Blue White Illustrated

Bowen is latest to commit P enn State su5ered a rare recruiting setback this past spring when line- backer Josh Barajas recanted his verbal commitment to the Nittany Lions, an- nouncing that he would instead sign with Notre Dame. But rather than stew over the loss, James Franklin and his sta5 went back to work. Last month, their determination paid o5, as they re- ceived a commitment from another highly re- garded linebacker. That player is Manny Bowen, a Rivals.com three-star prospect from Barnegat (N.J.) High, who committed to the Lions a6er attending the Lasch Bash barbeque on June 21. Bowen had received 30 verbal scholarship o5ers before announcing for the Nittany Lions, including o5ers from Alabama, Clemson, South Carolina, Flori- da, Miami, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon and Wisconsin. Ranked the No. 12 prospect in New Jersey by Rivals, Bowen stands 6-feet-2, 206 pounds and is expected to play outside linebacker for the Lions. He recently talked to BWI's Tim Owen about his decision. What were your plans going into your visit to Penn State? Were you thinking about committing? I was evaluating it to kind of compare it South Carolina from my last visit [June 13]. When we arrived at Penn State, the at- mosphere was just amazing. A family at- mosphere and everything. Walking in, they just surrounded you with love. Everybody is just hugging you saying, "What's up?" Friendly faces – everybody is happy, so that set a great mood for the day. Then through- out the day, I was just taking it all in. All the commits, I was hanging out with them. They actually made the point in this recruiting process to reach out to me. All of them, they text me, so we talk and they're always giving me reasons why I should come to Penn State. I have a really great relationship with the coaches. The coaches are always calling my [high school] coach asking how I'm doing with my grades and stu5, so I see that they care about me o5 the 4eld. They want me to be successful academically. That means a lot to me be- cause that means they care about me a lot and want me to be successful. Right a&er your South Carolina visit, you said you were undecided, but it seems as though Penn State has always been up there, kind of a silent No. 1. Yeah, Penn State has always been on the top of my list. Especially since that was the o5er I was waiting for, the o5er that I never had until I went out on campus and got it on my second visit [March 29]. A6er being there, they were still family to me the 4rst time, but I was still open in my recruiting process, so I wasn't ready to pull the trigger. But now I know, and there's no point in holding out. I'm ready to say that I'm with my team and I know where I'm going. I'm committed. Are you done taking visits? Or might you check out some schools once the season rolls around? I spoke to Coach Franklin and I think I'm done heading out to places. As of right now, I'm pretty sure about that. I know [Penn State] is where I want to be, so there's no point in going to see any other places. There's no point in even talking to other places because nothing is going to change my mind. They're recruiting you for the star linebacker position, which is kind of a new spot for everybody who has fol- lowed Penn State the past few years. It's kind of a hybrid linebacker/defensive back. What are they telling you about that position and how you %t in there? They just want somebody who can run and go sideline to sideline. I can walk out over the slot receiver, also play in the box sometimes, or stop the run. Just simple things like that. You have your heavy guys in the interior, but you want somebody who can walk out over [receivers] and keep up with the other athletes on o5ense with speed. [Brent Pry] said the game really is changing. Instead of having the big, bulky linebackers taking on the fullback, you're having the faster guys match up with the faster guys on o5ense. You see all of that. The linebackers aren't always the big guys anymore. So I think I'll do well there, and I think Coach Pry and his sta5 will help me become the best linebacker I can be. It seems like you %t that mold pretty well, because for Barnegat you play al- most every position. You've said you're aiming for a state championship this year, but what will be your role for your team? Will you continue to do it all? Or will you focus on playing linebacker? I'm all about doing everything for my team. Whatever they need, I'll be there. If they need me to be the long snapper on punts, if they need me to make tackles, if they need me to make plays, I'll do that for them. Last year was your %rst time playing for Barnegat. You changed high schools a couple of times, correct? Yes, but I grew up in Barnegat, so I was a Junior Bengal from 4rst grade to seventh grade. Once we hit seventh grade, we joined the middle school team in Barnegat, which is the Bulldogs. A6er that, I trans- ferred to Southern [Regional] and then to Central [Regional as a sophomore]. Then a6er that I came back home to Barnegat. New Jersey linebacker becomes 17th member of Nittany Lions' class F O O T B A L L R E C R U I T I N G BOWEN

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