Four summers ago, twenty-one freshly-minted football players enrolled at Penn State, just as they do every year across the country at Division I football programs. No story there. Some of those athletes had a few stars attached to their names, others came in a little under-the-radar. There were successes and failures; surprises and busts. Except unlike most recruiting classes, who are primarily judged by their success on the playing field, this group should be forever remembered more for what they went through while playing here.
They were already an unique group, having the distinction of being the first class in over four decades who would play at Penn State for a coach not named Joe Paterno. But they wouldn't be here long before other headlines dominated the media. About a month after nineteen of these young men reported to campus, the NCAA leveled the sanctions. Unprecedented, unfair, unbelievable. No sooner had these young athletes made the life-changing decision of choosing a college, than they were forced to seriously consider leaving that school. After all, they had little invested at the time. Some had been commits for over a year, but they had only been on campus for a few weeks. They hadn't formed bonds with their teammates. They didn't have a history of playing under any of the coaches - even the two holdovers from Paterno's staff. They hadn't yet run out of the tunnel and heard the 107K as a player. It would have been so easy for them to leave. They were looking at giving up bowl games for probably their entire career. They would be the target of scorn, the butt of jokes. Many experts predicted two and three win seasons, some said it was worse than the death penalty. And yet, this class initially lost only one player.
Jamil Pollard - The only 2012 recruit to use the NCAA transfer exception that summer. He ended up at Rutgers where he redshirted, then sat out the 2013 season with an injury. Pollard was still occasionally listed on Rutgers' rosters in 2014 but it doesn't appear he ever rejoined the team. He was arrested in the fall of 2015 for involvement in some robberies with several other Rutgers and former Rutgers players.
Brennan Franklin - Franklin was the first player to choose Penn State post-sanctions, committing just days after they were handed down. He left following a 2012 redshirt season. I do not know where he ended up.
Anthony Stanko - A highly-regarded recruit who can definitely be labeled a football bust. Redshirted, then left the program. Stayed on at Penn State under the NCAA BSanctions, and continued to count on the scholarship limit until the sanctions were lifted. He may have graduated, I don't know. I don't wish him any ill-will, but I also don't really care to know how things worked out for him.
Jonathan Warner - Penn State career mirrored Stanko. Redshirt, left the program, stayed on at Penn State, counting against the reduced scholarship limit. Happy trails...
Steven Bench - Bench appeared in two games in 2012 in injury relief of Matt McGloin. The following season he transferred to USF, where he played sporadically for the Bulls for the next three seasons. Career Stats Penn State: 12 YDS, 0 TD, 0 INT; Career Stats USF: 1176 YDS, 7 TD, 6 INT
Jesse James - James was a physical freak who played significantly as a true freshman, and saw his receiving numbers go up each of the three seasons he played for PSU. He left after his junior year for the NFL, drafted by Pittsburgh in the fifth round. Listed as #2 TE. Career Stats Penn State: 78 rec, 1005 yds 11 TD; 2015 Steelers' Stats: 8 REC, 56 YDS, 1 TD
DaQuan Davis - Davis played in 11 games as a true freshman, but saw his playing time diminish each of the following three seasons. Was arrested in May 2015 for marijuana and alcohol possession, and dismissed from the team. Career Stats Penn State : 9 SOLO, 4 AST
Brent Wilkerson - Redshirted 2012, and was injured for much of the following season and did not play. Though he never developed into much of a receiving option, he did start 9 games in 2015, mostly used as a blocker. He was dismissed from the team this past spring after being charged with indecent assault and harassment. Career Stats Penn State : 8 REC, 57 YDS, 1 TD
Jake Kiley - Redshirted 2012. Moved from DB to WR the following season. Kiley had an injury-riddled career and only appeared in 2 games with no stats. He announced his grad-transfer after last season but I have not been able to locate a 2016 team for Jake.
