Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516624
M A R C H 2 0 2 4 47 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / L ike many of his classmates, Corey Smith committed shortly after earn- ing an offer from Penn State. Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider took a strong liking to Smith's skill set in February 2023 after the Waukesha, Wis., native dazzled as a junior, averag- ing a touchdown every six carries while racking up 1,304 yards on the ground for Catholic Memorial. Smith came to campus a month after he landed his Penn State offer, returned for the Blue-White Game in April, and then committed be- fore the end of the month. "What separated them was that they showed they're a very genuine organiza- tion," Smith said. "There was nothing about them that was fake. Some schools show you and tell you all the good things, but Penn State was just real with me the entire way. When I walked in there and visited the first time, it felt like a busi- ness. It's really well run, and they do things the right way. "I just realized quickly that I could see myself there. Then, when you look at all the great players that came from Penn State, in that moment, I really dialed in and looked at them in a whole different way." Smith would likely have received more interest from other schools as a senior, but he suffered a broken collarbone in Catholic Memorial's opener. "I got tackled and landed wrong, and my collarbone broke," Smith told the school's official website last October. "Actually, I didn't know it was broken until the following Saturday. I woke up and it didn't feel right, so I went to the doctor. He originally told me it would be four to six weeks [to heal], but then they pushed it to 10 to 12. I had to wait for my time. It was stressful, but I watched my brothers succeed. "I finally got some good touches and good runs." He did indeed. While the injury forced him to the sideline for much of his final prep season, his talent was on display again late in the year when he caught a 74-yard touchdown pass in the Crusad- ers' 49-0 win over Martin Luther in the first round of the state playoffs. Catholic Memorial head coach Bill Young called Smith "the most electric athlete that's played in this program. He has legit speed with a 4.4, the fastest that our school has had." As with last year's signees at running back, Cam Wallace and London Mont- gomery, Penn State can bring Smith along slowly in hope of having him hit the field in a meaningful way as a red- shirt freshman. His speed and playmak- ing abilities figure to make the 5-foot-10, 175-pound athlete a good fit in coordina- tor Andy Kotelnicki's offense once he adds enough weight to handle Big Ten competition. Smith joins one of his Catholic Memo- rial teammates, offensive lineman Dono- van Harbour, in the Nittany Lions' 2024 class. Both will enroll at Penn State later this year. — Greg Pickel RB | 5-10 | 175 Catholic Memorial Milwaukee, Wis. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★★ 369 28 3 On3 ★★★ — 41 3 ESPN ★★★★ 285 20 3 Rivals ★★★★ — 18 3 247Sports ★★★★ — 25 3 Statistics • Missed most of his senior season due to a broken collarbone but had a 74-yard touch- down reception against Martin Luther in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs. • Finished with 1,600 all-purpose yards (rush- ing, receiving and returns) as a junior in 2022 • Averaged 1 TD every 6 touches as a junior • Had 1,800 all-purpose yards as a sophomore Notable • Earned all-state honors as a junior and led his team to a state runner-up finish • Led Catholic Memorial to a state champion- ship as a sophomore, earning all-state honors • Helped the Crusaders to a record of 37-4 over three varsity seasons • Also was a two-time all-region pick Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on April 28, 2023 • Recruited by running backs coachJa'Juan Seider • Picked Penn State over Wisconsin and Pitt • Officially visited on June 9, 2023 2024 Projection Penn State is deep at running back, with five scholarship players taking part in practice this spring, including one of Smith's 2024 classmates, four-star Belle Vernon (Pa.) High prospect Quinton Martin Jr. In all likelihood, the Wisconsin prospect will redshirt this fall. They Said It BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "Typically, Penn State doesn't pursue change-of-pace players or third-down backs. Instead, the Nit- tany Lions rotate by series, so a player needs to be able to function in all situations. Despite his size, Smith can fill that role for position coach Ja'Juan Seider. He doesn't need to be a violent runner who seeks out contact. He just needs the strength to break tackles. If he continues to develop, he'll be one of the most well-rounded players in the backfield." Smith rushed for 1,304 yards as a junior at Catholic Memorial but played a limited role during his senior campaign after suffering an injury in the team's season opener. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE COREY SMITH PSU keeps it real, earns commitment from speedy running back T H E S M I T H F I L E