what is still shaping up to be a solid top-10 recruiting class.
I had a tradition over at my old blog, Happy Hour Valley, of posting a video of a bunch of drunken white dudes dancing to a song called 'Goo Punch' to celebrate every recruiting commitment. I also post the video after a critical win by one of our major sports teams. The clip you're about to see below originated from a mid-90's Nickelodeon TV show My Brother And Me (click here to see the original clip). While the original clip is pretty awesome itself, watching several drunken idiots at a sausage-fest run into doors for no apparent reason is far more entertaining...
So welcome aboard, Shyquawn! The goo punch may be a little stale, but it's still mighty tasty this time of year.
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Wednesday Recruitin': The home stretch
Updated: 11:30 a.m.
This is what I get for writing up Wednesday Recruitin' late last night, instead of procrastinating like usual until the morning. Either way, there's even more big news out today since I first published this post. Penn State lands No. 19 in its 2010 class, while things could be looking even brighter for a big-time No. 20 next week. So much for that whole not-looking-so-good thing.
Can I get a Goo Punch?!
Late this morning, Erie Cathedral Prep's (PA) Shyquawn Pullium pulled the trigger on Penn State, giving his hard verbal to the Nittany Lions. Click here for Tim's post about Pullium committing to play for Penn State.
Thornton leaning away? Not so much
Mike Thornton has a lot of schools after him right now. It seems once Penn State started to ramp up its effort to land Thornton, about a half-dozen others followed suit. One of the top-10 players from Georgia this year, Thornton has standing offers from 19 FBS programs. Currently, only seven are in the running for his services, including Penn State.
But the big problem is that Penn State, as is customary for the Nittany Lions, likes to recruit early. Of the top seven schools, Thornton visited Penn State the earliest, way back on November 6. In the meantime, he's taken officials to Georgia and Kentucky;Thornton is set to fly out to Los Angeles on January 29 for a visit with USC. Ed Orgeron is in charge of Thornton's recruitment, so we should expect no fewer than three stretch-Hummers, two strippers, and a visit from Snoop Dogg as part of a lovely afternoon in University Park*.
It was announced this morning that Thornton will not be visiting any more schools, including the USC visit, and that it is now officially down to just Penn State, Kentucky and Georgia. This is HUGE for Penn State's chances with him, not only because the Lions are in the top three, but because USC is out. Penn State looks like the best location for Thornton, with one of the best defensive line coaches in the sport. Thornton will reportedly announce his decision at a 9 a.m. press conference on signing day.
Preferred Walk-On
Don Duckett was invited to walk on at Penn State for spring camp. The Bishop-McDevitt prospect was named to the Pennsylvania roster for the Big 33 All-Star Game, is a 1st Team Class AAAA All-State performer, but has not been widely recruited. Currently, Duckett holds scholarship offers from Kent State, Army and Akron.
Duckett said that it's always been his dream to play for the Nittany Lions, which leaves him in a precarious situation--walk on at Penn State with little chance to play, or take a scholarship to a MAC-level school and possibly play early?
Kimble no more
Tahj Kimble picked Boston College yesterday. He didn't mention anything about why he didn't like the other schools. Kimble just really liked Boston. 'Cause, you know, they got video games and stuff...
Damn you, Madden!
Gaston gone, too
Earlier this week, Chicago defensive end Bruce Gaston, Jr. eliminated Penn State from his final list of schools. Read the full story on why Gaston cut the Nittany Lions.
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This is what I get for writing up Wednesday Recruitin' late last night, instead of procrastinating like usual until the morning. Either way, there's even more big news out today since I first published this post. Penn State lands No. 19 in its 2010 class, while things could be looking even brighter for a big-time No. 20 next week. So much for that whole not-looking-so-good thing.
Can I get a Goo Punch?!
Late this morning, Erie Cathedral Prep's (PA) Shyquawn Pullium pulled the trigger on Penn State, giving his hard verbal to the Nittany Lions. Click here for Tim's post about Pullium committing to play for Penn State.
Thornton leaning away? Not so much
Mike Thornton has a lot of schools after him right now. It seems once Penn State started to ramp up its effort to land Thornton, about a half-dozen others followed suit. One of the top-10 players from Georgia this year, Thornton has standing offers from 19 FBS programs. Currently, only seven are in the running for his services, including Penn State.
