Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525333
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 51 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M L egacy commitments are always a popular topic among not just Penn State fans but all major-college foot- ball fan bases. The Nittany Lions have seen their fair share of legacies during James Franklin's coaching tenure, from high school signees such as C.J. Thorpe to transfers like current redshirt junior offensive tackle Nolan Rucci. The Lions' most recent legacy commit- ment, three-star linebacker LaVar Ar- rington II of Covina, Calif., is unlike those previous prospects in that his father is one of the most famous players in program history. During his career with the Nittany Li- ons from 1997-99, LaVar Arrington was twice named a first-team All-Amer- ican and won the Bednarik and Butkus awards. He was later drafted No. 2 overall by Washington and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame two years ago. What's more, Arrington has main- tained close ties to the program over the years and has been a frequent presence in State College despite living in Southern California. You won't find many former players whose voice is as resonant within Penn State's football community as his. Arrington's high profile stands in con- trast to his son's recruitment, which was arguably the quietest of any player in the 2025 class prior to his verbal commit- ment on July 4. Publicly, we know the younger Arrington picked up an offer from Penn State in November 2023, but aside from that, much of his recruit- ment went under the radar. That's partly because his family connections to the school provided him with multiple op- portunities to visit campus when no one was watching. It's also because the younger Arrington is not one to seek media attention. As his coach at Charter Oak High School told BWI recently, Arrington's low-key re- cruitment was entirely in keeping with his personality. "He's an old soul, if that makes sense. He's wise beyond his years and is emo- tionally intelligent and observant," coach Dom Farrar said. "Obviously, he's a prod- uct of his environment in terms of what he's been exposed to. But I think his par- ents have done beautifully in terms of knowing what his purpose is. He's just so grounded and focused. He keeps the main thing, the main thing." HIGH EXPECTATIONS Arrington is listed in the On3 Indus- try Ranking as the No. 417 overall player and No. 42 linebacker in the 2025 class. He's also the No. 34 California prospect in the Industry Ranking, which averages the grades of all four major recruiting web- sites. His father was one of the nation's most heavily recruited players coming out of North Hills High in Pittsburgh in 1997, but Farrar said the expectations placed on Ar- rington have never once been a disruption for his team. He gives much of the credit for that to Arrington's mother, Trishia, as well as his famous father. "They're just such genuine people, and they've been so authentic about his de- velopment and his growth," Farrar said. "They've been as focused on him socially and emotionally. How he performs in the classroom and how he conducts himself as a young man are just as important as his development as a football player, or more important. "He's never once gotten preferential treatment. He's never been anybody that's acted like he's entitled. He's just a humble, hungry kid who's cut from a dif- ferent cloth." While Arrington had a solid debut sea- son as a sophomore, totaling 35 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and 5 sacks, he took his game to a different level last year. In 13 games, he nearly doubled his tackle total, finishing the year with 65. While he had fewer tackles for loss than the year before, totaling 2.5, he more than made up for that with his 12 sacks and 9 quarterback hurries. "I would say that last year, right around the midway point of the season, that's when he started taking games over," Farrar said. "I affectionately call him a unicorn now. I've never seen an athlete in over 30 years be able to do what he does on the football field, especially on the defensive side of the field. Hon- estly, if we chose to, he's a kid that could literally play every position on the field." Farrar said there are a few areas that distinguish the future Penn Stater from previous players he's worked with. "What I think separates him more than anything is his short-area quickness and his violent hands. He really wins the line of scrimmage," Farrar said. "But also, when you watch him, he is just so dominant at the point of attack. When PSU Commit LaVar Arrington II Boasts Much More Than A Familiar Name RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Arrington announced on July 4 that he had chosen the Nittany Lions over a list of suitors that included Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon and Washington. PHOTO COURTESY LAVAR ARRINGTON II