Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/797655
Holmes played key role in turnaround season C ardinal O'Hara enjoyed one of the most surprising seasons in Pennsylvania this past year, rebounding from a 1-9 4nish in 2015 by posting a 10-1 record. The Lions won the Philadelphia Catholic League's Class AAAA crown, and Penn State re- cruit Desmond Holmes was a huge factor in their success. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Holmes was a dominant le7 tackle for an o5ense that averaged 25.2 points per game. He was named 4rst-team All-Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Philadelphia In- quirer and was a 4rst-team Class AAAA All-State choice by the Pennsylvania Football Writers. "He was dominant playing le7 tackle for us," Cardinal O'Hara coach B.J. Hogan said. "He was solid every single game for us." Holmes said he set out during the sea- son to improve his footwork, and he feels that led to his success. "We ran up-tempo a little bit, and I think I was able to move my feet well," he said. "I also feel I was a smarter player this year and had a better feel for the game." It also helped that Holmes got the re- cruiting process over with before the sea- son began. He made a verbal commitment to Penn State on Aug. 8 and never wa- vered in his choice. "I felt really good knowing I had my fu- ture taken care of and I could just concen- trate on football and my schoolwork," Holmes said. Some players who make a verbal com- mitment to one school still take o6cial visits to others, but that wasn't the case with Holmes. Once he made his commit- ment to Penn State, he said he gave no thought to visiting any other schools. "Penn State felt like home and I liked everything about it," he said. "I see myself getting a great education and playing for a great football team under an outstand- ing coaching sta5." What has to truly intrigue Penn State about Holmes is how young he is. He won't turn 18 until July 28. "Because he is so young I think his best football is in front of him," Hogan said. While it's possible that Holmes will redshirt his 4rst season, he's not heading to Penn State with any preconceptions about his role. "Coach [James] Franklin wants us to have that mentality of trying to win a job," he said. "Nobody wants the mentality of sitting." So Holmes will take an aggressive ap- proach. "You have to have the attitude as a football player to come in and want to contribute," he said. Whether that occurs or not will depend on whether Holmes is able to continue his rapid development. "His pass blocking, especially, improved a ton," Hogan said. "A big reason for his success was that he changed his body in the weight room and was really commit- ted in that part of the game, getting so much stronger, and it showed on the 4eld." Holmes said he attended two Penn State games this past year, victories against Temple and Michigan State. "When I attended those games, the at- mosphere was amazing," Holmes said. "The best thing in the world was seeing those fans. They're amazing, and as a player you appreciate that kind of support so much." And now he hopes to take what he learned as a senior in high school to Penn State. The biggest lesson was that any- thing is possible. The proof was in the dramatic turnaround by Cardinal O'Hara. "I wanted to push myself – and not only myself, but my teammates – to be great, not good," he said. "We won a di- vision championship for the 4rst time in 12 years, and it was an amazing experi- ence." He hopes to have a similar experience in college, and like his high school coach, Holmes feels that the best for him still lies ahead. "I still may be growing," he said. "It's a blessing to know I'm so young and I have a lot ahead of me." ■ | THE HOLMES FILE STATS Was a four-year letterman and team captain as a senior, helping Cardinal O'Hara average 25.2 points per game en route to a 10-1 record and a Philadelphia Catholic League Class AAAA championship HONORS Named a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, as well as the No. 16 player in Pennsylvania... Received first-team All-State honors from the Pennsylvania Football Writers and USA Today... Named to the Pennsylvania Football News' first-team All-State squad as a senior and was the publication's Class AAAA Lineman of the Year CLICK HERE to see video of Holmes in action. Rivals.com