But the big problem is that Penn State, as is customary for the Nittany Lions, likes to recruit early. Of the top seven schools, Thornton visited Penn State the earliest, way back on November 6. In the meantime, he's taken officials to Georgia and Kentucky;
It was announced this morning that Thornton will not be visiting any more schools, including the USC visit, and that it is now officially down to just Penn State, Kentucky and Georgia. This is HUGE for Penn State's chances with him, not only because the Lions are in the top three, but because USC is out. Penn State looks like the best location for Thornton, with one of the best defensive line coaches in the sport. Thornton will reportedly announce his decision at a 9 a.m. press conference on signing day.
Preferred Walk-On
Don Duckett was invited to walk on at Penn State for spring camp. The Bishop-McDevitt prospect was named to the Pennsylvania roster for the Big 33 All-Star Game, is a 1st Team Class AAAA All-State performer, but has not been widely recruited. Currently, Duckett holds scholarship offers from Kent State, Army and Akron.
Duckett said that it's always been his dream to play for the Nittany Lions, which leaves him in a precarious situation--walk on at Penn State with little chance to play, or take a scholarship to a MAC-level school and possibly play early?
“I could go to Akron, Kent State or Army, but Penn State is a big deal,” Duckett said of his choices. “I grew up watching Penn State and it has always been my dream to go there.Penn State has had really great success with walk-ons in the past, so seeing Duckett pass up a scholarship offer wouldn't be all that surprising here.
“They (Penn State) told me I could go there and go to camp with the team,” Duckett continued. “I could potentially get on special teams and have the chance to earn a scholarship.”
Kimble no more
Tahj Kimble picked Boston College yesterday. He didn't mention anything about why he didn't like the other schools. Kimble just really liked Boston. 'Cause, you know, they got video games and stuff...
"They asked me do you play Madden, do you play video games? They asked me what I do at home. There were all kinds of questions. That right there made me feel like I was one of the players. While I'm there, I'm just going through the motions just doing stuff and I'm thinking I'm in Boston. I thought I was home."This pretty much means Silas Redd is going to be the only running back in the 2010 recruiting class. That's not a bad thing, but it would have been nice to see one more back in there.
Damn you, Madden!
Gaston gone, too
Earlier this week, Chicago defensive end Bruce Gaston, Jr. eliminated Penn State from his final list of schools. Read the full story on why Gaston cut the Nittany Lions.
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January 13, 2010
Wednesday Recruitin': Three to Watch for 2010
Today we'll break down three prospects that Penn State is making a concerted effort to land by signing day, Feb. 3--running back Marcus Lattimore, defensive tackle Mike Thornton and athlete Shyquawn Pullium.
With 18 of 23 scholarships currently offered to other recruits, seven of whom are already enrolled and on campus, Penn State has to make sure it really gets a bang for its remaining five bucks, starting with these guys.
Shyquawn Pullium
Position: Athlete/Defensive Back
High School: Erie(PA)/Cathedral Prep
Measurables: 6-1, 178 lbs
The Scoop... Pullium has great size at 6-1 for a defensive back, his most likely position on Penn State's roster. He's not nearly a blue-chip prospect, as his best ratings put him as the 31st (Rivals) overall prospect in Pennsylvania, and the 75th (Scout) cornerback nationally. He does have extensive experience on offense. As Prep's quarterback, Pullium led the team in rushing and passing, accounting for a whopping 61 touchdowns in 2009.
Ok, but what about Penn State? It's incredible that Pullium hasn't yet pulled the trigger on the Nittany Lions. Mike McQueary extended the scholarship offer about a month ago, knowing Pullium had Penn State at the top of his list since the beginning. He still has offers from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Maryland and Toledo. The Panthers have been doing well in-state, and Pullium would be another solid pickup for the 'Burgh. In the end, though, it just looks like a matter of time before Pullium signs with Penn State.
