Blue White Illustrated

CLICK HERE to see video of Toney in action. backer, part defensive lineman and full- time disruptive force. He has heard some of the skeptics who contend that he won't be able to carry the weight in col- lege to be a defensive lineman, and he has a succinct rebuttal. "Coach [James] Franklin said I can put my hand in the dirt," he said. So if the Penn State head coach said he can be a defensive lineman, that's good enough for Toney. He also points out that opposing o5ensive linemen won't be able to block a player they can't catch. Few prospects in the country this past year had a 4rst step that was as im- pressive as Toney's, which is why he spent so much time in opposing back- 4elds. "I think it's impossible for a lineman to truly get physical with me," he said. "I am a physical player myself and I al- ways believe that with my 4rst step, I will get to the ball." His coach said that Toney's quick 4rst step is truly his calling card. "He does a great job anticipating the snap and is really good at keeping blockers o5 him," Crosby said. "He does a phenomenal job of bending, and his pad level is tremendous, making it tough for an of- fensive lineman to get his hands on him." Imhotep 4elded two outstanding de- fensive ends last season, as Toney teamed up with Andre Mintze, who went on to sign with Vanderbilt. With this type of talent, is it any wonder the Panthers won 14 of their 15 games by 21 points or more? Despite all his individual accomplish- ments, Toney is proudest of the winning pedigree he helped Imhotep develop. He played on the varsity team all four years of his high school career, helping the Panthers go 55-5 during that span. "It was always a dream to win a state championship, and for it to come true meant so much to all of us," he said. Toney realizes that he could end up at linebacker at Penn State. He said he will do anything that will help the team win, just as he did during his high school ca- reer. In the summer before his senior season, Toney made a verbal commitment to Penn State, but there was some late re- cruiting drama. The Panthers entered the picture at the end of the recruiting cycle, and with the Feb. 3 signing date only hours away, Toney wasn't sure where he would attend college. "My sister told me if football was taken away from me, what school would I en- joy?" Toney recalled. "It was more about that." He said he liked both schools but Penn State was the best answer to the question his sister posed. Toney admitted that he didn't want to attend school more than 4ve hours from home. He is hoping his family and friends will frequently make the four- hour trek to Penn State to see him play. "He comes from a great family," Crosby said. "I don't know if you will 4nd a support system as well as Shaka Toney has." Toney is the youngest of 4ve siblings, with two brothers and two sisters. "They all look out for their little broth- er," said Crosby, who recently stepped down as head coach. And been working out this spring, preparing for his college football career. Although Toney would like to con- tribute immediately, he takes a mature approach when it comes to playing time. "As far as what the coaches want to do, if they feel I have to wait and de- velop and get stronger and learn the system, I am perfectly fine with that," he said. Then again, he's going in with the mindset that he will attempt to con- tribute right away. His position is yet to be determined but his will to win and competitive nature have long been es- tablished. ■ PSU's offer brings Thrift delayed gratification D efensive tackle Brenon Thri6 may be the biggest wildcard in Penn State's Class of 2016. A native of Monroeville, Pa., Thri6 orig- inally belonged to the Class of 2014 coming out of Gateway High School. Under the tutelage of Terry Smith, the former Gate- way head coach who is now in charge of Penn State's cornerbacks, Thri6 broke onto the scene following an excellent junior season, earning o5ers from Michi- gan, Pitt, South Florida, West Virginia and others. However, just a few months a6er the season ended, Thri6 received a shock when he learned that Smith would be joining Matt Rhule's sta5 at Temple. Little did he know how much Smith's decision would impact his future. "I'll never forget that," Thri6 said. "I didn't know how to feel. I was so happy for him that he got a job in college. He deserved that. But I was also real bummed out. Coach Smith was so important to me. He was much more than just a coach to me." It didn't take long for Thri6 to reconnect with Smith. A two-star prospect who played linebacker and defensive end at the time, he ended up being one of the 4rst players Smith contacted when he ar- rived in Philadelphia. Within weeks, Thri6 and multiple teammates had Temple o5ers, and a few of them committed almost im- mediately. With Smith already on the job

• Cover