Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1509432
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 5 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A l i q u i p pa r u n n i n g ba c k Tiqwai Hayes has been one of the most produc- tive high school players in Pennsylvania the past few sea- sons. He'll be staying in his home state to play his college football. Hayes, a three-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, announced on Sept. 25 that he intends to sign with Penn State. He was the second of three 2025 prospects to announce for PSU in the days after its White Out victory over Iowa on Sept. 23. L i s te d a t 5 - fo o t -1 0, 19 0 pounds, Hayes earned an of- fer from the Nittany Lions in December 2021. He has been a frequent visitor to campus ever since, having traveled to State College 10 times during the past two years. He said his choice of PSU came down to a combination of football, aca- demics and relationships. "I visited everywhere, and nothing is like Penn State," Hayes said. "I love the crowd, obviously. Their education is also top-tier." As with all western Pennsylvania prospects, assistant coach Terry Smith played a key role in landing Hayes, who rushed for more than 3,700 yards and scored 56 touchdowns as an un- derclassman. Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider also had a hand in Hayes' recruitment, but more than anything, it was Smith's low-pressure approach that resonated with the young prospect. "He wasn't always texting me and annoying me all the time," Hayes said, "but he also made sure to stay in contact and let me know I'm important to them. "He showed me the ropes with re- cruiting. He always made it clear that even if I didn't end up at Penn State, he cared about my future and wanted to remain cool with me. It was just like a family thing, and that was the same way with Coach Seider, too. Really, their whole staff is like that." Penn State's production at running back has been impressive under Se- ider, with Miles Sanders now in his fifth NFL season and current stars Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen among the top running backs in the Big Ten. That history made an impression on Hayes. "They're RBU, they're the 'Lawn- Boyz,'" he said. "They always have suc- cessful seasons. I'm excited to be part of that." Hayes, who earned Class AAAA Player of the Year honors in Pennsylva- nia as a freshman, totaled 24 offers. He mentioned Ohio State, Pitt, Michigan and West Virginia as the key schools that Penn State ultimately beat out. In addition, Hayes has relationships with a number of players from the Pittsburgh area who previously com- mitted to Penn State as part of the 2024 class. That group includes linebacker Anthony Speca and wide receiver Peter Gonzalez, both of Central Catholic, and athlete Quinton Martin of Belle Vernon. "I've been texting with those guys a lot behind the scenes," Hayes said. "I don't see them a lot, but I have seen them at differ- ent sporting events." Hayes is the nation's No. 350 overall prospect, No. 29 run- ning back nationally and No. 10 prospect in Pennsylvania in the 2025 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He's the second run- ning back in the class, joining Kiandrea Barker, who is from Beebe, Ark., but is attending The Woodlands High in Texas this year. Aliquippa is working to get back to the PIAA champion- ship game after losing to Bishop McDevitt in the final last sea- son. Hayes will be focusing on that effort in the weeks ahead, but he also made it clear that he's planning to help bring other top prospects to Happy Valley. "Oh, I'll be after a lot of guys," Hayes said. "They've got to come here. How could you not? All the dawgs need to come play with us." ■ Aliquippa Running Back Finds Perfect Fit At PSU RYA N S N Y D E R | R Y A N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Hayes, who has rushed for more than 3,700 yards in his career at Aliquippa High, received 24 scholarship offers before choosing the Nittany Lions in September. He picked Penn State over Ohio State, Pitt, Michigan and West Virginia. PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL It was surprising that the Nittany Lions took Tiqwai Hayes so early in the 2025 recruiting cycle, considering that they already had a running back in Kiandrea Barker, who is a four-star prospect in the On3 Industry Rank- ing. But when you turn on the film, you can see why they did it. Hayes is slippery, powerful and graceful, all at the same time. While not fast, he's certainly not slow, either. More important, he's an instinctive runner who knows when to use moves to get extra yards, and when to lower his head and grind out a few more. His vision, anticipation and maturity at the position are apparent as well. As an added bonus, Aliquippa uses a very sophisticated running scheme that incorporates most of Penn State's run concepts. He'll have a leg up when he gets to Happy Valley thanks to great coaching. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N COMMITMENT PROFILE TIQWAI HAYES