2017 class openings left

[sluggo72]

Nobody cited anything about NCAA rules. Asking a kid to pay a semester's tuition, even if it's as a part time student, isn't exactly welcoming him with open arms. As mentioned above, the real advantage of a grey shirt would be for a kid who his rehabbing an injury. Unless a given healthy player had a lifelong dream to play for a certain school, why would be sit out a semester when he could accept a scholarship offer elsewhere?

IMHO, I wouldn't classify grey shirting as a loophole. A student athlete gets five years of eligibility upon enrollment regardless of age.

http://www.athleticscholarships.net/question/what-is-grey-shirting

well a couple of things. First every kid aint a hired gun, so they could pick a school they really really want to go to. Second if you had already talked to a kid about red shirting their first year, really how different is grey shirting? Yes you miss fall practice, but if you are red shirting, you don't get a lot of work in individual drills, let alone team, most likely you are on the scout team running someone else's plays. So now you show up in the spring (and lets be clear, to grey shirt you don't have to pay for your first semester etc, you just aren't in school), and really you are about even with everyone else who red shirted that fall.
I doubt anyone with a choice between PSU and OSU is going to be asked to Grey shirt. It is more likely it is a choice between Grey Shirting at PSU or getting a full ride to Indiana, Perdue, or Marshall, now you decide what you want to do.

 

[GregInPitt]

I always believe we have as many scholarships as we need. Of course we begin with a figure - let's say 18. But if kids like Conliffe, Fields, and let's say for the sake of discussion Swift and David Adams decide they want to come to PSU, we will absolutely have 4 scholarships available. No doubt about it. IIRC we do not have to be at 85 until possibly June. Between now and then things will resolve themselves.
In the case of Proctor, I don't believe PSU all of a sudden ran out of scholarships. I think they looked at the LB recruits they have - Faison, Rivers and Franklin - and feel that's all we need and at the same time are not in love with Proctor. So there is no longer room for a LB, just as there would not be room for a QB.

You can "feel" that way, but even last year CJF said he had to turn away 4 star recruits before signing day. That will likely happen this year once again because, yes, there is a limit on the number of scholarships that are available.

 

[GregInPitt]

Or they can just delay their enrollment until January.

Or they can enroll and play football at a prep school, like Chaz Wright did. Although I believe he choose to wait until the next Fall to enroll at PSU.

 

[sluggo72]

You're probably correct as long as you're only talking about 1 or 2 spots. I assume that most of our players know their scholarship is safe, but a few might have been told that their 2017 scholarship is contingent on somebody leaving. Those players could then make their decisions knowing the risk.

I seriously doubt (and hope) that Franklin doesn't blindside his players.

I would suspect that when he puts someone on scholarship who was not on scholarship, like a B Smith, when he tells them, he is clear that it is for this year only, and next year we will cross that bridge. Now if a kid goes out and plays as well as 47 has, you do have a little dilemma, but a least you've had that conversation. It's one of the reasons coaches give them to kids near the end of their careers, as you don't have a long term commitment.

 

[bdgan]

I would suspect that when he puts someone on scholarship who was not on scholarship, like a B Smith, when he tells them, he is clear that it is for this year only, and next year we will cross that bridge. Now if a kid goes out and plays as well as 47 has, you do have a little dilemma, but a least you've had that conversation. It's one of the reasons coaches give them to kids near the end of their careers, as you don't have a long term commitment.

I agree completely. The problem this year is that PSU has very few juniors who are unlikely to make a major contributions next year:

Hamilton, Balcknall, Godwin
Gesicki
Mahon, Nelson
Chavis, Cothren, Cothran
Sickels
Cabinda, Smith
Campbell, Haley, Apke, Allen

I doubt that Franklin would tell any of these kids that it's time to move on. One or two might declare for the NFL but that will be their choice. The question is if he'll tell an underclassman that it's time to move on. That's where we get into the "processing" discussion.

 

[Ceasar]

You can "feel" that way, but even last year CJF said he had to turn away 4 star recruits before signing day. That will likely happen this year once again because, yes, there is a limit on the number of scholarships that are available.

I don't recall Coach making that comment last year, but not saying he didn't. It would, however, seem odd if he turned away 4 star recruits while also signing two lower rated players in Thrift and Johnson at the very end.

 

[bmw199]

I don't recall Coach making that comment last year, but not saying he didn't. It would, however, seem odd if he turned away 4 star recruits while also signing two lower rated players in Thrift and Johnson at the very end.

He said they had to do that much earlier on in the process. I think it was when Hudson wanted to commit maybe over the summer prior to the season.

 

[roswelllion]

If you really think a kid from Toronto, who played four years of Big Ten Football in front of 106,000 people five hours from his home decided 'Hey I want to go live in Reno, Nevada and play MWC football for a year' you're welcome to. That just doesn't make any sense to me tho. And Lynch staying on good terms with the program doesn't mean it didn't happen- it just means he understands how big time college football works

Well he wasn't going to play so why not leave. What does where he ended up have anything to do with it. If he had transferred to Buffalo would you be happier. Kid wanted to play period.

 

[Tweedbear]

Lunch was behind Barkley he made a calculated decision to transfer where he would have more playing time and a shot at the NFL. Sadly it didn't work.

 

[RTLH]

Sorry guys, @Cosmos isnt wrong. Walk-on scholarships are technically yearly. Now, I'm not actively rooting that this will need to be how we get under 85 but it's a possibility. And don't give me it's not fair, those kids came to Penn State to play football without a scholarship knowing they could earn IF there were extra. This past year there were, maybe next year there won't be

When a walk on is given a scholarship he is well aware that it can be taken away at anytime.
Rules of the game. They know what the are getting into.
In 2017 the only walk on on the roster with a scholarship is Brandon Smith.
And from what I heard his is cemented. That was the agreement.
And you know what. He is a quality player who contributes significantly. Not the 85th man on the roster who may see a few plays a year in mop up duty.

 

[sluggo72]

Lunch was behind Barkley he made a calculated decision to transfer where he would have more playing time and a shot at the NFL. Sadly it didn't work.

lunch may be behind Barkley, but it is ahead of recess, and right up there with nap.

 

[sean3258]

Word on twitter of Wade trying to flip Paris Ford. There room for him?

 

[GregInPitt]

Word on twitter of Wade trying to flip Paris Ford. There room for him?

I guess if there's room for Castro-Fields there would be room for Ford, if he gets in before Castro-Fields. Both are top Safety recruits and CJF offered Ford early.....

 

[TheGLOV]

Word on twitter of Wade trying to flip Paris Ford. There room for him?

And, was it not reported - on Twitter then repeated on this very board that, Paris and Wade don't like one another?

Saw that on a past thread or so.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Gray shirts have to pay at least 1 semester out of their own pockets. Most 4*/5* players don't want to do that.

Right, but you could ask the 3 star kids to greyshirt... especially the ones who you know will redshirt.

 

[bdgan]

Right, but you could ask the 3 star kids to greyshirt... especially the ones who you know will redshirt.

I'd be pi$$edif I was the 3 star kid. I verballed assuming a scholarship from day one, now I'm told that I have to sit out a semester or pay my own way.

 

[RTLH]

I'd be pi$$edif I was the 3 star kid. I verballed assuming a scholarship from day one, now I'm told that I have to sit out a semester or pay my own way.

The professional way to handle it is you tell the kid upfront that it's a possibility when he verbals. Not 6 weeks before signing day.