Visits: Pullium will visit Penn State this weekend. There are no other scheduled visits right now... Penn State - 1/15/10 (scheduled)
Mike Thornton
Position: Defensive Tackle
High School: Stone Mountain(GA)/Stephenson
Measurables: 6-2, 280 lbs
The Scoop... Thornton can be considered an elite defensive tackle prospect, as he is ranked 10th (Rivals), 11th (Scout) and 18th (ESPN) on the position charts. It seems that his size, only 6-2, has hurt his stock a bit, because for a prospect to be rated this high, even with the size issue, he must be a top talent. Thornton has a great motor, in the model of Tamba Hali, another defensive lineman who was picked on by scouts for his size. The reason I bring up Hali is that he came to Penn State as an elite defensive tackle, but made the move to end. He's now starting in the NFL. I see a similar player in Thornton. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him drop 15 pounds or so (if he signs with Penn State), and play defensive end, or even a stand-up end role, ala Jerome Hayes.
Ok, but what about Penn State? The Nittany Lions are directly battling Georgia and Auburn, with Miami hanging out in the wings somewhere. I wouldn't worry too much about the 'Canes, as Thornton hasn't scheduled a visit or showed any real interest besides not dropping them from his top four schools. Georgia and Auburn are different, but interesting cases. The Bulldogs just fired long-time defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, which could very well affect Thornton's decision to play between the hedges. Plus, a 7-5 season is not exactly something to thump your chest about. The Tigers, for some reason, have stuck two recruiters on Thornton. I'm not sure if that's just some weird thing Auburn is doing, or a sign of desperation to land him. We'll see. But right now, Penn State looks to be at the front of the line.
Visits: Lattimore will complete his schedule of visits this upcoming week, with Auburn... Penn State - 11/6/09 (complete); Georgia - 12/11/09 (complete); Auburn - 1/15/10 (scheduled)
Marcus Lattimore
Position: Running Back
High School: Duncan(SC)/Byrnes
Measurables: 6-0, 210 lbs
The Scoop... Lattimore is a consensus top-two back in this year's recruiting crop (No. 2 RB by Rivals/ESPN, No. 1 RB by Scout), who has been labeled a "big, bruising" back with very nice speed to boot. From clips and scouting reports, he reminds me of a young Pennsylvania high school football legend who signed with the Nittany Lions out of Parkland High School. I promise, though, that's all you will hear from me on Mr. Scott. The comparison is just, however. Lattimore's reputation as a power back only tells half the story, as he is much faster than most of the better Penn State backs in recent years. Rodney Kinlaw, and now Stephfon Green, are the only backs who I think could match Lattimore's burst.
Ok, but what about Penn State? If there was ever a more dramatic run-up to a commitment, I'd like to see it. Lattimore is--officially--down to four schools: Auburn, South Carolina, Oregon and Penn State. He's said numerous times that he is just as concerned about getting an education as playing football, and he does not mind at all leaving SEC country. This quote sums up everything Penn State fans need to know:
Visits: Lattimore will complete his schedule of visits this upcoming week, with South Carolina and Oregon... Penn State - 11/9/09 (complete); Auburn - 10/30/09 (complete); South Carolina - 1/15/10 (scheduled); Oregon - 1/22/10 (scheduled)
(Sorry this was posted so late today. Wednesday Recruitin' will be regularly posted early on Wednesdays, as the title would indicate)
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With 18 of 23 scholarships currently offered to other recruits, seven of whom are already enrolled and on campus, Penn State has to make sure it really gets a bang for its remaining five bucks, starting with these guys.
Shyquawn Pullium
Position: Athlete/Defensive Back
High School: Erie(PA)/Cathedral Prep
Measurables: 6-1, 178 lbs
The Scoop... Pullium has great size at 6-1 for a defensive back, his most likely position on Penn State's roster. He's not nearly a blue-chip prospect, as his best ratings put him as the 31st (Rivals) overall prospect in Pennsylvania, and the 75th (Scout) cornerback nationally. He does have extensive experience on offense. As Prep's quarterback, Pullium led the team in rushing and passing, accounting for a whopping 61 touchdowns in 2009.
Ok, but what about Penn State? It's incredible that Pullium hasn't yet pulled the trigger on the Nittany Lions. Mike McQueary extended the scholarship offer about a month ago, knowing Pullium had Penn State at the top of his list since the beginning. He still has offers from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Maryland and Toledo. The Panthers have been doing well in-state, and Pullium would be another solid pickup for the 'Burgh. In the end, though, it just looks like a matter of time before Pullium signs with Penn State.
