Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1533674
A P R I L 2 0 2 5 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M In addition to his responsibilities in the Altoona-Johnstown corridor, he has added Cincinnati to the mix. Connor will also take on the North- east, going from above New York City to Massachusetts. The prep scene in Con- necticut and Massachusetts has been fruitful in recent years, and the Nittany Lions will remain active there. With Seider, a Belle Glade, Fla., na- tive, no longer on the staff, the Lions will handle Florida in a positional man- ner, and the aforementioned team ap- proach remains in play. Smith has been active on the Gulf Coast from Tampa down to Venice, but multiple coaches will keep tabs on IMG Academy in Bra- denton. There's an argument to be made that the Lions got better results in the other parts of Florida than they did in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, so they will keep up their efforts in the Panhandle, Tampa, the Space Coast/ Orlando area and Jacksonville. Huhn's Downgrade Seen As 'Fluid Situation' At the time of his commitment to Penn State last summer, quarterback Troy Huhn of San Marcos (Calif.) Mis- sion Hills was listed as a four-star pros- pect by all four services and the No. 60 overall player in On3's rankings. In the latest batch of updates to the 2026 rankings, Huhn has slipped to three- star status and checked in as the No. 28 quarterback nationally. BWI checked in with On3 scouting director Charles Power for more in- sight on Huhn. Power explained that the quarterback's slide came down to a closer look at his film. Huhn was an all-league selection as a junior, tossing 19 touchdown passes in 11 games while leading the Grizzlies to an 8-3 record. "Troy Huhn is a prospect that we've been tracking for a couple of years now. When he initially came on the national scene, we viewed him as a big drop-back passer with a live arm and a guy who was going to need to show progression in terms of the play on Friday nights," Power said. "I think to this point, we've been waiting for that to happen. From watching several full games throughout his junior season, and really extending into his sophomore year as well, we just wanted to see him take the next step in terms of the on-field play. "At this point, there are still signs and reasons for optimism, just with his arm talent. But in terms of the consistency, the ball placement and his actual play on a snap-to-snap basis, just being able to put points on the board with your high school offense, I think there's cer- tainly room for improvement there." Huhn was on the radar of several pro- grams last summer, including Texas and Ohio State. The Nittany Lions were happy to scoop him up, and he's been a solid part of the 2026 class since June. He traveled to PSU for its Big Ten opener against Illinois last September and was also on hand for the Lions' College Football Playoff victory over SMU and the Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State. On3 is hoping to see him live in action this spring. "This is a very fluid evaluation, and it's still early in the cycle," Power said. "We're going to see Troy Huhn on the camp circuit hopefully. And then, of course, the biggest thing for him is just going to be making strides in his senior year on Friday nights. "You still like the overall talent — es- pecially the arm talent, just from what he can do in pure pass situations. But we came out of the evaluation from his ju- nior year just wanting to see more with the on-field play." ■ Receiver Jerquaden Guilford Decommits From Nittany Lions Penn State lost one of its nine verbally committed players on Feb. 28 when three-star wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford announced he was reopening his recruitment. A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Guilford had committed on Dec. 6 and was part of Penn State's class for less than three months. He thanked head coach James Franklin and receivers coach Marques Hagans in a social media post announcing his exit but added that he wanted to keep looking. "This was not an easy decision, and I have so much respect and love for Coach Franklin, Coach Hagans and the entire Penn State staff for accepting me and believing in me," he wrote on X (Twitter). "I want to take the time to thoroughly evaluate my options and ensure that the school I choose aligns with the values my family and I hold. With the new landscape of college recruiting, I want to make a decision that is as close to perfect as possible for my future. Thank you to Penn State for everything, and I appreciate all the coaches and supporters who continue to guide me on this journey." Guilford emerged as a top target for the Nittany Lions last July when he attended Penn State's White Out camp. By that point, he had already been offered by Ohio State. In more recent months, Michigan has also entered the mix. The Wolverines are expected to be a program he seriously considers. After camp, the Northrop prospect didn't return to State College until the end of November for the regular-season finale against Maryland. It was the only true unofficial visit he took to Penn State before announcing his commitment a week later. Guilford was the third wide receiver to join PSU's 2026 class. The Nittany Lions still hold commit- ments from Jahsiear Rogers (a four-star prospect) and Lavar Keys (three stars). — Ryan Snyder Quarterback Troy Huhn of Mission Hills High in California went from a four- to a three-star grade in On3's latest rankings. PHOTO COURTESY ON3