Blue White Illustrated

Penn State is expected to host prospects from all over the country next weekend for its annual White Out game, but there won't be many who travel as far as Arizona native Noa Pola-Gates. A Rivals250 prospect, Pola-Gates has al- ready been to University Park once before, visiting last February for a junior day. He's now returning for an official visit, his first to any school. "My first [Penn State] visit was eye- opening. It was snowing and I had never seen snow before," Pola-Gates said. "Hon- estly, I loved it. It was 19 degrees, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. I enjoyed meeting with Coach [James] Franklin. I was also with my uncle, who graduated from Penn State. "[Franklin] talked about the support around the program, from academics to the entire community. I honestly had no idea he was African-American until he was telling me about how he wanted to be the first African-American coach to win a na- tional title. I also got to know Koa Farmer. He's a West Coast guy with some island roots. It was good to meet him and get to know his story." Pola-Gates' uncle is Aoatoa Polamalu, better known as Al. That name should sound familiar to Nittany Lion fans, as he was a starting defensive tackle for Penn State's national championship team in 1986. His uncle's ties to the school were a major reason why Pola-Gates looked at the program in the first place, but he also has family all over Pennsylvania. In addition to that, one of his lead re- cruiters, Terry Smith, coached his cousin, former Navy linebacker Maika Polamalu, in an all-star game while Smith was still at Gateway High School. That experience helped his family become comfortable with Smith. "My uncle, Aoatoa Polamalu, knows Coach Smith well and he speaks highly of Coach Smith," Pola-Gates said. "I also have family in Pittsburgh and Lancaster and Pottstown. That's a big reason why Penn State is one of the top schools for me." Since his first visit in February, Pola- Gates has also earned an offer from Ala- bama, among many others. He's been to Tuscaloosa twice and has also called the Crimson Tide his favorite. A third trip – this one an official visit – will take place at the end of November, as he's set to attend the Iron Bowl. It may ultimately prove tough to beat out the Tide, but his relationship with Penn State is as strong as with any other school. "I'm talking with Coach Smith and Coach Franklin the most," Pola-Gates said. "I talk to Coach [Tim] Banks, too, but not as much. They're just good people. Coach Smith knows my family in Pa. really well and they all speak highly of him. Some other coaches during the recruiting process just seem like car salesmen. I don't get that vibe from them." Aside from the Crimson Tide and Nittany Lions, Pola-Gates is also considering Ari- zona, Arizona State, Michigan State, Ne- braska, Oregon, Oregon State, Texas and USC. He has one other official visit set to Nebraska, Oct. 20-21, leaving him two more officials if he chooses to use them. S E P T E M B E R   1 9 ,   2 0 1 8 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 18 R Y A N   S N Y D E R | S N Y D E R 4 2 0 8 8 @ G M A I L . C O M R E C R U I T I N G Pola-Gates plans official visit for Ohio State game CLASS OF 2019 NAME POS HT WT RATING HOME SCHOOL Hakeem Beamon DL 6-3 255 ★★★★ Chesterfield, Va. Lloyd C. Bird JaQuan Brisker DB 6-2 200 ★★★ Monroeville, Pa. Lackawanna College Lance Dixon LB 6-2 200 ★★★ West Bloomfield, Mich. West Bloomfield John Dunmore WR 6-3 170 ★★★★ Hollywood, Fla. Chaminade Madonna Keaton Ellis DB 6-0 160 ★★★ State College, Pa. State College Area Devyn Ford RB 5-11 195 ★★★★★ Stafford, Va. North Stafford Michael Johnson Jr. QB 6-3 202 ★★★★ Eugene, Ore. Sheldon Joey Porter Jr. CB 6-2 185 ★★★ Pittsburgh, Pa. North Allegheny Taquan Roberson QB 6-0 198 ★★★★ Wayne, N.J. DePaul Catholic Tyler Rudolph DB 6-1 205 ★★★★ Oakdale, Conn. St. Thomas More Emery Simmons WR 6-1 186 ★★★ Fayetteville, N.C. South View Brandon Smith LB 6-3 218 ★★★★ Mineral, Va. Louisa County Caedan Wallace OL 6-4 330 ★★★★ Princeton, N.J. Hun School Anthony Whigan OL 6-5 295 ★★★ Great Mills, Md. Lackawanna College Marquis Wilson DB 6-0 175 ★★★★ Windsor, Conn. Windsor Saleem Wormley OL 6-4 300 ★★★★ Smyrna, Del. Smyrna * As of Aug. Sept. 18 P E N N S T A T E C O M M I T M E N T S * C L A S S O F 2 0 1 9

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