Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529598
D E C 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 guys, so they're usually in the same group working out. Josh was always able to do some impressive things during workouts. He's always had some natural gifts, so that caught people's attention. Then he started basketball afterward and was do- ing some dunk contest stuff. I think peo- ple realized then, "Oh, man, not only does he have length, but he has some twitch and some bounce." That got people's in- terest, and then they started watching the film more and saw how physical he is and how good a tackler he is. He really burst onto the scene after that. But obviously, having Shaun helped, too. We were pushing Josh already, but having Shaun helped. I know people were watching clips of Shaun doing stuff in the summer, one-on-ones, and they started asking who this long DB was that was winning reps against him. All of that played a role in elevating Josh. Those two being able to compete against each other every day has only helped them both. BWI: He missed some games earlier this year. Was that because of an injury? PENDLETON: Yeah, he actually got hurt in practice before our first scrim- mage of the year. He played through it, but we ended up shutting him down just to get him back healthy. He had an avulsion fracture in his hip, which is not as bad as it sounds. It's where the muscle and the hip bone connect, and a small piece of bone pulls away. Sometimes, it happens when someone has a growth spurt, but it's mainly caused by overuse. Josh was working out twice a day all summer long, so that caught up to him a little bit. We shut him down, and he missed the first three games of the year just coming back from that. He was rehabbing and probably could have missed two weeks and played the third, but we chose to hold him again. We brought him back for the fourth game, and he's been a no-doubt starter ever since. BWI: When you watch Josh, what stands out about him as a defensive back? Is there anything that just comes natu- rally to him? PENDLETON: It's definitely his physicality. Whether it's in the run game or pass game, he's a willing tackler. He's going to run the alley and hit people. In the pass game, he's more than willing to get physical with people. That's where he likes to be. Also, in press-coverage situa- tions or at safety, playing that catch-and- carry role, he's a very physical football player. BWI: Do you have any thoughts on where he projects best at the next level? PENDLETON: I think he probably projects as a safety, but some people like him at corner more. I wouldn't be op- posed to him playing corner or even play- ing an outside linebacker or hybrid nickel- type role, depending on how much weight he can carry. He's got a great frame. He's around 190 to 195 pounds, somewhere in that range, and really looks thin still. I think he can carry 215 and still be very explosive and athletic. Some sort of safety hybrid role, where he can be toward the boundary, making tackles and getting his nose in the run game while also covering people — I think that's where you'll get the best out of him. BWI: Back in June, I thought he was close to committing to Penn State. Josh even hinted that he was, but then a few days later he committed to Louisville. What can you share about that decision? Do you have any feel for why Louisville ended up being the pick over PSU in June? PENDLETON: His brother works in the state of Kentucky. I think the origi- nal thought process was that his brother could potentially transfer somewhere closer to him, and he could have some family there in Kentucky. His brother is the main family he has in his life. Josh also went down there, and he did really like it, but I think that was the main thing. He liked both schools, but he knew his family would be closer to him if he went to Louisville. BWI: When did talk of him flipping to Penn State pick up? I know their staff stayed in contact to some degree, but it feels like those talks also increased sig- nificantly during the fall. PENDLETON: As time went on, he said something always kept pulling him back to Penn State. I'll be honest; we had a conversation where he thought that maybe he messed up. At the time, he thought Penn State may have cooled on him a little bit, but then when they started picking back up and reaching out to him, man, he lit up like a Christmas tree. He was just so excited and happy. He said then that he was really kind of leaning toward Penn State, but he was still worried about not having any fam- ily around him. I told him, "Josh, we're all really close. You're one phone call away, and we'll all jump into a vehicle and come up there." Once he got more comfortable with that idea, I think it was easier for him. He likes having that support. Also, I think he knows he's going to get that from his coaches, too. That was something their coaches talked about a lot with him. BWI: Is there anything that stood out to you when it comes to your interac- tions with Penn State's staff? You've dealt with a lot of coaches. What struck you about the way they recruit? PENDLETON: I love how consistent they were with their communication to both Josh and myself. They came in and they had a plan, not only for Josh athleti- cally, but academically, too. They laid out everything they want to do. Also, I love what they pride themselves on. Whether it's tradition or toughness, it's kind of what we pride ourselves on as a program here at Ironton. Both [schools] are aligned very similarly. I think that attracted Josh, and I know it stood out to me as well. ■ "Whether it's in the run game or pass game, he's a willing tackler. He's going to run the alley and hit people. In the pass game, he's more than willing to get physical with people. That's where he likes to be." I R O N T O N C O A C H T R E V O R P E N D L E T O N O N J O H N S O N