Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
3 6 M A R C H 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 5 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / R unning back Tikey Hayes was the first signee to commit to Penn State's class of 2025, ending his recruit- ment in September 2023. A native of Aliquippa, Pa., Hayes earned an offer from the Nittany Lions shortly after his freshman season, in December 2021. He visited State Col- lege seven times as a sophomore, lead- ing many to believe that it was going to be tough for any school to beat out Penn State. It also didn't hurt that he is a nephew of longtime PSU assistant coach Terry Smith, who oversees re- cruiting in Western Pennsylvania. "He showed me the ropes with re- cruiting," Hayes said. "But 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." Listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, Hayes will go down as one of the most productive players ever in the Key- stone State. As a freshman, he totaled 1,723 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns, leading Aliquippa to the Class 4A state championship. During his career, the Quips won two state titles and three WPIAL crowns. Hayes finished with 6,995 yards rushing and 99 touchdowns. Those numbers could have been even higher, but Hayes played in only five of his team's 11 games his senior season due to an injury. During a livestream on signing day in December, Penn State coach James Franklin described Hayes as "one of the most productive players in the history of the state of Pennsylvania, and … the most underappreciated running back in the country." Before committing, Hayes earned 19 scholarship offers. Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee were some of the more notable programs to offer. West Virginia was the main competitor at the time of his commitment, although he did travel to Stanford in June 2024 before reaf- firming his pledge to Penn State. H aye s h e l d a t h re e - s ta r ra t i n g throughout most of his recruitment but was upgraded to four-star status by On3 during its final ranking release in February. "Hayes has a well-rounded game," said Charles Power, On3's director of scouting and rankings. "He has a com- pact build, low to the ground and has been hyper-productive, which you love to see among running back prospects. He also has very good contact balance and is a guy who is probably more ath- letic than he's given credit for. "He's a guy that we increasingly warmed up to the more we watched and learned about him. I think he also fits what Penn State likes at running back. Hayes has a little bit of Kaytron Allen in his game, although there are also some differences, too. You're betting on his physicality and his contact balance translating to the college level." — Ryan Snyder Hayes rushed for nearly 7,000 yards in his four-year varsity career and helped the Quips win a pair of Class 4A state championships. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER TIKEY HAYES Standout running back posted gaudy numbers in Aliquippa's title runs RB | 5-11 | 210 Aliquippa Aliquippa, Pa. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★ 437 36 13 On3 ★★★★ — 30 9 247Sports ★★★ — 44 18 ESPN ★★★ — 47 20 Rivals ★★★★ 234 15 5 Statistics • Rushed for 1,022 yards and 17 touchdowns on 97 carries his senior season • Totaled 2,239 yards rushing and 26 touch- downs his junior season • Ran for 2,011 yards and 33 touchdowns as a sophomore • Finished with 1,723 yards and 23 touch- downs as a freshman Notable • Helped lead Aliquippa to Class 4A state championships in 2021 and '23 • Four-time Pennsylvania Football Writers 4A All-State pick Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on Sept. 25, 2023 • Recruited by cornerbacks coach Terry Smith • Picked Penn State over West Virginia and Stanford • Officially visited on June 14, 2024 2025 Projection The Nittany Lions' backfield is loaded. With seniors Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen coming back for one last season, plus three other scholarship players set to return, Hayes and fellow freshman running back Jabree Cole- man are all but certain to redshirt this fall. They Said It Penn State general manager Andy Frank: "Early on in his career, Tikey was a highly rated guy who continued to get better. He's a guy that I think has a good feel for the game. He can change direction quickly. He may not be the fast- est guy on the field, but he's got enough speed to hit some bigger runs. I think what he really does well is change direction and find creases, because he can lower his shoulder. I think he's going to be a guy who will allow us to continue the tradition we've had in the backfield." T H E H AY E S F I L E