Visits: Pullium will visit Penn State this weekend. There are no other scheduled visits right now... Penn State - 1/15/10 (scheduled)
Mike Thornton
Position: Defensive Tackle
High School: Stone Mountain(GA)/Stephenson
Measurables: 6-2, 280 lbs
The Scoop... Thornton can be considered an elite defensive tackle prospect, as he is ranked 10th (Rivals), 11th (Scout) and 18th (ESPN) on the position charts. It seems that his size, only 6-2, has hurt his stock a bit, because for a prospect to be rated this high, even with the size issue, he must be a top talent. Thornton has a great motor, in the model of Tamba Hali, another defensive lineman who was picked on by scouts for his size. The reason I bring up Hali is that he came to Penn State as an elite defensive tackle, but made the move to end. He's now starting in the NFL. I see a similar player in Thornton. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him drop 15 pounds or so (if he signs with Penn State), and play defensive end, or even a stand-up end role, ala Jerome Hayes.
Ok, but what about Penn State? The Nittany Lions are directly battling Georgia and Auburn, with Miami hanging out in the wings somewhere. I wouldn't worry too much about the 'Canes, as Thornton hasn't scheduled a visit or showed any real interest besides not dropping them from his top four schools. Georgia and Auburn are different, but interesting cases. The Bulldogs just fired long-time defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, which could very well affect Thornton's decision to play between the hedges. Plus, a 7-5 season is not exactly something to thump your chest about. The Tigers, for some reason, have stuck two recruiters on Thornton. I'm not sure if that's just some weird thing Auburn is doing, or a sign of desperation to land him. We'll see. But right now, Penn State looks to be at the front of the line.
Visits: Lattimore will complete his schedule of visits this upcoming week, with Auburn... Penn State - 11/6/09 (complete); Georgia - 12/11/09 (complete); Auburn - 1/15/10 (scheduled)
Marcus Lattimore
Position: Running Back
High School: Duncan(SC)/Byrnes
Measurables: 6-0, 210 lbs
The Scoop... Lattimore is a consensus top-two back in this year's recruiting crop (No. 2 RB by Rivals/ESPN, No. 1 RB by Scout), who has been labeled a "big, bruising" back with very nice speed to boot. From clips and scouting reports, he reminds me of a young Pennsylvania high school football legend who signed with the Nittany Lions out of Parkland High School. I promise, though, that's all you will hear from me on Mr. Scott. The comparison is just, however. Lattimore's reputation as a power back only tells half the story, as he is much faster than most of the better Penn State backs in recent years. Rodney Kinlaw, and now Stephfon Green, are the only backs who I think could match Lattimore's burst.
Ok, but what about Penn State? If there was ever a more dramatic run-up to a commitment, I'd like to see it. Lattimore is--officially--down to four schools: Auburn, South Carolina, Oregon and Penn State. He's said numerous times that he is just as concerned about getting an education as playing football, and he does not mind at all leaving SEC country. This quote sums up everything Penn State fans need to know:
"Where I am from, I always hear, 'Be a Gamecock!' or 'Be a Tiger!' almost everywhere I go," Lattimore said. "I don't want people to be mad if I don't go where they want me to go, but I have to do what is best for me, my future and my education."Lattimore seems like a kid who just wants to spread his wings and get the hell out of the South. But that is not much more comforting news to Nittany Lions fans, because that leaves his two top schools down to Penn State and Oregon. The Ducks are enjoying success directly rivaling Penn State. However, with Evan Royster's eligibility up next year, and his sure ascendancy to the NFL, Lattimore could very well get significant carries as a redshirt freshman opposite the out-going senior Green.
Visits: Lattimore will complete his schedule of visits this upcoming week, with South Carolina and Oregon... Penn State - 11/9/09 (complete); Auburn - 10/30/09 (complete); South Carolina - 1/15/10 (scheduled); Oregon - 1/22/10 (scheduled)
(Sorry this was posted so late today. Wednesday Recruitin' will be regularly posted early on Wednesdays, as the title would indicate)
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