Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1276571
T here aren't many commitment an- nouncements these days that truly catch fans and reporters by surprise. If you follow the right people and know where to look on social media, you'll 8nd the clues. However, there are a few each year that seem to come out of nowhere, and in the Class of 2020, defensive line- man Amin Vanover's commitment 8t that description. In June 2019, Penn State was as hot as any school in the nation on the recruiting trail. The Nittany Lions added 10 prospects that month, eight of whom an- nounced in a one-week span between June 21 and 28. That total included three defensive linemen: Fatorma Mulbah, Co- ziah Izzard and Brandon Taylor. Taylor was the last of the three to an- nounce, revealing his decision on Friday, June 28. It seemed at the time as though his commitment was the 8nal piece of news in a busy week for the Nittany Lions. Vanover, a prospect from Newark, N.J., was known to have Penn State high on his list, but did James Franklin and his sta9 have room to add a 8:h defensive linemen? And was he even close to committing? He hadn't spo- ken to the media in months. It didn't take long to learn the answer, as Vanover went on to announce his com- mitment just 45 minutes a:er Taylor. "It was pretty much always Penn State," said Danny Marangi, who was Vanover's defensive coordinator at St. Joseph's be- fore taking over as head coach in January. "Rutgers was making a big push, but he was pretty locked in on Penn State. I re- member a bunch of Big Ten schools showing interest in him, but Penn State was always out front." A four-star prospect, Vanover earned more than 20 scholarship o9ers. Ala- bama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas A&M were among his top schools. As Marangi explained, a few schools circled back late in the process, hoping to earn a visit. "Clemson came in late. They were snooping around to try and gauge his in- terest," he said. "Florida was another school. [Florida] didn't o9er, but they were also trying to gauge his interest. They both made it clear that he was someone they really liked." Throughout his high school career, the 6-foot-4, 277-pound Vanover was as consistent as they come. During his sophomore season at his hometown high school, Abraham Clark, he totaled eight sacks. He then made the move to St. Joseph's in Montvale for his junior season. Despite a major step up in competition, he once again totaled eight sacks. For his senior year, he was slightly better, totaling 8.5 sacks and 49 tackles, 17 of which were for a loss of yards. "We primarily used him [at defensive end] and had him move around," Marangi said. "Amin has always been freakishly athletic. He doesn't look like he's someone who lives in the weight room, but he's also taken guys and li:ed them right o9 the ground. He's a lot stronger than people think. He's similar to another Penn State player who came from here, Smith Vilbert." Vanover was never one to open up dur- ing the recruiting process. He did only two interviews with Rivals.com, but as Marangi explained, he's much more com- fortable with those who know him well. "As a person, Amin is as genuine as it gets," he said. "I think one thing that peo- ple don't know about him is that he's a little bit of a goofball. He doesn't show that much, but among his teammates and coaching sta9, he adds a sense of levity to downtimes. But also, when all the pres- sure is on, he'll be there. He'll be ready to roll, but he'll also have a big grin on his face. That's a great player to have in any locker room." ■ Vanover's surprise commitment gives DL a boost CLICK HERE to see video of Vanover in action. THE VANOVER FILE STATS Totaled 49 tackles as a senior, including 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks... Finished with eight sacks apiece in his sophomore and junior seasons HONORS Named a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, as well as the No. 9 prospect in New Jersey and No. 12 strongside defensive end nationally... Was a two- time All-Conference and All-State choice | mitted to the Nittany Lions, he said he's already excited to work with both Taylor Stubble8eld and Kirk Ciarrocca. "I'm hype about that pickup. [Ciar- rocca] is a great person to talk with, and I know Minnesota was throwing a lot of good balls, so you can't go wrong with that," Meiga said. "I'll be running fast, and I love those deep balls. I'm trying to go get it. I'm going to go get it." The lively receiver wasn't coy about his goals at Penn State, either. "We have a great group of players, great group of people, great group of coaches," Meiga said. "We've got to win at least a natty." ■