Blue White Illustrated

Another signing day is in the books, and for Penn State, it was relatively un- dramatic. Which is just how James Franklin told his recruits he wanted it. With so many players who can fit in at multiple positions, one of the next steps for the coaching staff is to figure out where these guys go. A year ago, safety Troy Apke was a wide receiver. Koa Farmer was a safety, and so on. This year's class has a host of versatile prospects. Penn State signed three safeties in Jarvis Miller, Ayron Monroe and Johnny Petrishen. While defensive coordinator Terry Smith isn't willing to take any of the three out of the defen- sive backfield just yet, he said the unique skill set that they each offer will allow he and defensive coordinator Bob Shoop to use different combinations in the secondary. "There's a lot of flexibility," Smith said. "We signed three safeties. We have those guys on the back side. Only time will tell if they fit the system in that way. The beauty of what Coach Shoop does defensively is that he adjusts the defense to our personnel. We don't fit them into a scheme that we're already running; we're gonna adjust to what our personnel strengths are." If any one of those players were to grow out of the position, though, it would most likely be Miller, who is 6- foot-2 and 200 pounds. Asked about Miller's future growth, Smith replied, "With his frame, who knows? He could grow into that outside linebacker spot as well. Time will tell on that. He's going to start in the back end. He could play the free or the strong, so it makes us interchangeable where we don't have to rotate by hash." No matter where Miller ends up, Smith said he expects him "to have a great impact on us immediately." "He's extremely smart, and we feel like he'll pick the system up," Smith added. "That's half the battle for these guys when they first get in. It's not the athleticism. It's: Can they pick up the system and can he play fast in the sys- tem?" • While there's been speculation about whether Ryan Buchholz and Ka- monte Carter will eventually develop into three-technique defensive tackles, another name kept popping up on sign- ing day as a candidate for that spot: Kevin Givens. Rivals lists Givens as a linebacker, but it was reported earlier this week that the 6-foot-1, 245-pounder would start as a defensive end. Smith, however, said that it's possible he could even grow out of that spot, comparing his potential to that of a former first-round pick. "We're not sure if [Givens] will grow into a tackle or not, so he'll start out as a defensive end," Smith said. "He's ex- tremely athletic, has a great motor. We had some comparisons to [St. Louis Rams DT] Aaron Donald. I coached against Aaron Donald when I was a high school coach. He has an athletic frame like him. I hope he brings that athleticism and motor and gets after it." • Daiqaun Kelly played defensive back in high school, but it's been clear for a while that he's projected to develop into an outside linebacker. Although he does have an "LB" by his name for now, Smith said Kelly will be relied upon for a variety of different roles. "Daiqaun can play our buck, which is our sixth DB, which is a boundary guy," Smith said. "He can also play our star, which is in the slot, and he can play outside 'backer or possibly strong safety for us. He's so athletic. He's so versatile. He can do a lot of different things. • Linebacker Manny Bowen won't be undertaking a position change anytime soon, but like Kelly, he will have re- sponsibilities that go beyond those of a traditional linebacker. "That field 'backer is where he fits most because he's athletic," Smith said. "He [can] cover the quick pass, the slot, the side, he has the length to get his hands on guys to redirect their routes, yet he's big enough and strong enough where he can go down in the muck and make the physical tackles necessary for a 'backer. We're really excited about Manny." Smith added that Bowen "is that guy who we don't have on our roster right now. So hopefully he can fill that role for us." • There was a lot of praise on signing day for John Reid, another potential early contributor. Coaches cited not only his athletic ability but his work ethic. Terry Smith called him "a studyholic." James Franklin said Reid is working to get into the honors college. Then he told a story about Reid's visit for the Lasch Bash barbecue last summer, during which he spent most of his time in the film room with Bob Shoop instead of being outside with the other recruits. Josh Gattis recounted the same story earlier in the day. "We did a picnic and John, all he wanted to do was go in and watch film for three hours," Gattis said. "This guy studies football. So he's a very mature. He's a very respected player. • One of the more prominent aspects of the fax machine celebrations in the Lasch Building were the big-screen F E B R U A R Y 5 , 2 0 1 5 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 14 All the right moves Class's versatility gives coaches new options as PSU reassembles its depth chart S I G N I N G D A Y N O T E B O O K T I M   O W E N   | O W E N . T I M . B W I @ G M A I L . C O M

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