Blue White Illustrated

Nittany Lions' success is turning heads in Class of 2018 B efore the 2016 season got under way, there were plenty of reasons for fans to be excited about Penn State's po- tential in the Class of 2018. Back in Au- gust, James Franklin and his assistants added two big commitments from four- star prospects Pat Freiermuth, a tight end from North Andover, Mass., and wide receiver Justin Shorter of Mon- mouth Junction, N.J. With a couple of talented Pennsylvania prospects – de- fensive end Micah Parsons of Harrisburg and o6ensive lineman Chris Bleich of Plymouth – also having verbally com- mitted, Penn State couldn't have asked for a better start. Not only were all four of those prospects highly coveted, they also played positions that the team needed to address in its class. Now, following one of the most mem- orable seasons in Penn State history, it looks as if the Nittany Lions have an op- portunity to put together one of their best classes in at least the past two decades. On Nov. 25, while fans were settling into their seats to send o6 the seniors before the game against Michi- gan State, the coaching sta6 was busy working on the team's future, securing a commitment from the nation's No. 1 tight end, Zack Kuntz of Camp Hill, Pa. Less than a week later, they added an- other elite four-star prospect in quar- terback Justin Fields of Kennesaw, Ga. "A7er seeing them win that game [against Ohio State], it really got me thinking more about how Coach Franklin and Coach [Joe] Moorhead would be able to evolve this o6ense even more," Fields said. "They did so well with Coach Moorhead, and it's only his 5rst year there. Coach Franklin has been able to turn around two programs now, so a7er seeing all that, it was reassuring to me that Coach Franklin de5nitely has Penn State headed in the right direction." Over the next month, Penn State's coaching sta6 will undoubtedly be fo- cused on 5nishing the Class of 2017, but because of the limited scholarships that remain, they will also be looking to get a head start on planning junior days for February and March. When you add in the momentum they've gained a7er winning 11 games this season, Franklin and his assistants could potentially take Penn State's recruiting to the next level, joining rivals like Ohio State and Michi- gan in the top 10. In fact, with four four- star prospects and a 5ve-star prospect already committed, Penn State's 2018 class is expected to be No. 1 in the nation when Rivals.com begins tallying its rankings following signing day for the Class of 2017 on Feb. 1. Of course, if the Lions are going to take that next step, it will require another ex- cellent season in 2017. But even if the team takes a small step back next year, it has shown many of the region's up-and- coming players that this team can com- pete with the Big Ten's best. "I'd be lying if I said I haven't been paying close attention," said three-star linebacker Charlie Katshir of Mechan- icsburg, Pa. "I think a lot of people thought that Franklin would be able to turn everything around, but to do it this year, with such a young team, it just shows that he and the other coaches have what it takes to compete for a na- tional championship. They've set the bar really high now, and that's what a lot of recruits want to see. There's a lot of buzz about Penn State right now. I really like what they're doing and I think a lot of other players like them, too." ■

• Cover