Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1490816
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 5 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M pounds. "But I think after seeing Penn State, that decision would be very tough to make." He added, "The campus was some- thing that stood out to me because I didn't really know what to expect, and it turned out to be a really neat place. The coaches were also amazing to interact with, and I loved sitting down and hav- ing conversations with them." Calloway stands 6-7, 300 pounds and plays for Lake Norman High. He had visited campus previously, attending the Lions' regular-season finale against Michigan State. Since then, he's developed a strong relationship with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein. That's a major reason why the nation's 126th-ranked player returned to State College just seven weeks later. "They host a great junior day," Cal- loway said. "I really felt at home here. I got to talk to several coaches and really got a feel for how Coach Trautwein oper- ates. There were a lot of people here, and everyone went out of their way to make sure I knew they were happy I was here." The Jan. 21 junior day was a bit bigger, with just under 50 prospects in atten- dance. The list included one of the top overall players in the 2024 class, defen- sive end Elias Rudolph. Penn State hosted offensive lineman Chimdy Onoh, its top remaining pros- pect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, for an official visit Jan. 13-15. Previously committed to Old Domin- ion, Onoh opened up his recruitment a week before the early signing period began in December. The Nittany Lions extended a scholarship offer to the On3 four-star prospect on Dec. 18, making this a quick recruitment for head coach James Franklin and position coach Phil Trautwein. Despite growing up just three hours from State College in Dundalk, Md., Onoh had never visited Penn State pre- viously. His unfamiliarity with the school meant that he had a lot to learn in just two days. "One main thing that stood out was that they really value their athletes after college," Onoh said. "They really empha- sized the points of what they can do for me after college. They showed me a lot of stuff that I want to do and study, stuff that I'm interested in so that I can be ready for life after football. That really stood out for me." Onoh said that message resonated with his mother, too. "She really liked how much they valued me becoming something good and really getting something out of my college experience," he said. "She really liked how much Penn State valued that. She also liked all the support, from the coaches to the teammates to the personnel. My mom feels comfortable that I'll be in good hands if I go there." Onoh said he spent much of his time with Trautwein. The two had talked prior to his visit, but during Onoh's time on campus, Trautwein was able to offer a more detailed assessment of how he sees the 6-foot-5, 270-pound prospect fitting into Penn State's system. "We talked a lot about the stuff he found interesting in me and my game," Onoh said. "We talked about the vision he had for me playing on the O-line. We talked about all the stuff that I would be learning, what he can help me with as an O-lineman." Onoh had an opportunity to spend time with Penn State's current offen- sive linemen, including redshirt sophomore Landon Tengwall, fourth-year junior Olumuyiwa Fashanu and redshirt junior Golden Israel-Achumba. "We just hung out, had some good conversations and a good time," Onoh said. "It was good to get to know them, too. I definitely feel like I mesh with them. It's a good fit if I was to go there." Before heading home, Onoh and his mother had an opportunity to sit down with Franklin in his office for a one-on-one conversation. "I got to ask him a couple questions about me and the program," Onoh said. "He answered all those questions and really showed me what he thinks about me and how I can benefit from going there. I was excited about that." Onoh announced in December that he had pared his list down to Penn State, Michigan State, Ole Miss and Rutgers. He took an official visit to Rut- gers in December and then went to Michigan State Jan. 20-22. Ole Miss was expected to host him Jan. 27-29, with a decision to follow. Onoh is the 16th-ranked offensive tackle nationally as rated by On3 and the fourth-ranked player in Maryland. — Ryan Snyder James Franklin is hoping to earn a signature from Chimdy Onoh, the 16th-ranked offensive tackle nationally according to On3. COURTESY ONOH FAMILY To Complete 2023 Class, PSU Targets Maryland Lineman