Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/916653
now available at: on campus hub-robeson center COFFEE BLENDS La vida mocha of coffee* lotta horchata of coffee* Conway kicked the extra point, and the Lions won, 27-17. After the game, Michi- gan coach Lloyd Carr admitted his defense was fooled. "It was a great call," he said. A family affair After graduating, Nastasi became a partner in the Sports Café Grille and the Links Pub and Cafe on West College Av- enue until the owners closed the estab- lishments in 2007. For the past eight years, he has been an investigator for Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry. In his spare time the past two football seasons, Natasi has also coached wide receivers for State College High School. He has remarried, and he and his wife, Aaliyah, have a family of four – sons Joe, 16, and Donte, 12, and daughters Takiyah, 19, and Maya, 11 – with another on the way. Nastasi is taking a special interest in the athletics of his two sons. Joe is a sopho- more who played linebacker for a State College team that reached the Pennsylva- nia 6A quarterfinals this year. "Joe did a great job," Nastasi said. "He didn't start but he played a significant time at line- backer and special teams. Donte is a nat- ural athlete and different-size kid, so he is more of a running back and wide re- ceiver. He is quicker and fearless and has good instincts." With two sons now in the recruiting pipeline, Nastasi has taken a closer look at the new early signing period and wave of early commitments. Perhaps surpris- ingly given his history, he believes early commitments have gotten out of hand. "These kids are getting offered at such ridiculously early years and it's stealing their high school career a little bit," Nas- tasi said. "I think it changes their hunger and drive. When something's always given to you, it's tough to stay on edge and be really hungry. It's partly because of all this social media stuff. A kid goes on there and says I have three offers and seven of- fers and 10 offers. They've created this environment, and it's almost like this so- cial media circus when those kids get those offers. "I think they should have to complete their junior year. I think the summer going into their senior year is when a school should be able to officially make an offer. I understand verbal offers and ver- bal commitments, and they can be pulled before signing day. It doesn't mean a whole lot unless a school pulls the offer for no reason. We are putting these kids in a position where it's all about them as in- dividuals rather than their high school, their team and their programs. I don't mean to be overly critical. I understand it and the money involved. But it seems more like such a business now. I would like to see it more old school. Think about it: My offer was considered so early, and it was only at the end of my junior year. It was unheard of. It wasn't because I was this great player. It just worked out that way, which is totally different than how things are working now." ■