Blue White Illustrated

Development and Community Relations] Will Flaherty coached here for me, so we've been in contact quite frequently. Nebraska and Iowa were in contact a lot, too. They've all been really just checking in and checking in, but there wasn't a ton of &lm. I told Jordan and the schools then that this was their opportunity. For Jordan, he just had to go to these places and work out. I knew once they saw him, at 6-3, 279, running a 4.75 [40- yard dash] with a 31-inch vertical, we were probably going to lose the kid. He was going to come back until he went on these visits and worked out with each school. I told him, to be a &ve-to-play- four kid, you have to take this opportu- nity. He had some lower-level o4ers, but it was really Power Five or bust for him. BWI What other Power Five schools were interested? STROHMEIER Nebraska o4ered him, and so did Iowa. There were a few others calling, but those were the three that were serious. Missouri reached out a8er he got the Nebraska o4er, and I think that really opened up some eyes. You know, the way Jordan is, he was talking to these schools for a long time. He's not just going to jump in because somebody else saw that Penn State o4ered. If he waited two weeks, he would probably get 10 more a8er the three he got this week. BWI Did he say much to you about his interest in Penn State leading into this visit? STROHMEIER Yeah, with those three schools, he's been talking to them. I asked him before, if you get these three o4ers, which one would you go to? He told me then he would pick Penn State. He said to play at Penn State would be an incredible experience. I'm sure that when he got up there, saw that stadium and started dreaming about playing in front of that crowd, he probably just said "Wow." I mean, when that place is full, it's incredible. But it's also a good &t for him. That's a great campus &t for him the next four years. I felt that the cam- pus there was a big deal for him. BWI So what is he bringing to Penn State? What are his strengths? STROHMEIER I've never seen a guy play so relentlessly. That became clear when we were in fall camp. I remember watching him run a quar- terback down on a zone-read maybe 40 yards down the &eld. I looked at my coach and said that play and one or two others he made that day had to be the &rst clips on his highlight &lm. He's just so relentless. He plays with such a high motor every single snap. I'm serious, I can't ever remember a player who goes that hard in practice or a game, it doesn't matter. He only has one speed. But also, I'd say his strength. He's in- credibly powerful, and his best football is still ahead of him. We played eight games and he only played in &ve. His work ethic and his commitment, combined with their coaching, he's only going to keep getting better and better. ■ Nate Bruce, one of two offensive linemen in Penn State's Class of 2021, is no longer with the team. No reason was given for Bruce's departure. The 6-foot-4, 351-pound guard from Harrisburg, Pa., had enrolled at Penn State in Janu- ary, but his tenure with the Nittany Lions ended after just one semester. Prior to the con- firmation of his departure, Bruce had seemed to be making a positive impression on the coaching staff. Early in spring prac- tice, James Franklin said he was im- pressed with the three-star prospect out of Harrisburg High. "We had [him] in camp a year ago," Franklin said, "and I know this sounds strange, but standing next to Landon [Tengwall], he makes Landon look small. Nate showed up at 344 pounds with very little fat on him. He's massive everywhere. "He tested extremely well with these guys when they showed up on campus. And we got him partnered with Landon because Landon really knows how to work. If Nate will fig- ure that out, we think he has a really high upside. He reminds me of the guards that we saw when I was in the SEC." Having earned All-State honors following his junior and senior sea- sons, Bruce finished as the 20th- ranked prospect in Pennsylvania in the Class of 2021. He demonstrated his ability repeatedly in that span, and Penn State had long been at- tracted to the potential Bruce showed even before his enrollment this year. "I had the opportunity to see him live multiple times," former Penn State tight ends coach Tyler Bowen said during the early signing period in December. "He's an aggressive football player. He's what you look for in a big-time interior offensive lineman. Great feet, strong at the point of attack, really long, can play with length inside." Bruce's departure leaves Tengwell as the only offensive lineman in Penn State's Class of 2021. It's possible that the Lions will lose another of their 2021 recruits in the coming weeks, as four-star receiver Lonnie White Jr. was believed to be mulling whether to pursue a pro baseball career. Listed by MLB.com as this year's No. 72 overall prospect, White was expected to be selected early in the Major League Baseball Draft, which began July 11. If White were to choose baseball, Penn State's Class of 2021 would in- clude only 15 players, factoring in Bruce's departure and the recent ad- dition of juco defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg. –NATE BAUER Freshman OL Bruce leaves Nittany Lions BRUCE

• Cover