Blue White Illustrated

FAMILY VALUES BWI's Q&A with Jared Wangler, Penn State's newest linebacker is father was a star quarterback for Michigan. His brother is set to walk on with Wolverines, and his four-star high school teammate is Brady Hoke's prized quarterback recruit for the 2013 recruiting cycle. But Jared Wangler, a native of Warren, Mich., has verbally committed to play for Big Ten foe Penn State, becoming the newest addition to Linebacker U. Blue White Illustrated's Ryan Snyder WANGLER recently caught up with Wangler, a two-star recruit as rated by Rivals.com. Here's what he had to say about his commitment to the Nittany Lions and his family's response to it. H Why Penn State and why now? You just got an offer from Michigan State, and you could have picked up more after a solid senior season. So, why Penn State and why did you decide to end things now? They just meant so much to me. Coach [Ron] Vanderlinden and Coach [Bill] O'Brien have really stuck out to me, more than any other coaches I have interacted with throughout the entire process. They seem like they really care about me as much as a person as they do as an athlete. They seem like they're recruiting good athletes and good people. They're not trying to get just great athletes, but they want a whole team with well-rounded people. I want to be around great people in my career. I just felt so comfortable with them. It's also Linebacker U. It's one of the best spots for a linebacker. I figured that since this was a school that I really wanted to go to, and they have of- fered me, why would I wait it out when I can just end this and enjoy it? You were in touch with Vanderlinden a lot, and we know he played a big part in your commitment. You also got to meet Bill O'Brien a few times while you were on your visits. What was it about the head coach that helped you understand that Penn State is the right place for you? Definitely the excitement he has for the future. He's very interactive. He made me feel as if he really wanted me to be there because I was the right guy for him. His attitude just wears off on you. If that wears off on me, then his coaching should, too. That's what really stood out to me. When did Vanderlinden start showing interest in you? It was fairly recent, right? It was very recent, probably a little more than a month ago, maybe [eight] weeks, something like that. I missed my entire sophomore season with a broken leg, so recruiting didn't really pick up for me until I started handing out tapes after my junior season. That would be like November or December. [Vanderlinden] didn't really contact me until early April. I went and visited. Then a week or two later, that's when they offered me. Do you remember anything specific that Vanderlinden or O'Brien mentioned that they really like about you? I know you're a bit quicker than most linebackers. Anything else? The position I'm going to play is a lot like Mike Hull, No. 43. They like my versatility. That's big for them. Right now, I weigh about 218 pounds and have ran a 4.6 40, so they think I have quick feet and play well in space. They also like my hands. They see me as someone who will most likely cover tight ends, maybe slot receivers. They also think I can grow into the type of player who can be physical enough to play in the box and make a tackle. Versatility is big. They feel like they can mold me into whatever they need. I just have to do my part and learn from the coaching, which I will. I know I won't have any problems with weight lifting. I love that, and Coach [Craig] Fitzgerald is the man. He'll have us all in shape. Your dad [John Wangler] of course was a quarterback at Michigan. I'm just curious, were there any jokes between your dad and maybe Vanderlinden or O'Brien when you guys were visiting or throughout the process? Any little punch lines to keep things loose about Michigan and Penn State? Ummm, not too much (laughs). There were a couple little things, but we actually knew Coach Vanderlinden coached there. I'm pretty sure he was a grad assistant when my dad was there. I know Coach Vanderlinden was just huge with my dad. We really believe in everything he stands for. He's a great person. He'll be a mentor, not just a coach. But he's also one of the best linebacker coaches at this level. He meant so much to me and my dad. There were definitely a few jokes about me hitting my brother and my quarterback now, Shane Morris. My brother is walking on there, and Shane, of course, is a big recruit [who committed there]. We definitely joked around about me giving a pop to Shane or to my brother. Your dad was involved in one of Michigan's biggest plays of the past 40 years – the touchdown to Anthony Carter against Indiana in '79. If you could dream up a bigplay situation in front of a packed Beaver Stadium, what would it be? A sack, a tackle for loss, maybe a blocked field goal or punt? Maybe a big play against your brother or Shane?

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