Penn State Sports Magazine
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6 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A pparently, you can go home again. Penn State's approach to the transfer portal this offseason netted the Nittany Lions some familiar faces. Chief among them were a pair of Key- stone State natives who carried five-star ratings back when they played at the high school level. Both spurned James Frank- lin's program for out-of-state options and took different paths back home. Franklin has often alluded to the importance of recruiting the Com- monwealth. Even though changing population demographics have dropped Pennsylvania lower on the list of talent- producing states than in past genera- tions, it's still a top priority for the Nit- tany Lions to not let the best get away. In the class of 2020, a decidedly down year for talent in the state, Franklin missed on the cycle's gem. Despite visiting well over a dozen times during his recruitment, Southern Columbia wide receiver Julian Fleming elected to join the nation's best position room at Ohio State instead of staying home. The five-star prospect was the No. 3 overall player in the cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking, and the loss of Flem- ing to the Buckeyes was a black eye on a PSU class that finished 14th nationally. The next year, with COVID restric- tions keeping prospects from visiting campus for nearly the entire cycle, Penn State signed just one of the state's top 10 prospects. Topping the list of misses was five-star offensive tackle Nolan Rucci from Warwick High in Lititz. The legacy prospect followed his older brother Hayden, whom the Nittany Li- ons chose not to offer, to Wisconsin. Two cycles, two big-time losses to conference foes. But sometimes things don't go to plan. For Fleming and Rucci, stardom away from home wasn't to be found. Fleming had moderate success as a starter for the Buckeyes. Truth be told, being a producer in Brian Hart- line's wide receivers room is certainly nothing to scoff at. Fleming caught 80 passes for 990 yards and 7 touchdowns in four seasons. Instead of opting for the NFL Draft after the 2023 season, he entered the transfer portal for one more round at the college level. Franklin was one of the first to call. After a short consultation period, Fleming landed with the Nittany Li- ons. His addition will give Penn State a much-needed veteran presence in the room and a guy who has done it at this level. Will he be the answer that the group needs? Only time will tell. Rucci, whose father, Todd, played for Joe Paterno in the 1990s and later in the NFL, had a much different experience with the Badgers. He played sparingly in three years in Madison and watched the transition from Paul Chryst to Luke Fickell, mostly from the sidelines. When he went into the portal in January, the Nittany Lions made sense, and the rising junior committed shortly after visiting. That last part is a reflection of Penn State's portal strategy. The match needs to make sense on both sides. "We are not a big transfer portal team," Franklin said on National Sign- ing Day in December. "And not only that, just the way we go about our process is different. It's amazing. Some Penn State guys decide to go in the portal and no one ever calls. We try to be as thorough and detailed as we pos- sibly can be with that process, as well. "And that's out of a ton of respect for the young men that we have in our cur- rent locker room, and making sure that we are bringing in the right guys who are going to complement them as well as create the most competitive envi- ronment that we possibly can create." Will the additions of Fleming and Rucci change the outlook for 2024? Both still need to win jobs and figure out where they stand in the pecking order in spring ball. But the additions signal more than just signing a pair of free agents to help the team. They will also be used as a guide for future players in the same situ- ation. Penn State takes care of its own. It's always been that way no matter who has led the team out of the tunnel. Fleming and Rucci joined corner- backs A.J. Harris, a former five-star in his own right before he headed to Geor- gia, and Jalen Kimber as the Nittany Li- ons' midyear scholarship transfer portal additions. The group should patch a few holes on a roster that will lose some key members from a 10-3 team. Was every need met? No. Penn State still could use another option at re- ceiver, and an experienced offensive tackle is something that every program is looking for. Needs on the defensive line were filled by retaining seniors Dvon Ellies and Hakeem Beamon, and walk-on kicker Chase Meyer from Tulsa will add competition to the spe- cialist room. But the second season, buoyed by a pair of former in-state five-stars, has Penn State off to a good start in its preparation for 2024. ■ Senior receiver Julian Fleming will bolster Penn State's wide- out corps next fall after transferring from Ohio State. PHOTO BY BILL ANDERSON A Few Familiar Names Emerge From Transfer Portal JUDGMENT CALL O P I N I O N S E A N F I T Z S E A N . F I T Z @ O N 3 . C O M