Blue White Illustrated

Signing Day 2017

Penn State Sports Magazine

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class. We felt like we had some other needs. You can never have enough run- ning backs. Those guys can change a game. We all seen what Saquon Barkley has been able to do. I'm fired up because I think next year for the first time our offensive line can be a strength. I thought we really improved this year, but I think it can be a strength. You [take] Saquon Barkley and the rest of these backs and put them behind an offensive line that's a strength, and it's going to be fun. I think that's why we probably sold 400 season tickets today. When you first got here, offensive line was a major point of emphasis. We've talked about C.J. Thorpe a lot. Talk about Miranda, Rob Martin, Desmond Holmes. What did you see in them? I'll starred with Miranda. Miranda is another one who really, really plays with a nastiness. You watch his highlight tape. There was one game where this one kid, at one point I kind of felt bad for him. I mean, he's just pancaking him over and over and over and over again. We had a chance to get him early on in the process, and aBer he committed to us, everyone came back in and offered him. I don't know if I've ever heard this be- fore: He was his league's MVP. Not of- fensive lineman of the year, I think he was the offensive MVP and the league's MVP. I'd never heard of that before. He's on campus right now. He went from looking like a WWE wrestler with his hair down to his back, to now he's like a European model with a stylish haircut he's got. We love him. He said about nine words through the recruiting process. He said about nine words since he's been here. We went through the process with him today like the other guys. I think he said thanks and walked out of the room. But he brings a tough- ness to us. He's an inside guy. I think he can play center and guard. Des Holmes is a guy who came to camp. Massive human being. His dad and brother played basketball. His dad played in the PSAC as a basketball player. Massive kid. His high school did a great job of turning that place around. You're talking about a 6-5, 320-pound kid with really light feet. He hadn't re- ally shown it to that point on film, but I think aBer camp, we felt really comfort- able offering him. His senior year I thought was really good. We talked to him about finishing people, playing with a toughness. I thought he really showed that his senior year. We were fortunate to get him early in the process, because watching his senior year, I thought he had a great year. Then Rob is blue-collar, hard-nosed. His high school coach played in the NFL. Great high school program. He's a swing guy who can play multiple posi- tions. I'm really excited about Robert because he doesn't have a hair on his face. His face, looks like he's about 14 years old. He's about 275 pounds right now. He has so much room for growth. When he decides to start growing some facial hair and filling out, I think we're going to have a chance to get a guy who has got a really, really big upside. F E B R U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 7 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 12

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