Blue White Illustrated

| T here's an old adage in recruiting that says it's the players, not the coaches, who are o9entimes the best recruiters. It doesn't work that way all the time, but any fan who follows Penn State, or any school for that matter, has seen this sce- nario play out many times over the years. For safety Enzo Jennings, there were plenty of reasons to pick Penn State, but Oak Park assistant coach William McMichael said the Nittany Lions re- ceived a major boast in their bid to sign the four-star recruit when he began spending more time with linebacker Lance Dixon during visits. "I think having the kid from West Bloom6eld up there, Lance Dixon, really helped show Enzo what Penn State is all about," McMichael said. "They played against each other in little league, so they always knew each other. "Detroit is big, but our [football] com- munity is close. We're all pulling for each other to make it, so Enzo and Lance got to know each other even more when they were both going through the [recruiting] process. Once Lance got up there and he started [spending time with] Enzo during visits, that helped him feel comfortable with the place." Jennings' relationship with Penn State safeties coach Tim Banks also had a big impact on his eventual decision. Like Jennings, Banks grew up in Detroit, at- tending Martin Luther King High, an- other of the city's football powerhouses. Once he 6nished his playing career at Central Michigan, Banks got into coach- ing. Since then, he's regularly recruited his hometown. During his 6rst year on the sta7, he helped bring in both cornerback Donovan Johnson and wide receiver K.J. Hamler, the latter having grown up in Or- chard Lake before electing to attend IMG Academy in Florida as a senior. Dixon then followed in 2019, and now Jennings is the latest Detroit prospect to forgo playing for one of the major in-state schools to instead play for a conference rival. "Tim Banks has been around for years at our school," McMichael said. "He started coming around when he was still at Cincinnati, so we've always had a real good relationship with Coach Banks, and I think that helped Enzo become com- fortable with him. When he started going up there more and more and got to spend more time with Coach Banks and Coach [James] Franklin and everyone there, everything just clicked for him. It felt like home." It's easy to understand why Jennings was so coveted by Banks. As a freshman, he totaled 40 tackles and broke up 12 passes. Schools all over the country began tracking him. He even had a few Mid- American Conference programs extend o7ers in October of his freshman season. By the time schools were able to review his sophomore season 6lm, Jennings held o7ers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Ohio State, among many others. "He came right out of little league and contributed right away," McMichael said. "He was always a pretty good leader. He's not real vocal about it or anything, but his actions and his play have always been excellent. His work ethic and how he carried himself, even early on when he arrived, always stood out. He always worked hard in the class- room, too. That was never a problem with him." Penn State o7ered Jennings in May 2018. By then, he had already taken one uno8cial visit with the sta7 and would return two months later in July for the annual Lasch Bash barbecue. That visit played a major role in Penn State earning his commitment, as did his o8cial visit in June 2019. Jennings announced his commitment just a week a9er his o8cial visit. He said following his announcement that he chose Penn State "because it's a great degree, great strength and condi- tioning program, family atmosphere, [and] I will have a chance to come in and play." The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Jennings 6n- ished his high school career as a four-year starter at one of Detroit's most consistent programs. Oak Park went 34-11 during that span, and Jennings was a three-time team captain. During his 6nal two sea- sons, he totaled 109 tackles and four in- Michigan connections helped sway Jennings THE JENNINGS FILE STATS Started all four seasons at Oak Park High and was a three-time team captain... Had 109 tackles, four interceptions and four fumble recoveries his last two seasons... Finished his career with seven interceptions HONORS Named a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, as well as the No. 13 safety nationally and the No. 4 prospect in Michigan... Received All-State honors in 2017, '18 and '19... Chosen to take part in the Under Armour All- America Game CLICK HERE to see video of Jennings in action.

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