Blue White Illustrated

W atching Paul VI wide receiver Irvin Charles rip southern New Jersey secondaries for big yardage, it was di4cult to picture him starting his foot- ball career in the trenches. But that's exactly where it all began. Charles, who these days stands 6-foot- 4, 215 pounds, started out as an offen- sive lineman in midget football, and by all accounts he was a pretty good one. "I was always so much bigger than everybody else," he recalled. But even then, Charles yearned to leave the line and show his pass receiving skills. "At the end of practice we used to have competition and you had to sprint 100 yards, and I would always come in 3rst," he said, laughing at the memory. "The only reason I was on the line in those days was my size." As a freshman at Paul VI, Charles knew he wanted to play receiver, and that is when he began learning the position. By his sophomore year, he was on the THE CHARLES FILE STATS Caught 49 passes for 848 yards and 11 touchdowns in a break- out junior season while also carrying five times for 42 yards and three TDs... Finished with 33 catches for 492 yards and 10 TDs as a senior, helping Paul VI win the West Jersey Football League Constitution Division ti- tle... Had 15 catches for 263 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore HONORS Named a four- star recruit by Rivals.com, as well as the nation's No. 33 wide receiver and No. 7 overall prospect in New Jer- sey Charles brings many skills to Nittany Lions' offense | and running back and even took a few snaps at quarterback. On defense, he saw action at safety and cornerback, and he also served as a return man on the special teams units. "He would be great on either side of the ball," Glassboro coach Mark Maccarone said. "Think of a 6-5 defensive back with his speed. Or if he gains 30 pounds, he could become an outside linebacker or rush defensive end." Maccarone said Michigan recruited him as a defensive end. Still, given the rise of the passing game in college football, it makes a lot of sense to keep him at re- ceiver. Johnson certainly has the speed to play the position, as he is an outstanding track performer. As a sophomore, he placed fourth in the New Jersey Meet of Cham- pions in the 200 meters, 3nishing in 22.01 seconds. (The winner was Jabrill Peppers, now a football player at Michigan). Johnson said his best time in the 100 meters is 10.8 seconds. This past season, he caught 42 passes for 804 yards and nine touchdowns while also gaining 102 yards and scoring twice on 3ve carries. In addition, he averaged 13.7 yards on six punt returns, and in the secondary, he had 23 tackles, four passes defensed and three interceptions. The strides he has made since his fresh- man year have been enormous. Said Mac- carone, "Watching him evolve from a timid freshman to a very mature team- centered senior was a pleasure to see." Johnson is preparing for Penn State by running track this spring, competing in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints. Like many highly touted high school athletes, he is looking to make an im- mediate contribution at the college lev- el. "I want to be able to help the team right away, and I will try to do whatever I can to get on the 3eld and to contribute," he said. Johnson will continue to get advice from his older brothers, who will make sure that he is humble and hungry. They have set a positive tone, and Johnson is intent on maintaining their high stan- dards. ■

• Cover