Gary Wooten - A late August addition, Wooten redshirted, and then played sparingly over the next three seasons. He used a grad-transfer after the 2015 season and is scheduled to play for Duquesne this season. Career Stats Penn State : 11 SOLO, 14 AST
Akeel Lynch - Redshirted 2012. Despite rushing for over 600 yards and 4 TDs in 2014, Lynch saw his role reduced the following season with the addition of Saquon Barkley. Akeel took a grad-transfer, and is now on the roster for Nevada. Career Stats Penn State: 1318 YDS (5.0/car), 7 TD; 14 REC, 77 YDS, 0 TD
Geno Lewis - Redshirted 2012. Much like Akeel Lynch, Geno saw his numbers reduce after ranking second on the team in receptions in 2014. Finished in the top 20 All-Time catches for PSU. He even threw for a TD. Geno is using a grad-transfer, and will finish his career Oklahoma this coming season. Career Stats Penn State: 90 REC, 1181 YDS, 8 TD
Austin Johnson - Redshirted 2012. Appeared in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman with 2 starts, but really made his mark after that as he started every game of his final two seasons. A multiple All-Conference selection, Johnson declared early for the NFL. He was the #43 pick for the Tennessee Titans in this spring's draft. Listed as #2 NT. Career Stats Penn State: 63 SOLO, 91 AST, 24 TFL, 8.5 SACKS 1 TD!
Jordan Lucas - Lucas appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman, mostly on special teams. He went on to start 33 games at CB before a season-ending injury against Northwestern in 2015. He was a sixth-round draft pick by Miami. Listed as #3 CB . Career Stats Penn State: 119 SOLO, 62 AST, 11 TFL, 4 INT
Trevor Williams - Appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman on special teams and as a WR. Switched to defense during the following spring and proceeded to start 31 games at CB. Signed as UDFA with San Diego. Listed as #4 CB. Career Stats Penn State: 61 SOLO, 23 AST, 4.5 TFL, 5 INT
And the following six players will finish their careers this fall at Penn State.
Derek Dowrey
Brian Gaia
Malik Golden
Wendy Laurent
Evan Schwan
Nyeem Wartman-White
All have already completed their degrees, with the exception of Schwan (who I believe will finish up after summer classes). Wendy and Evan are all that's left of O'Brien's first recruits. Brian, Derek, Malik and Nyeem represent the last four players offered by Joe Paterno who will ever take the field for Penn State.
These six have yet to write the final chapters of their Penn State careers. I hope this is the year that our talent rises up to meet the level of heart and character these athletes have displayed. A few extra wins would be a great way to send them out, and say thank you for all of their loyalty and sacrifice.
WE ARE...
They were already an unique group, having the distinction of being the first class in over four decades who would play at Penn State for a coach not named Joe Paterno. But they wouldn't be here long before other headlines dominated the media. About a month after nineteen of these young men reported to campus, the NCAA leveled the sanctions. Unprecedented, unfair, unbelievable. No sooner had these young athletes made the life-changing decision of choosing a college, than they were forced to seriously consider leaving that school. After all, they had little invested at the time. Some had been commits for over a year, but they had only been on campus for a few weeks. They hadn't formed bonds with their teammates. They didn't have a history of playing under any of the coaches - even the two holdovers from Paterno's staff. They hadn't yet run out of the tunnel and heard the 107K as a player. It would have been so easy for them to leave. They were looking at giving up bowl games for probably their entire career. They would be the target of scorn, the butt of jokes. Many experts predicted two and three win seasons, some said it was worse than the death penalty. And yet, this class initially lost only one player.
Jamil Pollard - The only 2012 recruit to use the NCAA transfer exception that summer. He ended up at Rutgers where he redshirted, then sat out the 2013 season with an injury. Pollard was still occasionally listed on Rutgers' rosters in 2014 but it doesn't appear he ever rejoined the team. He was arrested in the fall of 2015 for involvement in some robberies with several other Rutgers and former Rutgers players.
Brennan Franklin - Franklin was the first player to choose Penn State post-sanctions, committing just days after they were handed down. He left following a 2012 redshirt season. I do not know where he ended up.
Anthony Stanko - A highly-regarded recruit who can definitely be labeled a football bust. Redshirted, then left the program. Stayed on at Penn State under the NCAA BSanctions, and continued to count on the scholarship limit until the sanctions were lifted. He may have graduated, I don't know. I don't wish him any ill-will, but I also don't really care to know how things worked out for him.
Jonathan Warner - Penn State career mirrored Stanko. Redshirt, left the program, stayed on at Penn State, counting against the reduced scholarship limit. Happy trails...
