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are still on par with the nation's elite programs. They remain one of the game's biggest draws, ranking 12th last year in Forbes' survey of college foot- ball's most valuable teams. But, at least for the moment, the Nittany Lions are selling potential. And while they're sell- ing it quite well, as evidenced by the top-15 class that James Franklin signed in early February, they will need to translate recruiting success into victo- ries in the coming years if they're to keep the momentum going. That's what the Big Ten's flagship pro- gram is doing. Basking in the glow of his third national championship, Urban Meyer finds himself in the position that Paterno once enjoyed, and he's using a familiar pitch to sell Ohio State. During a recent appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman," Meyer made a distinction between "theory" and "tes- timony" – a distinction he explained in a subsequent interview with ESPN.com. "My daughters went through recruit- ing," he said. "Both of them were volley- ball players. One went to Georgia Tech and one went to Florida Gulf Coast, and I remember as a parent sitting there lis- tening. Some of it is a leap of faith. Who is this new staff? What are they trying to do? But any time there is a for-sure, and right now with the way we do our busi- ness at Ohio State with academics, with the way our weight room is, the Real- Life Wednesdays and then the success on the field, if you're a guy who wants to be playing for a group of assistant coaches and some teammates who are really good players and know how to win and do things right, this is a pretty good system right now." Pretty good is an understatement. And by calling attention to his track record, Meyer is taking direct aim at two poten- tially troublesome rivals: Penn State's Franklin and Michigan's Jim Harbaugh. The former went 2-6 in conference play during his first season with the Nittany Lions, while the latter has yet to coach a game for the Wolverines. If you were Ur- ban Meyer, you'd be talking "testimony," too. It's the one thing your rivals can't sell, at least not yet. Meyer's comments underscore the challenge that lies ahead for Penn State. If they're going to get back to where they were at the height of the Paterno era, the Nittany Lions will need some testimony of their own. It was clear on signing day that re- cruits didn't hold Penn State's mediocre 2014 season against it. The Lions didn't lose any verbally committed prospects after the season, and they even managed to flip a pair of three-star players who had been headed to Pitt. If they're being realistic – and there's no reason to think they won't be – next year's prospects will likewise cut Franklin and his staff some slack. Even with 15 starters back and a contingent of exciting freshmen set to make their debuts in 2015, this team remains a work in progress. But the grace period won't last forever. There is going to come a time when eight or even nine wins won't be enough to keep everyone satisfied. Might be a year from now, might be two or three. But that time is definitely coming, and in or- der for Penn State to continue selling it- self to the top recruits in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, it will need to main- tain a rough equilibrium between expec- tations and accomplishments. Franklin offered a shorthand version of his pitch on signing day. Explaining to re- porters that Penn State still had two scholarships available in the current re- cruiting cycle, the second-year coach said this: "If anybody knows of anybody out there who wants to get a world-class edu- cation, wants to play big-time football, wants to have a great relationship with their coaching staff and wants to be in an unbelievably supportive community with the best fan base in America, let us know." If there are any players left out there who fit that description, Franklin and his assistants probably know about them already. When it comes to recruiting, they don't miss much. Getting players to take a leap of faith is the tricky part, so the Lions need to make that leap seem as short as possible. The way to do that, next year and beyond, is to win games. Win enough of them and it won't seem like a leap at all. ■ 111 E. Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S

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