In the 30-plus years I've had the privilege to cover Penn State's football recruiting my research has indicated to me that with Penn State's class of 2016, this will be the first time the Nittany Lions have ever had a scholarship placekicker and scholarship punter in the same recruiting class.
That fact became a reality this morning when PK Quinn Nordin [6-2, 200] from Rockford, Mich. verbally committed to the Nittany Lions at his high school. Nordin is rated by Kornbluekicking.com as the No. 1 placekicker in the country for the class of 2016. Previously last month PK/P Blake Gillikin [6-2, 185] from Westminster High School in Atlanta, Ga. verbally committed to Coach Franklin and his staff. Gillikin is the No. 4 rated punter in the country for the class of 2016 by Kohl Kicking. His junior year last fall Gillikin averaged over 41 yards per punt with 35-percent of his punts landing inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Nordin's performance in 2014 was just as impressive. He was named a first-team all-state selection by the Detriot Free Press and as mentioned above, Kornbluekicking.com, along with Rivals.com, ranked Nordin as the No. 1 placekicker in the country for the class of 2016. Last fall Nordin converted on 14 of 19 field goals with his longest field goal being 52 yards. His 52 kickoffs produced 35 touchbacks, plus he also was considered to be one of the top punters at the high school level in Michigan in 2014. Nordin averaged 37.7 yards per punt with16 of his 50 punts landing inside Rockford's opponents 20-yard line.
When Nordin announced for Penn State this morning he held 14 scholarship offers an unusual high number for a high school junior placekicker. Among those 14 scholarship offers were Arizona State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State and Pitt beside Penn State. Nordin ended up choosing Penn State over Arizona State, Georgia and Michigan.
When you receive the opportunity to view Nordin's 2014 hudl football highlight video, which accompanies this update, immediately you understand why Nordin has had only one field goal attempt blocked with his 30-plus field goal attempts the past two years. He gets tremendous elevation on his field goal attempts. The ball just explodes off his foot and his field goal kicking technique is just exquisite. His fundamentals are just flawless and he gets his field goal attempts off in less than 1.5 seconds.
When Nordin arrives on Penn State's campus next [2016] June, I believe there will be a tremendous kicking competition between Nordin, redshirt freshman Joey Julius [5-11, 244] and sophomore Tyler Davis [5-11, 185]. Julius and Davis looked impressive before the Blue White Game in a kicking competition when both Julius and Davis converted on a 52-yard field goal attempt.
But even though Nordin was at Penn State that weekend and attended the Blue White Game, Julius' and Davis' kicking performance didn't scare Nordin into not attending Penn State. Nordin clearly understood that Penn State's early scholarship offer to him back on Jan. 27 meant that Franklin and Penn State's special teams coach, Charles Huff, are expecting him to compete with Julius and Davis for the starting job to kick field goals and kickoffs in 2016 the moment he arrives on campus at the end of June next year.
Over the years Penn State has had some tremendous place-kickers on its roster. That list includes Brett Conway, Chris Bahr, Matt Bahr, Robbie Gould, Nick Gancitano, Massimo Manca and Herb Menhardt, who have gone on to perform in the NFL. It will be interesting to see if one day in the future Nordin's performance at Penn State will allow his name to be added to that esteemed Penn State place-kicker list
Personally I believe Nordin has that type of potential. I'm anxious to see Nordin perform at Penn State over the next four years.
That fact became a reality this morning when PK Quinn Nordin [6-2, 200] from Rockford, Mich. verbally committed to the Nittany Lions at his high school. Nordin is rated by Kornbluekicking.com as the No. 1 placekicker in the country for the class of 2016. Previously last month PK/P Blake Gillikin [6-2, 185] from Westminster High School in Atlanta, Ga. verbally committed to Coach Franklin and his staff. Gillikin is the No. 4 rated punter in the country for the class of 2016 by Kohl Kicking. His junior year last fall Gillikin averaged over 41 yards per punt with 35-percent of his punts landing inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Nordin's performance in 2014 was just as impressive. He was named a first-team all-state selection by the Detriot Free Press and as mentioned above, Kornbluekicking.com, along with Rivals.com, ranked Nordin as the No. 1 placekicker in the country for the class of 2016. Last fall Nordin converted on 14 of 19 field goals with his longest field goal being 52 yards. His 52 kickoffs produced 35 touchbacks, plus he also was considered to be one of the top punters at the high school level in Michigan in 2014. Nordin averaged 37.7 yards per punt with16 of his 50 punts landing inside Rockford's opponents 20-yard line.
When Nordin announced for Penn State this morning he held 14 scholarship offers an unusual high number for a high school junior placekicker. Among those 14 scholarship offers were Arizona State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State and Pitt beside Penn State. Nordin ended up choosing Penn State over Arizona State, Georgia and Michigan.
When you receive the opportunity to view Nordin's 2014 hudl football highlight video, which accompanies this update, immediately you understand why Nordin has had only one field goal attempt blocked with his 30-plus field goal attempts the past two years. He gets tremendous elevation on his field goal attempts. The ball just explodes off his foot and his field goal kicking technique is just exquisite. His fundamentals are just flawless and he gets his field goal attempts off in less than 1.5 seconds.
When Nordin arrives on Penn State's campus next [2016] June, I believe there will be a tremendous kicking competition between Nordin, redshirt freshman Joey Julius [5-11, 244] and sophomore Tyler Davis [5-11, 185]. Julius and Davis looked impressive before the Blue White Game in a kicking competition when both Julius and Davis converted on a 52-yard field goal attempt.
But even though Nordin was at Penn State that weekend and attended the Blue White Game, Julius' and Davis' kicking performance didn't scare Nordin into not attending Penn State. Nordin clearly understood that Penn State's early scholarship offer to him back on Jan. 27 meant that Franklin and Penn State's special teams coach, Charles Huff, are expecting him to compete with Julius and Davis for the starting job to kick field goals and kickoffs in 2016 the moment he arrives on campus at the end of June next year.
Over the years Penn State has had some tremendous place-kickers on its roster. That list includes Brett Conway, Chris Bahr, Matt Bahr, Robbie Gould, Nick Gancitano, Massimo Manca and Herb Menhardt, who have gone on to perform in the NFL. It will be interesting to see if one day in the future Nordin's performance at Penn State will allow his name to be added to that esteemed Penn State place-kicker list
Personally I believe Nordin has that type of potential. I'm anxious to see Nordin perform at Penn State over the next four years.
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