Steven Bench - Bench appeared in two games in 2012 in injury relief of Matt McGloin. The following season he transferred to USF, where he played sporadically for the Bulls for the next three seasons. Career Stats Penn State: 12 YDS, 0 TD, 0 INT; Career Stats USF: 1176 YDS, 7 TD, 6 INT
Jesse James - James was a physical freak who played significantly as a true freshman, and saw his receiving numbers go up each of the three seasons he played for PSU. He left after his junior year for the NFL, drafted by Pittsburgh in the fifth round. Listed as #2 TE. Career Stats Penn State: 78 rec, 1005 yds 11 TD; 2015 Steelers' Stats: 8 REC, 56 YDS, 1 TD
DaQuan Davis - Davis played in 11 games as a true freshman, but saw his playing time diminish each of the following three seasons. Was arrested in May 2015 for marijuana and alcohol possession, and dismissed from the team. Career Stats Penn State : 9 SOLO, 4 AST
Brent Wilkerson - Redshirted 2012, and was injured for much of the following season and did not play. Though he never developed into much of a receiving option, he did start 9 games in 2015, mostly used as a blocker. He was dismissed from the team this past spring after being charged with indecent assault and harassment. Career Stats Penn State : 8 REC, 57 YDS, 1 TD
Jake Kiley - Redshirted 2012. Moved from DB to WR the following season. Kiley had an injury-riddled career and only appeared in 2 games with no stats. He announced his grad-transfer after last season but I have not been able to locate a 2016 team for Jake.
Gary Wooten - A late August addition, Wooten redshirted, and then played sparingly over the next three seasons. He used a grad-transfer after the 2015 season and is scheduled to play for Duquesne this season. Career Stats Penn State : 11 SOLO, 14 AST
Akeel Lynch - Redshirted 2012. Despite rushing for over 600 yards and 4 TDs in 2014, Lynch saw his role reduced the following season with the addition of Saquon Barkley. Akeel took a grad-transfer, and is now on the roster for Nevada. Career Stats Penn State: 1318 YDS (5.0/car), 7 TD; 14 REC, 77 YDS, 0 TD
Geno Lewis - Redshirted 2012. Much like Akeel Lynch, Geno saw his numbers reduce after ranking second on the team in receptions in 2014. Finished in the top 20 All-Time catches for PSU. He even threw for a TD. Geno is using a grad-transfer, and will finish his career Oklahoma this coming season. Career Stats Penn State: 90 REC, 1181 YDS, 8 TD
Austin Johnson - Redshirted 2012. Appeared in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman with 2 starts, but really made his mark after that as he started every game of his final two seasons. A multiple All-Conference selection, Johnson declared early for the NFL. He was the #43 pick for the Tennessee Titans in this spring's draft. Listed as #2 NT. Career Stats Penn State: 63 SOLO, 91 AST, 24 TFL, 8.5 SACKS 1 TD!
Jordan Lucas - Lucas appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman, mostly on special teams. He went on to start 33 games at CB before a season-ending injury against Northwestern in 2015. He was a sixth-round draft pick by Miami. Listed as #3 CB . Career Stats Penn State: 119 SOLO, 62 AST, 11 TFL, 4 INT
Trevor Williams - Appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman on special teams and as a WR. Switched to defense during the following spring and proceeded to start 31 games at CB. Signed as UDFA with San Diego. Listed as #4 CB. Career Stats Penn State: 61 SOLO, 23 AST, 4.5 TFL, 5 INT
And the following six players will finish their careers this fall at Penn State.
Derek Dowrey
Brian Gaia
Malik Golden
Wendy Laurent
Evan Schwan
Nyeem Wartman-White
All have already completed their degrees, with the exception of Schwan (who I believe will finish up after summer classes). Wendy and Evan are all that's left of O'Brien's first recruits. Brian, Derek, Malik and Nyeem represent the last four players offered by Joe Paterno who will ever take the field for Penn State.
These six have yet to write the final chapters of their Penn State careers. I hope this is the year that our talent rises up to meet the level of heart and character these athletes have displayed. A few extra wins would be a great way to send them out, and say thank you for all of their loyalty and sacrifice.
WE ARE...
